Welcome to the first of our weekly areas of focus on climate action, providing encouragement and seeking to inspire action within all the 22 Methodist Churches in the Ipswich area.
Between now and the COP26 summit, we will be covering 9 distinct areas of concern.
This week’s focus
Our focus this week is on extreme events – perhaps the most visible sign that climate change is real, and its now – not some unproven theory we should worry about in the future.
What is it?
As the earth warms, the warming effect is not uniform. This variation creates weather conditions that support and even encourage events that are extreme, at the expense of the typical moderate conditions we are more used to.
What Effect Does it Have?
Bigger differences in land, sea and air temperature create more violent storms, heavier rainfalls, more intense hurricanes, higher waves, bigger tidal flow and more intense lightning and electrical storms.
Some areas will see prolonged drought and more intense heatwaves. Sudden torrential rainfall on hard-baked land will bring flash floods and landslides, whilst elsewhere heavy rainfall will be sustained for longer periods causing widespread flooding. Coastal defences will be breached more frequently, and vulnerable cliffs will experience accelerated erosion and land loss. Other areas may experience prolonged cold spells.
What is the Human Impact?
Transport disruption, crop failure, and property damage are the least catastrophic effects. Extreme events can easily cause extensive loss of life, and place emergency workers into dangerous conditions, such as uncontrollable wildfires.
Extreme events often have wider health implications – large-scale fires create respiratory problems, floodwaters can spread contamination and disease.
Invariably, extreme conditions affect the most vulnerable, poorest and least healthy communities far more than the wealthy.
Examples
In 2021 alone, we have seen almost constant news of extreme events.
The Dixie wildfire in California in August covers an area greater than that within the M25. Other wildfires across Greece, Algeria, China, Australia, Alaska and Siberia have all hit headlines.
Hurricane Henri is the first hurricane in 20 years to travel as far north as New England, landing in Rhode Island. More than 20 lives were lost from flash floods in Tennessee on the margins of the storm
Large-scale sudden flooding across Germany and Belgium caused landslides. Hospitals and underground transport were closed in London from localised floods. More rain fell in the first month of the monsoon season than the whole of the previous year.
In July, sixteen people were killed in an intense lightning storm in India, when they were posing for selfies, and in August another 16 died from lightning at a wedding party.
What Can We Do?
At first sight we have almost no influence over extreme events of this nature. That does not mean we can ignore the reality or allow ourselves to feel hopeless. There are practical things we can do:
The map shows air quality reported across Western USA in August 2021
The wildfares are causing major air pollution. This is particularly hazardous to those with respiratory difficulties such as asthma, but in some areas everyone will be adversely affected.
- reducing your carbon footprint is the only way to avoid even more extreme events, so renew your efforts to leave minimal trace;
- at all costs, avoid denial and challenge it when you see it in others: recognise that extreme events are more frequent and are here to stay;
- read more about why extreme events occur and what is being done to minimise their impact, then share your reflections with others to raise awareness and understanding;
- while you can’t stop extreme events, you can still prepare and reduce their impact, but this will become easier the more you understand them:
- avoid increasing areas of hard standing in your garden – allow rainfall to drain naturally to reduce flooding risk;
- learn how to keep your house cool even on hotter days, and insulate against colder days – you will sleep better;
- when outdoors, be prepared for more rapid change of weather – especially when visiting unfamiliar places;
- if camping, beware of fire danger and think twice before lighting a barbeque;
- if you have pets, think about how they are affected by extreme temperatures;
- make sure your prayer is adequately informed about extreme events;
- be on the lookout for lobbying campaigns and make sure your political representatives know your views;
- be prepared to support emergency appeals,
World Environment Day Exemplar
On 5th June 1974, the first World Environment Day was marked. Every year since then, a host city has brought focus to an environmental topic that was particularly pertinent to them. The 2006 event was hosted by Algiers who brought a focus to the threat of arid conditions and avoiding desertification.
This Week’s Prayer:
Pray for those experiencing more frequent and extreme events, such as wildfires, floods, drought, and for the communities most vulnerable
Extreme Events – Key Messages
Extreme events are becoming more frequent and more destructive:
- wildfires – larger scale, more prevalent, harder to contain
- hurricanes and typhoons more frequent and virulent
- increased deaths and illness from higher temperatures,
- changed rainfall patterns – downpours more prolonged and heavier, flooding more widespread and unpredictable
- dangerously high temperatures more likely and more prolonged – with increased mortality and more acute respiratory emergencies
- prolonged drought and reduced rainfall in subtropical regions