As Mother Nature sounds yet another deafening alarm on the climate crisis, Libya faces catastrophic flooding that has already claimed over 5,200 lives, with the grim expectation of that number reaching 10,000. The haunting aftermath of Storm Daniel reveals a scene of utter destruction; nearly a quarter of the Mediterranean port city of Derna has vanished, buildings collapsed, and bodies strewn amidst the debris.
Imagine the horror as witnesses recount water levels reaching 10 feet in parts of the city, erasing entire neighborhoods. All while the world faces an escalating series of extreme weather disasters, from raging wildfires to relentless heatwaves, pointing fingers at our relentless appetite for fossil fuels.
The 2020 warning from the United Nations about Libya’s vulnerability to such climate calamities seems eerily prophetic. The Mediterranean Sea’s rising temperatures, expanding waters, and consequent sea-level rise already spelled doom for this North African nation. And Storm Daniel? It wasn’t exclusive to Libya. Before the storm hit Libya, it wreaked havoc in Greece, claiming 15 lives.
With the planet’s temperature increasing, medicanes (Mediterranean hurricanes) could potentially reduce in frequency but explode in intensity, warns Suzanne Gray, a meteorology professor. In layman’s terms? Fewer storms, but when they hit, they’ll hit hard. Experts underline that the recent rainfall that submerged Libya was like nothing the country had ever seen since data recording began in the mid-19th century.
However, the natural disaster’s damage was amplified due to Libya’s ongoing political discord. The eastern part of the country, which includes Derna, has faced years of neglect since the 2011 political uprising. Infrastructure crumbled, public services deteriorated, and as Hani Shennib of the National Council on U.S.-Libya Relations pointed out, the city’s only functioning healthcare facility is a rented villa. This fragility, festering since the Gaddafi era, makes regions like Derna especially vulnerable to climate catastrophes.
The climate advocacy group, Extinction Rebellion Global, drives this point home by emphasizing the heightened vulnerability of cities where public infrastructure has crumbled. And it’s not just about Libya or Derna. It’s a global reminder that as climate change intensifies, cities with fragile infrastructures will bear a disproportionate brunt.
With the United Nations Climate Ambition Summit just around the corner, one wonders if world leaders will finally pay heed to the clear and present danger of the climate crisis. The summit presents an opportunity – a pressing call for nations to reinforce their commitments to reducing fossil fuel emissions.
As Greenpeace International aptly puts it, the time for governments to act is now. The planet’s future, and ours, hinges on bold actions, fierce commitments, and the collective will to combat the climate crisis. As recent events show, climate breakdown isn’t a future scenario; it’s happening right before our very eyes.
