Looking back, the scorching summer seems to be still vivid, and in the blink of an eye, autumn has gradually intensified, and the sound of cicadas flying in the sky has gradually faded away. During the hot summer months, several parts of the globe experience unusually high temperatures. Not long ago, however, people witnessed another shocking sight – a rare flood in the Sahara Desert, and a city in the desert disappeared from the map.
What's going on here? Is this the ongoing effects of global warming? How can we deal with this "new normal" in today's escalating extreme weather?
In fact, the abnormal rainfall in the Sahara is just the tip of the iceberg. In recent years, there have also been abnormal weather events in many parts of northern and southern China. Rare torrential rains and floods occurred in the north, abnormal droughts and depleted reservoirs in the south, and untimely torrential rains and floods also occurred in the arid areas of the northwest of the mainland. At the same time, Australia, the United States, Canada, Spain and other countries have also suffered from wildfires.
It can be seen that extreme weather and disaster events are sweeping the world in an unprecedented situation, bringing a huge impact to the human living environment. Although governments and people are struggling to respond to and mitigate disasters, on the whole, it seems that mankind is still in a passive situation and has limited ability to prevent disasters.
On the one hand, climate change has led to unusually common weather and frequent disasters; On the other hand, rapid urbanization has also created fragile urban infrastructure that is difficult to withstand the impact of disasters. Human overexploitation of resources and over-reliance on fossil energy have also put enormous pressure on the environment. We need to be aware that if we continue to maintain the existing production and lifestyle, we will only usher in more unbearable burdens in the future.
So, what else can we do? On the one hand, countries need to jointly address climate change, vigorously develop green and renewable energy, and achieve low-carbon development. On the other hand, it is necessary to improve the ability to cope with extreme weather, such as improving the standard of drainage systems, strengthening forest fire prevention facilities, and carrying out emergency drills. In addition, the application of big data analysis and early warning technology is also crucial. Only by paying more attention to disaster prevention and mitigation can we avoid the loss of life and property as much as possible.
Finally, what we need more is the awakening and action of the whole society. Every individual should actively advocate for a low-carbon life and maintain sanity, order and courage when disasters strike. Each of us should integrate environmental awareness into our daily lives and protect our common home with practical actions. Only by working together on a global scale can we overcome difficulties and usher in a better tomorrow.