Extreme Weather and Compounding Catastrophes

Climate Emergency Forum discusses the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events and their compounding effects, providing examples from Hurricane Beryl and the recent flooding in Toronto.

This video was recorded on July 17th, 2024, and published on July 21st, 2024, and represents the opinions of the discussion participants.

The video discusses the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events and their compounded effect. The panelists emphasize that infrastructure issues, such as poor zoning and inadequate drainage systems, exacerbate the impact of such storms. For example, Houston's lack of proper zoning and extensive paving over natural drainage areas led to significant flooding and devastation during Hurricane Beryl, despite it being less than a Category 1 storm when it made landfall. Additionally, the failure of the city's energy grid during the storm resulted in tragic consequences, highlighting the need for better infrastructure and preparedness.

The discussion also underscores the connection between climate change and extreme weather events. The panelists note that every category of extreme weather is increasing, as documented in the IPCC Sixth Assessment. They stress the importance of considering the impact of climate change on future generations, who will face increasingly severe weather events. The video highlights that 2024 has had the hottest start to a year on record, surpassing the previous record set in 2023, and emphasizes the need to reduce fossil fuel emissions to mitigate climate change.

Toronto is also mentioned as an example of how extreme weather events are affecting urban areas. Recently, the city experienced three successive thunderstorms that dumped nearly four inches of rain in about four hours, turning major roads into rivers and overwhelming the city's drainage systems. The panelists suggest that climate attribution studies will likely show that the likelihood of such storms has increased significantly due to climate change. This example underscores the broader trend of increasing extreme weather events and the urgent need for cities to adapt and prepare for these challenges.

Furthermore, the panelists criticize the media for not adequately linking extreme weather events to climate change and call for more consistent and accurate reporting on the issue. They discuss the need for new categories in the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale to account for increasingly intense storms and explain the role of sea surface temperatures and the cooling of the Tropopause in intensifying storms. The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to stay informed, engage in climate activism, and support policies that address climate change, stressing the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to renewable energy.

Links:
- Saffir-Simpson Scale

- Tropopause

- Reflections on Time Scales and Butterflies

- Global Warming in the Pipeline and Earth's Energy Imbalance (CEF Video)

- Weather Whiplashing and Jetstream Waviness (CEF Video)

- Climate Reanalyzer

Regular Panelists:
Dr. Peter Carter - MD, Expert IPCC Reviewer and the director of the Climate Emergency Institute

Paul Beckwith - Climate Systems Scientist. Professor at the University of Ottawa's Paleoclimatology Laboratory as well as at Carleton University

Regina Valdez - Program Director, Climate Reality Project, NYC. GreenFaith Fellow and LEED Green Associate

Video Production:
Charles Gregoire - Electrical Engineer, Webmaster and IT prime for FacingFuture.Earth & the Climate Emergency Forum; Climate Reality Leader

Heidi Brault - Video production and website assistant, Organizer and convener, Metadata technician, COP team lead for FacingFuture.Earth and the Climate Emergency Forum; BA (Psychology); Climate Reality Leader

Our Website:

Attributions:
Background Music:
- Title: Through the City II
- Author: Crowander

[coweatsman]

Why I am childfree. Probably the best thing one can do for the environment.

[SharonBell-zdln]

Much respect for all of your professionalism! Especially remaining calm when no one that is governing us is doing anything to save the earth for our children! Shame on them!

[sunspot]

Over 40 years ago Carl Sagan warned us against triggering a "Runaway Greenhouse". I thought we started this the first week of July 2023, and I haven't changed my mind. I would love to hear the phrase "Runaway Greenhouse" used some day. I think it applies.

[juliebarks]

Wish I had teachers like you three at school. I may not have got so bored. 💚👍

[johngrundowski]

Thanks.All VERY relevant and necessary info.

[martiusyamamoto]

Thank you so much from South America. My prayers to all of you in the North.

[gsnyder]

Thanks for continuing to report on what’s happening with climate change

[martiansoon]

12 month average is @1, 64C By Copernicus...

We are heading to 3-5C world... And 3C is leading to many tipping points that will make situation far worse.

Extreme events are worsening, but losing water (ie. losing mountain glaciers and humidity 7% per 1C) and food are far more scarier threats.

[ΑΣΔΦΓΗΞΚΛ]

A scientist was quoted on a BBC web page saying that if the records last through August then all the current models are statistically broken and this would be evidence of a phase shift to a new phase trajectory

They used the phrase "uncharted territory"

I think they meant SHTF

[singingway]

When I talk about scaling back our energy use, I often get a sarcastic response "what do you want us all to go live in caveman days?" I think we need to acknowledge that there is a lot of civilization prior to the use of fossil fuels. There were ways of living which were comfortable, elegant, and which had art and music, sophisticated philosophy, and schools of education. And no, they were not all elitist. As David Graeber 's book The Dawn of Everything points out. We need to look to the past as examples of how to " do" civilization with a drastically cut energy use.

[louisehoff]

Thank you for explaining all of the acceleration. My hope is for towns to outfit their elementary schools with solar or heating or retrofitting that if power goes out or whatever the disaster families with young children can go there in a safe, nearby environment

[michaelschiessl]

Thanks Regina, Paul and Peter great video..That is the era we have brought upon ourselves and our planet and all its many creatures too..The time of Extreme weather whiplash...the climate casino( for Paul) and the time of compound disasters..We all know that that these will multiply and literally compound on each other as time goes on..A lot of the Indigenous tribes of the US learned that there was a season to be above ground and a season to be below it..Same thing in Australia and New Guinea and even Tunisia people built homes and parts of their cities underground for when the summers got too hot they go down under so to speak..We need to relearn as a species to that as well before we get cooked by what is too come!!

[brackendoggy]

More great content from your team Regina the truth really hurts doesn't it..very sad for all the other species we share this Amazing planet with and wish we all would do more to preserve what we have instead of letting greedy fuckers destroy it for us..

[RandallSlick]

A good if depressing discussion. I've learned a few things. Many thanks.

[chyfields]

Our way of living generates and radiates heat 24/7.
That shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

[MyKharli]

Will not be long until now is viewed as a golden era, or at least an end of one, Though personally i think as nearly all wealth is built on sand or worse, the golden era was many millennia ago.

[johnmitchell]

I could care less about humanity at this point 😢. But I do feel so bad for the children and wildlife

[louishennick]

Always thankful for the discussion from your three voices. Informative, terrifying, but very honest and useful. We need more listeners and viewers on this channel.

[johnthomasriley]

You can get a Wet Bulb instrument for $40.00. Lets make their use both widespread and accurate.

[johnthomasriley]

The entire Texas coast was the bottom of the sea only a few thousand years ago. As I remember, the official altitude of Houston is about 23 feet.