|
|
本帖最后由 muntahabin 于 2024-2-14 14:21 编辑
With 28 disasters causing damage exceeding $1 trillion each, the year 2023 stands as a troubling milestone in the chain of climate events in the United States. This was not just another year in the country's climate history; rather, it stood out as a year of alert, forcefully pointing out the underlying causes of these disasters: Climate change. The record of climate disasters in the US not only represents a localized threat, but transcends borders and raises global questions. It urges the international community, governments, companies and organizations to rethink and redefine strategies to address concerted action in the face of the climate crisis, according to Shuang Ye Wu, an atmospheric scientist who studies climate change and author of the article in The Conversation . Record climate disasters in the US While 2023 was not the most expensive year in total terms, it surpassed any other in the number of events that exceeded the billion dollar figure, breaking records since counting began in 1980, with six more than any other year, adjusting the data for inflation. The costliest disaster of the year began with an unprecedented heat wave that settled over Texas for weeks in the summer, then spread to the South and Midwest, fueling a destructive drought.
This phenomenon caused approximately billion in damage, according to conservative estimates by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Additionally, extreme dryness in Hawaii contributed to another multibillion-dollar disaster by fueling devastating wildfires that devastated Lahaina in August. Other billion-dollar disasters included Hurricane Idalia, which hit Florida in August; flooding in the Northeast and California; and nearly two dozen other severe storms across the country. States in a swath stretching from Texas to Ohio were hit by Thailand Phone Number List multiple billion-dollar storms. record of climate disasters in the US 2023 the warmest year One factor influencing some of these disasters was the El Niño phenomenon, a periodic climate disturbance that occurs in the equatorial Pacific region and is characterized by anomalous warming of ocean surface waters and changes in wind patterns. However, at the root of the increasing frequency of extreme weather events is global warming.
The year 2023 was the warmest on record globally and the fifth warmest in the United States. According to Shuang Ye Wu, it is essential to understand the relationship between global warming and these extreme events. When greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide from vehicles and power plants, build up in the atmosphere, they act as a thermal blanket, warming the planet. This causes an energy imbalance on the Earth's surface, gradually increasing the temperature of the land and oceans. The most direct consequence of this warming is an increase in days with abnormally high temperatures, as observed in much of the country in 2023. Heat waves, although the result of climate fluctuations, become more frequent, intense and long-lasting due to global warming. This heat also fuels wildfires, as additional evaporation removes more moisture from the soil, drying out the land and creating conditions ripe for fires. A simple lightning bolt or spark from a power line is enough to start a fire.
|
|
发表于 2024-2-14 14:20:38