Last Friday, a devastating tropical storm known as Typhoon Haiyan wiped out much of the Philippines. At least 10,000 people were killed in a single city, and when all is said and done the death toll will likely be insurmountable. Those who were lucky enough to survive the storm are far from being out of hot water. Their homes were literally wiped out, and many have nothing left. Without clean water or food, the survivors could die of hunger and thirst if relief does not come quickly enough.
If you’re thinking this storm and others like it have been gradually getting worse, you’re correct. Haiyan is not only the worst storm to take place this year — it’s also one of the strongest typhoons ever recorded. It had wind speeds of over 140 miles per hour before it made landfall. Such catastrophic, large-scale devastation was far less common just a few years ago. Scientists believe such storms will only get worse, especially if we don’t curb carbon emissions and implement green policies. Unfortunately, storms like Haiyan could become the new norm as our climate continues to change.
More Storms, Bigger Storms
The more our climate changes, the worse weather will get. A 2010 study conducted by climate scientist Kerry Emanuel of M.I.T. found the severity of tropical storms like Haiyan would increase by 11 percent over the century. That means typhoons — or hurricanes, as they’re called in the United States — could get much worse during our lifetime.
In the future, the warmer air will cause more frequent, more destructive storms. As the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the air increases, the air temperate will become warmer. That means the difference between the air and water temperature will become greater, which is bad because this is what powers storms. As more of the Arctic ice melts, sea level will also rise. This will cause higher storm surges and tidal waves, which will in turn make future storms even more catastrophic.
United Nations in Warsaw
In the face of Haiyan’s devastation, many have appealed to the U.N. People around the world want to make a green lifestyle mandatory. Incentives are no longer good enough when such storms continue to wipe out coastal populations. Perhaps appropriately, the U.N. is in the middle of a climate council, which began on Monday in Warsaw, Poland. Many hope that in the face of such horrible disaster, the U.N. will step up its green initiatives.
Many activists and representatives would like to see a reform of the standards given at the Kyoto Protocol. While the Protocol spread awareness of climate change and helped bring about many green policies, many say this simply isn’t good enough. Rather than issuing more incentives, like offering tax breaks to those who use RKI single gas monitors, many feel the U.N. needs to make sustainability mandatory.
The chief representative for the Philppines, Naderev Saño, called climate change “madness,” and asserted the U.N. has the responsibility to stop climate change right here and now. Mr. Saño said he would not rest until his country receives a “satisfactory outcome” from the U.N. Many found Mr. Saño’s speech to be very moving and hope his appeal will be successful. This isn’t just the future of coastal nations we’re talking about here — it’s the future of mankind.