Latest news with #disasters
Associated Press
a day ago
- Climate
- Associated Press
Cyclones, Salinity, and the Fight to Save Farming in Bangladesh
Published by Action Against Hunger. July 3, 2025 New York, NY Please contact [email protected] for inquiries. Bangladesh has been repeatedly battered by cyclones, droughts, tidal surges, and floods, with each disaster leaving a deeper mark than the last on both the landscape and the people who live there. Since May 2024, Bangladesh has been severely impacted by four devastating climate-related disasters, including Cyclone Remal, flash floods in the Haor Region, riverine floods in the Jamuna Basin, and unprecedented floods in the eastern regions. These events have had a catastrophic impact, affecting 18.4 million people. In 2022 alone, over 7.1 million Bangladeshis were displaced due to climate change. Climate disasters in Bangladesh are only expected to worsen. Temperatures are projected to rise rapidly in the coming years, threatening more than 170 million people's homes, safety, and livelihoods. Action Against Hunger is working to build resilience in Satkhira, a district in the south-west region of Bangladesh where most families rely on agriculture to survive — and are struggling to deal with the nature's growing unpredictability. Climate Disasters are Destroying Livelihoods in Satkhira Satkhira borders the Bay of Bengal, one of the most vulnerable areas to increasingly intense and frequent cyclone activity. The region once was thriving with farm fields, but repeated cyclones and tropical storms have mixed saltwater with freshwater, decimating the soil and water sources and making crop farming impossible. The ensuing poverty and food insecurity have forced many farmers to leave their fields. Those who remain struggle with increasing economic and livelihood challenges, as crop yields and availability of arable land dwindle. Khaleda Hossain Moon, an Action Against Hunger expert based in the coastal area of Satkhira, raises awareness about the risks created by changing weather patterns in Bangladesh stating, 'Due to the high salinity of the soil, crop production is very low, and people with low incomes cannot afford to buy food. Thus, many suffer from malnutrition, especially small children.' With no other choice, farmers have abandoned rice cultivation. Men often work as day laborers, leaving their homes for months at a time to find work. At home, women have turned to fish farming to survive, but they frequently suffer from health problems caused by prolonged exposure to highly salty water. With expertise in improving food security around the world, Action Against Hunger was well-suited to step in. We started offering training on climate-smart farming as part of our extensive Food Security and Livelihoods work. The program was developed with an approach tailored to Satkhira's specific needs, harnessing its unique resources for contextualized and sustainable change. Community at the Heart of Climate Resilience Action Against Hunger launched a climate-smart agriculture program in 2021 to support farmers affected by climate disasters in Satkhira. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) explains that climate-smart agriculture aims to sustainably increase agricultural productivity and incomes; adapt and build resilience to climate change; and reduce and/or remove greenhouse gas emissions. In the context of Bangladeshi farming, a climate-smart agriculture program includes adapting to a new environmental context in which flooding and waterlogging [when soil becomes saturated with excess water] is more common, and the soil is increasingly salinized [salty] soil. 'The food security program we launched in Satkhira creates a solution for those communities who remain in these disaster-prone areas,' explains Sumon Homaun Kabir, Action Against Hunger's Program Manager who supervises food security and livelihoods projects in Bangladesh. Action Against Hunger's training goes beyond improving agricultural productivity with sustainable farming methods; it puts the local people and environment at the heart of the program by embedding agroecological principles. Agroecology is 'a holistic and integrated approach that simultaneously applies ecological and social concepts and principles to the design and management of sustainable agriculture and food systems', says FAO. By incorporating these principles, Action Against Hunger's program is designed to be farmer-centered, regenerative, and nature-based. The methods taught in our program aim to: Programs like these prioritize eco-friendliness and community involvement for long-term results that strengthen community self-resilience. Our goal in Satkhira is to support families adapting to climate change — a deeply stressful experience that threatens their homes, health, and livelihoods — with the best knowledge and resources available. We work alongside local farmers to ensure that solutions are not only technically effective but also culturally relevant, affordable, and owned by the community. Five Key Methods for Farming in Salinized Soil When floods and cyclones soak soil in salty water, the damage is long-lasting. Even after the water recedes, the salt remains, accumulating more and more with each recurring climate disaster. Salt is highly toxic to plants, even being considered the most dangerous substance for rice, Bangladesh's predominant crop. Salinized soil disrupts plant nutrient uptake and causes stress that can damage the plant on the cellular level, reducing crop growth. 