There is no denying June has delivered some extreme weather because of the climate crisis.
As Irish people flit between sunscreen and raincoats, atmospheric disturbances saw sea levels drop suddenly by 1.7m in West Cork harbours.
Japan is suffering its worst heat wave since 1875, leading to government warnings about possible power shortages, and the US is also struggling with rising temperatures.
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But in the global south, which is least responsible for the global emissions that have caused these changes, persistent drought has sparked a food security crisis in the Horn of Africa.
And families in Bangladesh have lost everything in rains and floods, the likes of which they have never seen before.
Concern’s emergency coordinator Zillur Rahman is working to help some of the 3.5 million people left stranded.
While rain is not unexpected in the country, he said “the heavy rain and wind of the last week here in the north east of the country, and the severe flooding it’s brought, is a once in a century event”.
Around 80% of the homes in two districts where he works are completely submerged.
“The water is to neck level and higher in some areas,” Zillur added.
“Roads, infrastructure, health centres, schools, and homes have all been destroyed. The force of the flood waters saw to that.
“In the area I’m in, in Sylhet district, 85-90% of the area has been submerged by water.
“In villages I’ve been to, most of the families are no longer in their homes because they’re now under water.
“Some are taking shelter in cyclone centres, health complexes but many are now living on the streets.
“People have lost everything; clothing, bedding, furniture, cooking utensils.
“Every asset and resource is gone or destroyed; crops, livestock, food stocks, rice fields, fish farms.
“Toilets and wash facilities no longer work, and with that comes the threat of water-borne diseases.”
The humanitarian charity is doing everything it can to get up to 9,000 people from three areas to safety, 11 districts in the north east of Bangladesh have seriously flooded, says Zillur.
And they could do more if they get the funding.
“When the flood waters recede, it’s not the end,” he continued.
“People will need support; they need shelter, house repairs and construction is needed, the water sanitation systems are fully destroyed, that needs to be fixed, and economical support will be needed, to help people restore their livelihoods and earn a living.”
Maynooth University climate and weather expert, Emeritus Professor John Sweeney, told us these examples of extreme weather around the globe, show climate change is “well underway”.
“A number of extreme weather events have characterised early summer 2022 around the world,” he added.
“Increases in the frequency and severity of such events can now be confidently attributed to increased greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. Climate change is well underway also in Ireland.
“Temperatures in Ireland have risen by almost 1C in the last 120 years, with 15 of the top 20 warmest years on record having occurred since 1990. “Rainfall has increased by 6% with the decade from 2006–2015 being the wettest on record.”
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