The aftermath of climate change continues to affect all areas around the world. At an international level, Germany and France are experiencing heavy flooding, so much so that France’s Seine river has swelled– raising its sea levels to the highest since 1982.
Nationally, coastal cities all over the United States, such as Georgia, Florida and Virginia, are facing hardships because of the flooding caused by global warming. The rainy weather in Louisiana has even been deadly; at least 13 people have died and over 60,000 homes have been damaged in the flooding.
Climate change has definitely affected the lives of the people in Louisiana. The more the temperature rises the more people of Louisiana are exposed to heat waves, hurricanes and extreme storms.
Recently, there was an unexpected storm that flooded and destroyed many homes in Lousianna. Joey Alsandor, a resident of New Orleans, was not directly affected but she did help many family and friends who were. Alsandor felt as though her help never seemed to be enough.
While there is no direct causation between climate change and a particular storm, climatologists say that the combination of climate change characteristics (sea-level rise, warming ocean temperatures and increasing frequency and intensity of major storms) are impacting fragile coastal areas like souther Louisiana.
Brittannie Muhammed, another resident, lived in Louisiana most of her life and feels as though climate change effected the weather. In the south, all four seasons are irregular, whereas in recent years, “It is much warmer in Louisiana than I ever remember it and much colder at times over the winter.”
Ocean water temperatures in coastal cities are also rising as well. Warmer air and water temperatures can impact marine life of many coastal cities.
Muhammed thinks that it is never too late for the world to change its habits, but action needs to occur soon. Other residents like Alsandor believe the government is not preventing climate change or making people more aware. “We need to cut back on things that hurt our climate, like trying to litter less and more recycling.”
The recent inclement weather proves that the effects of global warming–like flooding and increasing rainfall–are real problems and not myths like many people thought. Still, 30 percent of Americans still believe that climate change is a hoax.
Evidence in coastal cities in America and around the world prove that climate change is not a hoax. Reversal of climate change is essential to stop damage to the world.