'It is very difficult to produce any vegetables because of the water and soil salinity,' says Sumon. 'Action Against Hunger provides technical knowledge to reduce soil salinity and improve soil fertility through agroecological practices.' Here are five agroecological methods Action Against Hunger's program uses for combatting salinized soil in Satkhira: Action Against Hunger teaches program participants how to make and use fertilizer with natural products like manure and compost. The fertilizer helps restore soil health by reintroducing organic matter that supports plant growth and health. Sumon believes that the best results come when traditional practices blend with a scientific approach. 'We don't use chemicals,' he says. 'Instead, we rely on organic fertilizers to preserve soil quality and boost production.' Action Against Hunger opted for training on organic fertilizer because extensive or improper use of chemical fertilizers can degrade soil structure over time and lead to nutrient imbalances. Organic fertilizers are more suitable for Satkhira's farming context because they have microbial benefits that boost the long-term fertility of the soil and can be produced locally. Monoculture farming [the practice of planting only one type of crop] used to be the standard in Satkhira. Farmers would plant exclusively rice, using the harvest to feed their families and sell for income. When climate change brought recurring tidal surges, saltwater intrusion, and unpredictable rainfall, however, rice farming became unreliable. A single crop is particularly vulnerable to total crop failure; a single climate disaster, pest, or disease could wipe out everything. Crop diversification is an alternative method, in which multiple crops are planted at the same time, creating a safeguard against pests and plant disease s. Similarly, crop rotation is when farmers plant different crops from one year to the next. It introduces a greater variety of nutrients into soil, which can result in 10% greater crop yields than monoculture. Action Against Hunger offers training on crop rotation and diversification strategies to open income-generating opportunities and enhance food security. Action Against Hunger encourages the rotation of rice with saline-resilient crops like sunflower, and promotes intercropping vegetables such as okra, spinach, and chili—many of which can withstand moderate salinity and grow in short cycles. This approach is particularly effective in empowering women, who are increasingly involved in homestead gardening and alternative crop production. Training sessions focus on locally adapted techniques, using indigenous knowledge alongside modern agroecological principles. As a result, families can better manage soil salinity, reduce dependency on single-season harvests, and build a more stable livelihood system that is adaptive to Bangladesh's changing climate. In Satkhira, where groundwater is highly saline and unsuitable for irrigation, fresh rainwater is one of the few reliable water sources available to farmers. Rainwater harvesting is an ancient practice that has been used by people around the world to combat water scarcity, and it is ideal for Bangladesh's current environmental context. Action Against Hunger teaches farmers efficient methods for harvesting and using rainwater to best combat water and soil salinity. For example, training is offered on how to dig small ponds or reservoirs on homesteads to collect and store rainwater during the monsoon season. This stored freshwater is then used for irrigation during dry months, enabling year-round vegetable production even in saline-rich environments. Mulching is a powerful method for keeping water trapped in soil, preventing it from evaporating and leaving behind salty, dry soil that harms crops. Mulching is the practice of putting a protective layer over the soil. In Action Against Hunger's program, farmers are trained on how to use mulching to increase crop yields using organic materials like manure. The 2022 study ' Mulching as a Sustainable Water and Soil Saving Practice in Agriculture: A Review ' found that mulching reduces soil deterioration by limiting runoff and soil loss. It helps manage soil temperature for better water retention and reduces the amount of water needed to irrigate crops. Organic materials are prioritized because they are eco-friendly and increase soil nutrients. In the flood-prone area of Satkhira, vertical elevated structures can help protect plants from the onslaught of salt they face on the ground. Action Against Hunger supports farmers in building structures with locally available materials like bamboo, on which they can install hanging containers or raised beds. Not only is this method effective for reducing salt exposure, but it also maximizes land use, making it suitable for small backyard gardens. Rekha's Garden Rekha joined Action Against Hunger's agroecological training in May last year. A wide variety of vegetables now grow around her house. 'I want to grow more vegetables to increase my income,' she says with an enthusiastic smile. 