2024 has seen intense climate disasters, each a grim reminder of the need for immediate climate action. From hurricanes in the U.S. to typhoons in Asia and destructive floods in Nepal, these events demonstrate that climate change is exacerbating natural disasters. With rising carbon emissions and warming temperatures driving these catastrophes, it's clear that action is no longer optional.
In this blog, we’ll explore three major climate disasters of 2024—Hurricane Helene, Typhoon Gaemi, and the Nepal floods and landslides—and explain how they are directly linked to the urgent need for climate action. We’ll also explore how businesses can take responsibility for their emissions using a carbon accounting tool like NetNada.
Hurricane Helene: Climate-Driven Destruction
Location: Southeast U.S.
Date: September 2024
Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc across Florida and the southeastern U.S., causing extensive flooding and billions of dollars in damages. The storm’s intensity was exacerbated by climate change, particularly a warmer atmosphere that held more moisture and led to extreme precipitation.
According to Manoochehr Shirzaei, a geophysics professor at Virginia Tech, the flooding was also worsened by aging infrastructure, which was not built to handle the heightened pressures of today’s climate. The storm caused damage across Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Virginia, with homes destroyed and lives lost.
Key takeaway: Helene illustrates the dangerous amplification of natural disasters due to climate change. Strengthening infrastructure and reducing emissions are critical to prevent future devastation.
Typhoon Gaemi and Typhoon Julian: Coastal Communities Face Increased Threats
Location: Philippines, Taiwan, China
Date: July 2024
Typhoon Gaemi devastated large swaths of the Philippines, Taiwan, and southeastern China, displacing hundreds of thousands of people. In the Philippines alone, over 3.6 million people were affected. With Typhoon Julian, a potentially even more powerful storm, on the horizon, residents of northern Luzon are bracing for further destruction.
Scientists link the increasing strength of these storms to warmer ocean waters, driven by rising global temperatures. The Pacific Ocean, particularly vulnerable to this warming, has provided more energy for storms to grow stronger and more destructive.
Key takeaway: Typhoons like Gaemi and Julian underscore the urgency of climate adaptation in coastal areas. Immediate action to reduce carbon emissions is essential to slow the warming of ocean waters, which fuels stronger storms.
Nepal Floods and Landslides: Mountainous Regions Face Growing Risks
Location: Nepal
Date: September 2024
In late September, heavy monsoon rains triggered deadly floods and landslides across Nepal, sweeping through homes and leaving communities buried under debris. At least 10 people lost their lives, and 18 are still missing.
Climate change is a major factor in these disasters, as warmer global temperatures accelerate glacier melt in the Himalayas, increasing river volumes and heightening flood risks. Deforestation and changes in land use further destabilize the region, making landslides more likely during heavy rains.
Key takeaway: The Nepal floods highlight how climate change increases the severity of natural disasters in vulnerable regions. Reducing emissions and protecting fragile ecosystems are critical to mitigating future risks.
How Carbon Emissions Worsen Climate Disasters
Carbon emissions are the primary driver behind these climate disasters. As human activities like burning fossil fuels release large amounts of greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide (CO2), into the atmosphere, they trap heat and drive global temperatures up. This warming directly intensifies weather patterns, leading to more frequent and severe natural disasters.
How Carbon Emissions Fuel Climate Disasters:
- Stronger storms: Warmer ocean temperatures fuel more powerful hurricanes and typhoons, making storms like Hurricane Helene and Typhoon Gaemi more destructive.
- Rising sea levels: Melting glaciers and polar ice caps contribute to rising sea levels, increasing the risk of coastal flooding during storms.
- Increased precipitation: A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, resulting in more intense rainfall and flooding, as seen in the Nepal floods.
- Longer droughts: Higher global temperatures prolong droughts, stressing water supplies and agriculture.
These changes are directly linked to human-induced carbon emissions. Reducing carbon emissions is critical to lessening the severity of future climate disasters.
Take Action: Reduce Your Carbon Emissions with Carbon Accounting
The first step toward tackling climate change is understanding your carbon emissions. Whether you're a small business or a global corporation, reducing emissions is achievable at any stage of your sustainability journey. Tools like carbon accounting provide a clear path to reducing your carbon footprint.
Join our carbon accounting webinars to learn how your business can:
- Measure and track carbon emissions effectively.
- Implement strategies to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency.
- Align with global climate goals for a positive environmental impact.
Regardless of your business size, carbon accounting provides a powerful tool for making informed decisions that benefit both your bottom line and the planet.
Conclusion: The Urgency of Climate Action in 2024
The climate disasters of 2024—Hurricane Helene, Typhoon Gaemi, and the Nepal floods—are not isolated incidents. They are urgent calls for action in a rapidly warming world. Reducing carbon emissions is no longer a future goal; it’s an immediate necessity to prevent further disasters.
Businesses play a pivotal role in combating climate change. By taking part in carbon accounting webinars and reducing their carbon footprint, companies can make a meaningful impact on both their bottom line and the planet.
The time to act is now—before the next disaster strikes.
