With rising cases of extreme weather events, it is apparent that climate change is real and not just a theory. Humanity is facing numerous challenges such as heatwaves, floods, wildfires and droughts. While the effects of climate change and global warming can be seen across the globe, there are countries that face the highest risk. To better understand how the future will shape up, here's a look at some countries that will be hit hardest by climate change.
Sudan - Located in Africa, Sudan has vast stretches of dry, desert areas in the north. It's only in the southern parts that agricultural activities are possible. The arid regions often experience intense sandstorms that can temporarily block out the sun. Already facing food shortages, Sudan's problems are likely to increase in the future due to climate change. Due to persistent drought conditions, crop supplies have become irregular. Coping mechanisms have been stretched to their limits and many communities are suffering from impoverishment. With less rainfall, the desert areas are also expanding. This has resulted in many villages being wiped out completely. Due to drought, managing livestock like goats, sheep, camels and cattle has also become a challenge for Sudanese people.
Japan - Island countries like Japan have been facing significant increase in extreme weather events. It includes flash floods, heatwaves, typhoons and mudslides. The number of deaths linked to extreme weather events is among the highest in Japan. One of the worst events was Typhoon Jebi that resulted in damages worth around $11.6 billion. Due to these extreme weather events, millions of Japanese people have been forced to leave their homes. And often, there is little possibility of returning back.
UAE - Temperatures in UAE are already touching a high of 50° Celsius. Such high temperatures will become more widespread in the coming years due to climate change. Cities like Abu Dhabi will experience more heatwaves due to their concentration of concrete structures. With such high temperatures, it will become difficult for people to step out of their homes. UAE is a rich country and citizens can afford to live in artificially cooled indoor spaces. This may become unsustainable as temperatures rise further.
Maldives - Island countries like Maldives are largely dependent on tourism. These low-lying countries face the threat of rising sea levels caused by global warming. Countries like Fiji, Haiti and Philippines have already witnessed flooding in several of their low-lying areas. Maldives faces a similar threat in the future. The entire area could be submerged by 2050. Huge inflow of tourists is another factor that is putting a strain on the country's natural resources.
Even though world leaders have chalked out ambitious plans to manage climate change, the execution has been pretty slow. It remains to be seen how things will evolve by 2050. As individuals, we can voluntarily try to reduce our carbon footprint through environment-friendly actions. It's the only planet we have and we all need to act responsibly.
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