Heat waves, droughts and flooding

In Europe, in 2003, record heat waves caused at least 35,000 deaths. More than 14,000 people died in France alone and over 2000 in the UK.

'Though heat waves rarely are given adequate attention, they claim more lives each year than floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes combined… Heat waves are a silent killer, mostly affecting the elderly, the very young, or the chronically ill.'

Earth Policy Institute (EPI)

The Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research estimates in its report ‘Uncertainty, Risk And Dangerous Climate Change’ that man-made climate change has doubled the risk of heat waves. It predicts that by the middle of the 21st century summers in Europe may be dangerously hot.

In Australia, 2005 was officially the hottest year on record, with an average temperature of 22.89°C. While the average global temperature has risen over the last 25 years by 0.6°C, Australia’s average temperature for 2005 was 1.09°C higher than the 1961-90 global average.

In recent years bushfires have burned thousands of hectares of bushland and farmland across Australia. Raging bushfires have threatened the suburbs of Sydney; destroying homes and sending thick smoke billowing across the city. In the last few years Australia has also been suffering from its worst drought on record, devastating farmland and leading to ongoing water restrictions in its cities.

African countries have been experiencing more frequent and longer droughts, and unpredictable rainfalls.

‘There used to be a major drought every 15-20 years. Now it’s every two or three years. Our climate is worsening every year.’

Philip Emanman, social development officer, Kenyan Arid Lands Management Programme

In 2005-06 the Horn of Africa and East Africa were hit by a severe drought that devastated crops. The drought led to widespread food shortages and famine that threatened millions of lives. More than 70 million people in the Horn of Africa live in poverty and face food shortages. Between 2001 and 2007 the region was hit by four major droughts.

In June 2007 six African governments and the United Nations agreed a road map to tackle the root causes of hunger across the Horn of Africa.

'The Horn is hit by some of the world’s most severe food crises and they are coming faster and more furious because of climate change, environmental degradation, political and armed conflicts and a host of other factors… We all now need to show the commitment to end this cycle of despair and disaster.'

Kjell Magne Bondevik, UN Special Humanitarian Envoy to the Horn of Africa

Christian Aid has estimated that 182 million people in sub-Saharan Africa could die of disease directly attributable to climate change by the end of the 21st century. Millions more could become climate change refugees.

While some parts of the world experience droughts, other areas experience floods.

The Pacific islands are especially vulnerable to rising sea levels. Coastal areas, where the majority of people live and most agricultural land can be found, are increasingly at risk of flooding. Some Pacific islands have already been evacuated as a consequence of climate change. As sea levels rise, low-lying islands are now vanishing beneath the waves.

'On the island where I live, it is possible to throw a stone from one side to the other. Our fears about sea level rise are very real. Our Cabinet has been exploring the possibility of buying land in a nearby country in case we become refugees of climate change.'

Teleke Lauti, Minister for the Environment, Tuvalu

In 2004, Bangladesh was ravaged by its worst floods in six years. Hundreds of people died and at least 30 million people were made homeless. Disease followed the flooding as a lack of clean drinking water led to the spread of diarrhoea and dysentery. More than three quarters of crops were destroyed.

Most of Bangladesh is precariously perched just above sea level. This country regularly faces flooding but if, as predicted, the severity and frequency of the floods increases then millions of people will be displaced - losing their homes and livelihoods.

Developing nations will be hit hardest by climate change and are the least able to deal with its consequences. In the UK and other developed nations we have the money and resources to help deal with the consequences of climate change. We spend millions of pounds on flood defence measures to protect our flood-prone cities and coast. Floating homes are now being built in Holland as people adapt to our changing climate.

Around the world people are already suffering and dying from the impacts of climate change. The World Health Organisation estimated that climate change was responsible for 150,000 deaths in 2000. It is the developing countries of the world that suffer most while they contributed least to the problem. The average person in the UK produces 48 times more CO₂ than the average person living in Bangladesh.

'Climate change is a significant and emerging threat to public health, and changes the way we must look at protecting vulnerable populations… Climate variability and change cause death and disease through natural disasters, such as heatwaves, floods and droughts.

In addition, many important diseases are highly sensitive to changing temperatures and precipitation… diseases such as malaria and dengue; as well as other major killers such as malnutrition and diarrhoea. Climate change already contributes to the global burden of disease, and this contribution is expected to grow in the future.'
World Health Organisation, Climate Change and Human Health

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