It isn’t a question of ‘who,’ but ‘when’ as the world makes a list of the countries that will go extinct due to climate change. Without sounding alarmist, this is the hard truth, given the road, we have taken, all countries are going to go under due to climate change. But we are getting a clear picture of those that will become uninhabitable first.
UN Secretary-General has called the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group report a ‘code red for humanity.’ He was blunt in his assessment when he said that deforestation and burning fossil fuels have caused greenhouse gas emissions to such an extent that it is now choking Planet Earth and endangering the lives of billions. He said that the ‘alarm bells are deafening,’ and the confirmation, ‘irrefutable.’
Reckless human activity has changed the climate in unprecedented and irreversible ways. A key limit set for an increase in temperature has been breached within a decade. And it will lead to extreme heatwaves, superstorms and flooding, and debilitating droughts.
But hope floats if only we act now, and act decisively. For starters, we need deep cuts in emissions rates of greenhouse gases. That can at least stabilize the rising temperatures.
Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General said only by combining all our forces can we hope to achieve results. But there is no time for delay, no place for excuses. He expected all stakeholders and leaders of nations to ensure the success of COP26, the 26th Conference of Parties to be held this year. it was delayed due to the pandemic. Representative of countries that signed the UNFCCC treaty (the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change), back in 1994.
Read: UN Climate Change Report Warns Of The Consequences Of Rising Temperatures
Certainly, areas rich in diverse wildlife like the Amazon rainforests, southwest Australi, and the African Miombo Woodlands will be the worst affected by climate change. several nations under extreme risk could go extinct if this inaction continues indefinitely. The problems faced by nations will vary in form but what remains certain is the intensity of the catastrophe.
Climate Change Will Lead To The Disappearance Of Coastal And Island Nations
Low-lying coastal and islands nations will be at the mercy of terrifying storms that will become intense and more frequent with each passing year. the Maldives, a cluster of around 1,200 small islands and sandbanks grouped in atolls, is already facing serious flooding problems from increasing sea levels. The situation is similar in the Philippines, Fiji, and Haiti.
But the Maldives is at risk the most. The archipelago and the coral islands surrounding it stands a mere 30 centimeters over sea level on average. Even the smallest rise in temperatures will cause rising seas to engulf most of the islands.
A man-made island within the archipelago, Hulhumale, raised to a height of 2 meters over the sea levels, could be the only one standing by 2050. Residents have already begun flocking to the high island to escape from the rising seas directly attributed to climate change.
Rising Temperatures Due To Climate Change Will Badly Hit The UAE
UAE is a nation built on a desert and residents are used to temperatures hitting the 50C (122F) mark, but average maximum temperatures have been between 40.7C (105.26F) and 43.8C (110.84F) mark. But the unusually high temperatures recorded could soon become the norm by 2070, according to experts at MIT.
The whole Arabian Gulf region could become affected by the web bulb temperature phenomenon, where even heat-adapted people will not be able to withstand outdoor heat past a WBT of 32C (90F), which is equivalent to a heat index of 55C (130F). at such extreme temperatures, an average person could have his body function shut down after an exposure of a mere ten minutes. Even prosperous countries like the UAE will not be able to ensure survival at controlled temperatures.
Coming To Terms With Extreme Weather
The findings by the Germanwatch Institute in their Global Climate Risk Index have revealed that Japan is among the countries that are currently at risk from extreme weather. An extreme was already seen in 2018 when the country faced a combination of heat waves, typhoons, flash floods, mudslides that killed 1,282 people. this toll was confirmed by the Meteorological Agency of Japan which linked these deaths to climate changes.
Typhoon Jebi alone, the most punishing weather phenomenon faced by Japan in a quarter of a century, caused damages worth $12.95 billion. Millions of citizens left homes where they have no hopes of returning.
The African Droughts
The African economy is still highly dependent on its agricultural economy. But prolonged periods of droughts, at times stretching into decades are causing acute food insecurity spanning countries like Zimbabwe and Malawi. But Sudan is the most affected. These nations were already on the brink due to sustained periods of drought and climate changes may have pushed them over the brink.
Read: Wildfires, Droughts And Increasing CO2: Climate Change Gets Tagged To Bad News
Deserts have encroached upon entire villages in Sudan, where 80% of its population dependent on its livestock and agriculture for sustenance. But climate change may have pushed the North African nation away from being able to sustain human life.
