Who is responsible for extreme climate events?

MONOJ GOGOI

This is one of the biggest questions dwindle in the minds of people affected by extreme climate change induced events across the world now. People in many parts of the world have been experiencing more and more frequent and extreme disasters which led the people to think what wrong did they do or who is responsible for this. 

Affected people become more aware of the causes of their sufferings. It's climate change, that's too anthropogenic. 

Climate scientists repeatedly warn the world leaders to take action to curb emissions of GreenHouse Gases (GHGs) which trap the atmospheric heat but no major action has been taken till now. No doubt, the countries agreed on the warnings and findings and trying to go ahead with plans of actions of their own. No country rigidly obliges to the resolutions taken in the international climate summits whether it is in Paris (Paris Agreement) - 2015 or the recent Glasgow summit of 2021.

Recently, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned about the climate endgame which is not only sensitive but terrific too. They stated that the risks of human extinction are still 'dangerously underexplored'. 

The future, even with scientific data and models, becomes more unpredictable. Extreme climate events are more frequent in the world now. The list of climate change induced severe disasters, which occurred only this year, is too long. 

Unnatural floods have been occurring in many countries due to change in rainfall patterns. Severe and unprecedented heat waves become common in South Asia to America to Europe. Besides other disasters, Middle East countries also face dust storms which create serious health hazards to thousands of people. High temperature and low humidity also cause massive wildfires across the globe. 

Climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of the disasters. 

Here floods, which occurred recently in Seoul and Kentucky, are mentioned. 

The record amount of rainfall on Monday created an unprecedented flood disaster in Seoul and some other parts of South Korea which claimed the lives of at least 8 people. On Monday, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration, about 15 inches of rainfall occurred in southwestern Seoul. Media reports quoted local people who attributed anthropogenic climate change was the cause of this catastrophic flood. 

The recent flood in Kentucky in the US killed at least 37 people, damaged properties and infrastructures in the area. In his visit to the catastrophic flood hit state, the US President Joe Biden mentioned that natural disaster was related to climate change.

Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, after the Kentucky flood, also said climate change was exacerbating natural disasters. 

The poor people are suffering more from such climatic events. The common farm sector becomes less productive in many places and a section of farmers have changed their occupation as they repeatedly failed to harvest their crop yields. Floods, droughts, pests etc too affect the farmers. 

The daily wage earners too have been facing impediments in working in the soaring temperature. This is impacting on the earnings of the labour class. 

Mass migration, whether it's internal or international, is seen in many places which resulted in conflicts between communities. 

Sudan is not only the country where people are moving from one place to another in search of food and water. 

The retreat of glaciers and sea level rise becomes on of most serious issues for the people living in coastal areas, in archipelago nations or in small islands. The intrusion of sea water (salt water) creates havoc in many such areas.

The people of a Fijian island, Serua, recently raised their voice against big companies responsible for emission of huge amounts of GHGs. The village  has now failed to adapt to the intrusion of seawater and elderlies, although they don't have intention to leave their ancestral lands, want relocation. They asked the big companies (polluting companies) to bear the expenses for their relocation. 

This demand of the villagers is serious and alarming. What will happen in the upcoming days across the world. Are the poor people really going to demand the riches (companies and countries) to pay for their climate change induced losses in future. 

Several studies stated that some big companies, engaged particularly in energy related works, contribute huge amount of GHGs. Since 1965, according to a report, 35% of energy related carbon dioxide and methane have been emitted by top 20 companies. Another study, published in July, 2017, found that top 100 companies are responsible for 71% of GHGs emission since 1988.

High polluting companies like Exxon, Chevron, She'll, Gazprom Or Saudi Aramco are still getting licences for more explorations. 

Don't these profit making companies have any responsibility for the affected people in such disasters? 

In a story carried out by The Washington Post on Kentucky flood a person commented as below:

The screenshot is shared.