A Series of Hurricanes and Only 1 Culprit

Published in Le Temps
(Switzerland) on 9 October 2024
by Simon Petite (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Emily Kelly. Edited by Michelle Bisson.
After Hurricane Helene hit Florida, there came Hurricane Milton. The storms’ power and the devastation they caused are a direct consequence of global warming, but this issue remains largely absent from the election campaign

A gigantic hurricane hitting a large city with full force. Florida authorities have prepared for this nightmare scenario for years. With the arrival of Milton in the Tampa region on the Gulf of Mexico, it is now a reality. The metropolis of 3 million inhabitants has not experienced such an event for more than a century. But back in 1921, the city had only 135,000 inhabitants. The exponential rate of urbanization illustrates the scale of the challenge for Florida because the planet has also experienced unprecedented warming over the last century.

While the Florida peninsula is no stranger to hurricanes, they have intensified as a direct consequence of climate change. The ocean’s heat acts as fuel for these weather events. In a matter of hours earlier this week, Milton’s power exploded, an increasingly characteristic feature on this overheating planet.

This latest disaster comes as the southeastern United States struggles to recover from the devastating impact of Helene less than two weeks ago, a storm that became the second deadliest hurricane in U.S. history since Katrina in 2005. Unusually, Helene caused damage as far away as Tennessee, more than 1,000 kilometers (about 621 miles) from the Florida coast.

A Chasm between the 2 Camps

If there is one country that should be able to withstand these extreme weather events, it is the United States. However, this infernal round of storms in putting the world’s leading power to the test because the hurricane season will continue until December and after the general election on Nov. 5.

But the climate issue is largely absent from the election campaign. Entirely focused on undermining the institutions run by his political opponents, Donald Trump is focusing the debate on how the government is responding to the disasters which he believes is obviously deficient. Democrats can instead point to historic progress in favor of addressing climate change, with massive investment in renewable energy during the Biden administration. The energy shift has begun, even if the United States, the leading emitter of greenhouse gases, is extracting record amounts of oil and gas.

There is a chasm between the two camps on this existential issue for the planet. Trump rejects the reality of global warming and says it’s an opportunity to “create more oceanfront property.” While they pray to be spared by Milton, Florida’s residents would do well to vote in November so the Republican hurricane bypasses the White House.


Des ouragans en série et un seul coupable

Après «Hélène», la Floride est frappée par l’ouragan «Milton». Leur puissance et la dévastation provoquée sont une conséquence directe du réchauffement climatique, mais cet enjeu reste largement absent de la campagne électorale

Un gigantesque ouragan frappant de plein fouet une grande ville. Les autorités de la Floride se préparaient depuis des années à ce scénario cauchemardesque. C’est désormais une réalité avec l’arrivée de Milton dans la région de Tampa, sur le golfe du Mexique. La métropole de 3 millions d’habitants n’avait pas connu un tel événement depuis plus d’un siècle. Mais, en 1921, la ville comptait seulement 135 000 habitants. Cette urbanisation exponentielle illustre l’ampleur du défi pour la Floride. Car, en un siècle, la planète a aussi connu un réchauffement sans précédent.

Certes, la péninsule floridienne est rodée aux ouragans, mais leur intensification est une conséquence directe du changement climatique. La chaleur de l’océan agit comme un car
This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

Hot this week

Austria: Trump Instigates the Next Tariff War — Just as Absurd as Before

Germany: Tactically Right, Morally Clear

South Africa: Saudi Arabia Signing ‘Abraham Accords’ Spells Doom for Palestinians

Uruguay: Uruguay at US-Led Conference on Political Terrorism: Unacceptable and Regrettable

Germany: Trump Steals Soccer’s World Cup Show

Topics

Japan: Argument for Dissolution of the ICC: The US Administration Is Wrongfully Exerting Pressure

Saudi Arabia: Washington’s Smartest Move Is To Keep Israel out of the War

South Africa: Saudi Arabia Signing ‘Abraham Accords’ Spells Doom for Palestinians

Germany: Tactically Right, Morally Clear

Austria: Trump Instigates the Next Tariff War — Just as Absurd as Before

Spain: Trumpist Expansion in South America

Afghanistan: 2026 FIFA World Cup: Sport and Politics

Saudi Arabia: 2 Leaders Return from Washington

Related Articles

Germany: Trump’s Iran Disaster

Saudi Arabia: Washington’s Smartest Move Is To Keep Israel out of the War

South Africa: Saudi Arabia Signing ‘Abraham Accords’ Spells Doom for Palestinians

Italy: Trump: Even Pardons Are Becoming Big Business

Saudi Arabia: 2 Leaders Return from Washington