Anyone I ask hasn’t heard about it, but a full third of Thailand is under water at the moment.
The worst floods in 50 years have submerged a third of the country, which is bracing to protect its capital, Bangkok.
Experts say what would have been an unusually heavy monsoon has turned into a disaster because of deforestation, overbuilding in catchment areas, damming and diverting natural waterways, urban sprawl, and filling-in of canals.
This year’s monsoon season has brought knee-deep water to Cambodia, the Philippines and Vietnam as well.
"Man and nature are increasingly estranged – coexistence is becoming a battle. We’ve hurt nature for a long time, and right now it seems that nature wants to pay us back," Somsak Khaosuwan, director of the National Disaster Warning Center, told the NY Times.
The flood damage so far is over $3.2 billion – over 1% of GDP, Deputy Prime Minister Kittirat Na Ranong told reporters. Because of the floods, forecasts for GDP growth have dropped from 4.4% to 3-3.5%.
In the US, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) took to the Senate floor Thursday to lament congressional inaction on climate change, noting that although climate science is solid, the "dark hands of the polluter money taps too many shoulders."
Watch this excellent video:
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Too many people are the problem, not climate change. None of the government leaders want to provide birth control, or stop paying women to have babies. Too many people caused “deforestation, overbuilding in catchment areas, damming and diverting natural waterways, urban sprawl, and filling-in of canals. ” About 100 years from now life and living conditions for humans will be like a slum for everyone.
Why does everyone have to put everything in black and white. Of course this problem is caused by too many people, and that is what is causing global warming as well. Climate change will just take a few more decades to make sure everyone believes it. Once a few decades of unusual weather occur and it is compared to historical record it will be clear to all but those who interests are in line with denying it. Of course, other issues such as population growth, settlement, and so on could be addressed now, and some countries such as China have tried to tackle it. Agree or not with the policies they will be in much better shape than India(other than the gender imbalance – which will have significant social issues).