When it comes to weather, extreme is becoming the new normal. Every week seems to bring fresh news of climate chaos. The increasing frequency and intensity of weather events such as floods, storms and droughts around the world is having a huge impact – particularly for people living in poverty. With many world leaders still dragging their heels over policies to tackle climate change, we need a renewed urgency in the church for prayer and action.
Unprecedented
Once-in-a-decade weather events are happening every few years. The unprecedented is becoming predictable. And without strong, swift action, the situation could become far, far worse.
This last year has seen an alarming number of destructive weather events:
- A drought in Afghanistan that has left millions without food
- Monsoon floods in Bangladesh that are the worst in living memory
- Record heatwaves across Europe
- Massive flooding in Australia
- Four successive failed rainy seasons in East Africa
- Heatwaves and wildfires in North America
- The worst floods and landslides in Brazil in a century
The impacts of these events go far beyond the immediate loss of life and damage they cause. Floods, droughts and storms often leave food shortages in their wake, while also taking away the income opportunities people rely on.
