OHUB’s Post

During this season of more frequent and more severe storm surges, floods, wildfires, etc. that cause not only direct destruction but also long-term harms to air, water, and soil quality as well as to public health, we would be wise to heed the advice of Robert Bullard, one of the major founding figures of the environmental justice movement, addressing the impacts of Hurricane Beryl last month in Texas. #RobertBullard #environmentaljustice #climatejustice

The impact of Hurricane Beryl serves as a stark reminder of the increasing frequency and intensity of hurricanes in the era of climate change. Beryl’s destruction has highlighted the fragility of our infrastructure and the urgent need for resilient and sustainable development that includes nature and people. At the recent Small Island States Summit in Antigua many from the region remarked how unseasonably hot it was and rightly had concern for what this would mean for the forthcoming hurricane season. The historical calendar boundaries of this season have been totally redrawn. The devastation wrought by such storms is not just a natural disaster but a clarion call for global action on #climatechange. A warming ocean and shifting weather patterns are making hurricanes more intense and unpredictable. This is not just an environmental issue but a profound social and economic challenge that disproportionately affects the most vulnerable communities which includes many of Fauna & Flora ‘s partners who are on the front lines of climate change and biodiversity loss. As we witness the increasing toll of hurricanes like Beryl, it becomes clear that combating climate change and nature loss is not optional. It is an imperative! Each storm underscores the urgency for international cooperation, innovative solutions, and unwavering commitment to reducing carbon emissions, restoring and protecting nature, and building resilient societies. The legacy of Hurricane Beryl, like many before it, must propel us towards a future where we no longer just react to disasters but actively prevent and mitigate their impacts through sustained climate and nature action. What more do we need to act? As Hurricane Beryl gathers strength as it crosses the Caribbean Sea we can only hope that those in its coming path will be spared the full wrath of this storm, and those storms still, undoubtedly, to come this year. At Fauna & Flora we are actively looking at ways to mobilise our partners, governments and resources to support communities that have been dramatically impacted. I urge you to look at ways how you and your organisation can not only be involved with rapidly addressing climate change and biodiversity loss but how can we work together to support communities who have been impacted today and in the coming days, weeks, months and years.

Over the past few days here in #Houston, I've heard countless stories about how #heat is affecting over a million people who lost #power due to #Beryl’s severe impact on the #electric #power network. This situation is a real-time example of #cascading hazards, where one disaster triggers another. It's been five days since the storm hit, and many are still without power. The combination of high temperatures and humidity makes it feel hotter than 100 degrees, exacerbating the already dire conditions. Identifying these vulnerabilities and planning for resilient electric power networks and robust recovery plans are critical to mitigating the impacts of such events. We must prioritize investments in infrastructure resilience to protect our communities from the cascading effects of extreme weather. Check out this great coverage in the The New York Times on this issue: "Hospitals in Houston ‘Backed Up’ After Hurricane, as Millions in U.S. Swelter" Columbia Climate School Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

Believing we’re invulnerable to emergencies isn’t going to work. For millions of Americans, these are not hypothetical concerns. It’s already been a dangerous, deadly year of tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, and floods across the United States. At this point, such extraordinary disasters are hardly a surprise. Extreme weather events are becoming more common, dangerous, and destructive. Rising average temperatures are lifting sea levels, increasing the volume of rainfall, and making heat waves more common. At the same time, more people are living in places vulnerable to hazards like coastal floods and wildfires.

Tropical Storm Debby is causing severe flooding and widespread destruction in the Southeast of the USA after making landfall in Florida as a Category 1 hurricane. This storm has already caused six fatalities in Florida and Georgia, left over 150,000 customers without power, and damaged significant infrastructure, including downed trees and power lines. The storm’s rapid intensification and unprecedented rainfall highlight the increasing severity and frequency of extreme weather events due to climate change. The destruction caused by Debby underscores the urgent need for stronger climate policies and actions to mitigate these effects. For more information on Debby and other severe weather events, visit Climate Risks Daily: https://bit.ly/3YzBHxO #TropicalStormDebby #ClimateChange #Flooding #Florida #Georgia #ClimateAction #SustainableFuture #StormDebby

The Miami Tunnel's floodgates have been instrumental in protecting the tunnel during hurricane season. Designed to keep the tunnel safe and dry in the event of storm surges, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more impressive setup! Weighing more than 55 tons each, our four massive 50-ft floodgates seal the tunnel shut in minutes. Once our floodgates shut close, they're highly resistant to flooding and keep the tunnel dry. We’re up to the challenge to protect the tunnel just as much as protecting our planet. With the threat of rising sea levels due to climate change, we’re proactively taking steps to mitigate its effects. The Miami Tunnel is another example of Meridiam's commitment to take action for the cause of environmental sustainability in its campaign with people and the planet in mind. #Meridiam #MiamiTunnel #ClimateChange #EnvironmentalSustainability #EnvironmentalInitiatives #SeaLevelRise #GreenerFuture #ClimateAction

This week, the Tropical Weather and Climate Research team at Colorado State will release its first forecast for the 2024 hurricane season along the Atlantic coast. Signs point to an above average season, which some are calling "blockbuster". I have published some thoughts about this at The Public Purse, including the retreat of private insurance and the increasing interest by regulators for financial disclosure for investors. You can find the piece here: https://lnkd.in/e2Pute5r #ElNino, #LaNina, #SEC, #FederalReserve, #flood, #NOAA, #climatechange

Seems like a good point. What's beyond "catastrophic"? "Jamie Rhome, deputy director of the National Hurricane Center, said when warning people about storms his office tries "to steer the focus toward the individual hazards, which include storm surge, wind, rainfall, tornadoes and rip currents, instead of the particular category of the storm, which only provides information about the hazard from wind. Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale already captures 'catastrophic damage' from wind so it's not clear there would be a need for another category even if the storms were to get stronger."" https://lnkd.in/eXeTpd_S #hurricane #naturalhazards #wind #winddamage #tropicalstorm #cyclones #typhoon #weather #forensicengineering

“I didn’t really understand the gravity of the flooding that had occurred in this area until after I signed on the dotted line...” Knowing the climate impact before you invest is critical to long term affordability. #getquoll #quollintelligence #climatechange #climaterisk #climatechangeadaptation #financialprotection https://lnkd.in/eFXk2cY3