Global warming is one of the main causes of extreme weather events, according to experts | National Newspaper

Global warming is the main responsible for extreme weather events

From time to time, and these periods are increasingly shorter, Brazil and the world have witnessed extreme weather events. And this is mainly the result of global warming.

An intense storm in water volume and range. In ten days, the rain expected for the entire year. A rare event, which defies historical averages. A point outside of statistics: this is how meteorology defines a climate extreme. The destruction we see in Rio Grande do Sul is a consequence.

What puts climate experts on alert is that this type of weather condition that punished Rio Grande do Sul has been seen with increasing frequency.

“Examples abound. Floods of these proportions could not be avoided, in the sense that all that water that fell will drain and end up somewhere in the rivers. What can be done is management of river basins, in the sense that you can reduce, for example, the number of degraded areas, increase the number of forested areas, especially native forests, reduce erosive processes”, says Pedro Camarinha, specialist in Cemaden climate change.

In 2023, we will experience nine heat waves. It’s the beginning of May and we’ve already had four. Most of it is an area in the center of Brazil.

São Paulo is part of this melting pot. We are now experiencing a heat wave with temperatures above average for the period. And this mass of warm air over the central and southeastern regions of the country prevents the cold front in the south from advancing. In the affected region, the arrival of this cold front, because it was too hot, also generated rain that should have already “headed” towards São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, for example. But they remain confined.

In São Paulo, we continue with hot and dry weather, under the impact of ocean warming and a severe and lasting El Nino. And all of this is a consequence of climate change, according to experts. They say you need to prepare.

“If you already have a forecast, for example, that you will have this volume of high-intensity rain, you can now start taking measures in this regard. Cities have to know where the main sources of flooding are, where I have to mobilize the population so that they stay safe. And, in these regions, food, water and other support that is lacking in these extreme events must already be prepared”, explains Tércio Ambrizzi, director of the Institute of Energy and Environment at USP.