In 2020, there was hell on Earth. Or at least it looked that way in Australia. Flames engulfed 186,000 square kilometers of once luscious and green forests home to both humans and a myriad of wildlife species (Bowler, 2020). These bushfires killed or displaced almost 3 billion animals (Vernick, 2020). In addition, more than 445 people died due to smoke inhalation from the fires and left over 4,000 needing hospitalization (BBC, 2020). The fires occurred amid a severe heat wave following Australia’s driest spring on record. Extremely hot temperatures and a lack of rainfall are to blame for the unprecedented size and magnitude of these fires (Parsons & Goldman, 2020).
Before (left) and after (right) 2019-2020 fire season in New South Wales, Australia. Satellite photo taken by Geospatial Intelligence, an aerial analysis company (Bowler, 2020).
In 2022, Australia is still experiencing extreme, record-breaking weather, except it looks different. Instead of seeking water to douse the flames, Australians now need a Noah’s ark to save them from an abundance of water. Catastrophic flooding from uncharacteristically heavy rains left roads and homes underwater. Brisbane was inundated with 26 inches of rain in just three days (Patel, 2022). Sydney was hit hard as well. In an average year, Sydney receives about 47 inches of rain. But in a span of just one week, the city received 34 inches (Hannam, 2022; Bureau of Meteorology, 2020). At least 17 human lives were lost and thousands have been displaced (Reuters, 2022).
Before (left) and after (right) flooding in Beenleigh, Australia on February 28 and March 2, 2022, respectively. Aerial photographs taken by Nearmap (Patel, 2022).
So, what do these scorched and submerged landscapes have in common besides the fact that they are disasters of biblical proportions? They are both exacerbated by global, anthropogenic climate change.
What are the consequences of climate change-induced water issues? They’re numerous.
As the world’s population grows and climate change intensifies, the burden on human life and our economies will too. Two thirds of the world’s population experience severe water shortages at least one month each year, and nearly one fifth are at risk of moderate to severe flooding (Mekonnen & Hoekstra, 2016; Rentschler & Salhab, 2020). Droughts and floods each have a unique set of challenges.
Droughts have numerous consequences for human health and industry. Limited water for drinking poses an immense threat to humans and wildlife. A lack of water for sanitation, such as frequent handwashing, can facilitate the spread of disease. Another serious concern is food security, as drought can lead to massive agricultural losses (Garthwaite, 2019). Intense heat and minimal rainfall can reduce crop yields. Global agricultural productivity is estimated to be 21% lower than it would be without climate change (Friedlander, 2021). Wildfires on agricultural lands can also damage crops. The 2019-2020 Australian bushfires resulted in A$2 billion in food production losses and over A$2 billion in direct fire damage to property, infrastructure, and land (Bishop et al., n.d.)
An abundance of water is no less challenging. An excess of floodwater can overwhelm waste-water treatment facilities and cause untreated water to contaminate local water bodies and reservoirs (Garthwaite, 2019). Another consequence of worsening floods is the increasing economic cost caused by hurricanes. Hurricane Harvey cost the United States $125 billion, making it the second most expensive hurricane in the nation’s history (Amadeo, 2019). These damages can be attributed to the immense amount of rainfall and storm surges. Scientists estimate that the total precipitation from Harvey increased by as much as 38% due to climate change (Waldman, 2017).
But aren’t droughts and floods naturally occurring? Not to this extent.
Climate change exacerbates existing environmental conditions related to water’s distribution and availability. In short, dry regions are getting drier and wet regions are getting wetter (Arnell, 1999). Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which trap in heat. Warmer average temperatures mean more evaporation of surface water and less rainfall, causing drought in some regions. Warmer air can hold more water vapor, which means heavier rain. The issue is that additional rainfall will not be evenly distributed across the globe (Flavelle et al., 2021). Rather, it will be concentrated in certain areas, causing intense flooding.
Climate change is altering the cycling of water across the entirety of our planet, leaving a wake of destruction in its path. Both droughts and floods will continue to occur more frequently and severely as average global temperatures increase. Australia is already vulnerable to these effects of climate change, as the region’s weather is strongly affected by a natural cycle called ENSO, El Niño Southern Oscillation (Cave, 2021). This cycle causes oscillations between two opposite conditions, El Niño and La Niña. El Niño makes Australia warmer and drier while La Niña causes wetter and cooler periods (Bureau of Meteorology, 2016). Australia is currently experiencing La Niña conditions, which is partially responsible for the severity of its recent floods (Readfearn, 2022). Anthropogenic climate change intensifies these naturally occurring cycles of extreme weather, thereby burdening ecosystems and human lives on a scale that is anything but natural.
Who is to blame and who is paying the price? Not everyone equally.
Indigenous people are twice as likely to be impacted by bushfires as non-indigenous Australians (Silva, 2020). Despite being disproportionately affected, indigenous communities have been excluded from post-fire inquiries and policymaking forums (Williamson, Markham, & Weir, 2020).
It is also important to recognize these disparities in climate-change induced impacts on a global scale. Highly industrialized, Western nations are responsible for the greatest per capita greenhouse gas emissions, yet they are not the ones most affected. Lower and middle income countries are disproportionately affected by climate change and its associated water issues despite contributing to greenhouse gas emissions far less.
India is facing an intense water crisis despite emitting seven times fewer per capita greenhouse gas emissions than the United States (Nandi, 2021). For example, New Delhi, India endured temperatures of nearly 110℉ in early July 2021. The capital sweltered in the heat of the hottest July day since 2012 and anxiously anticipated the arrival of cooler days that are characteristic of monsoon season (“Millions in India’s Northern States,” 2021).
Only 5% of households in India have air conditioning, which is essential for coping with heatwaves. For reference, 90% of American households have air conditioning (“Millions in India’s Northern States,” 2021). These dry, hot conditions are worsening India’s water shortages. The burden is largely placed on women–especially in rural areas–who are tasked with collecting water (Behal & Behal, 2021).
But by September, no one in New Delhi was wishing for rain. That month, the city was hit with twice as much rain as recorded in 2020. The shocking 43 inches was the highest recorded rainfall in 46 years and turned the streets into wading pools (“In Pics”, 2021).
Where do we go from here?
First and foremost, climate change is an issue about water. As such, water should be considered in every effort to mitigate further warming. Some potential solutions to climate change may actually increase water consumption, accelerating water shortages. For example, carbon pricing could increase the production of bioenergy crops, which require large amounts of water for irrigation (Hejazi et al., 2015). This is simply to say that we must proceed carefully but swiftly nonetheless.
Will 2022 be better for Australia?
Australians should expect to continue receiving unseasonably high rainfall, as La Niña continues through autumn 2022. This year’s floods have already cost billions of Australian dollars; insured claims have reached $2.22 billion as of mid-March (Hannam, 2022).
With rapid, radical action to address climate change perhaps the world will once again only know catastrophic droughts and floods as highly rare events or religious stories. But in the meantime, let’s do our best: prepare for water-related natural disasters, funnel resources into our most vulnerable communities, and keep pushing policymakers to make the necessary changes.
References
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