'I already planted seedlings of chili peppers, brinjal (eggplant), tomato, and spinach seeds. I am not leaving any space empty.' Using sustainable, organic techniques, Rekha's garden has become bountiful. She has plant beds rigged with hanging bottles of rainwater to keep her vegetables hydrated. Mulch made with compost from kitchen waste and livestock manure helps Rekha conserve water and preserve soil moisture. Rekha's gardening success inspired her to volunteer with Action Against Hunger and train other women in her village in climate-smart techniques. Her leadership is key to the long-lasting success of the program. Community engagement ensures that Action Against Hunger's training can be integrated with existing knowledge from Bangladesh's centuries of agricultural production and innovation. As time goes on, the passing of peer-to-peer information should become increasingly rooted in local experience and adaptable to climate changes in the region. Beyond the Harvest: Building Financial Safety Nets for Climate Resilience Action Against Hunger's goal is to provide families in Satkhira with as many tools as possible to overcome major setbacks caused by climate disasters. While climate-smart farming can increase the chance of a successful harvest, disasters can still strip away crops and leave families vulnerable to financial and food security difficulties. Livelihood diversification is one strategy for increasing the financial security of households, offering a safety net and an alternative income source. A major success of the program is that all households in Simul Baria, a village in Satkhira, now engage in multiple livelihood activities. These include: Multiple streams of income give farmers in Satkhira a level of insurance against climate disasters. By not relying solely on crop yields, families are better equipped to withstand and recover losses when floods, droughts, or cyclones strike. Diversified livelihoods also bring new skills and opportunities for growth that contribute to long-term resilience. Local Solutions, Lasting Impact Each of the five agroecological methods taught in Action Against Hunger's program is useful for overcoming salinized soil and water. Together, they offer a powerful agricultural approach that can bolster the livelihoods of farmers in Bangladesh for years to come, even in the face of growing climate challenge. As cyclones become more frequent and severe, these practices, as well as livelihood diversification, will become increasingly crucial for families who rely on farming to survive. Action Against Hunger's program uses methods that not only enhance food production in salinized soils but also reduce dependence on external inputs like aid organizations by promoting locally available and eco-friendly solutions—making farming in Satkhira both more sustainable and self-reliant. *** Action Against Hunge r leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across over 55 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from Action Against Hunger
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Climate
- The Guardian
Week of sweltering US heat – is this the new normal in a warming world?
The list of climate-related disasters in the US was long last week as vast swathes of America sweated under a brutal heatwave. There was a 'mass-casualty event' of fainting high-schoolers in New Jersey as a K-pop concert was cut short in Washington. Young hikers had to be rescued in New Hampshire as tarmac roads bucked and melted in South Dakota and Nebraska. Luckless Amtrak passengers were stuck on a train with no air conditioning in a Baltimore tunnel, while some subway services in New York were suspended. The Trump administration declared a power emergency in the US south-east, and in Georgia the agriculture commissioner advised residents to make sure their animals had water and shade. 'Remember to take care of our friends also,' Tyler Harper said. These incidents – and many more – were the result of the highest temperatures across the northern and middle swath of the US at this early summer date in some cases since the late 19th century. Nearly 130 million people were under extreme heat warnings or heat advisories on Thursday, according to Noaa's Weather Prediction Center, with 282 locations breaking daily heat records this week, with another 121 equalling with previous highs, Noaa data showed. Daily heat records were set in at least 50 cities in the eastern US on Tuesday alone, according to the National Weather Service, with New York City recording its hottest day since 2012, according to Noaa. Climate scientists blamed a rapidly warming Arctic for the heat dome – a consequence that they say is the result of the 'stuck' weather patterns that come from a wavier polar jet stream, which can cause not just heatwaves but also heavy rainfall and floods. A new study, published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, said found that stalled atmospheric patterns have tripled over the last 70 years. The authors of the study claim that while climate models predict that these patterns would occur more frequently with climate change, their study is the first to demonstrate that it is already happening – and will likely intensify as the planet continues to warm. Climate Central's climate shift index estimates that high temperatures over the past few days were at least five times more likely to occur because of human-caused climate change. Climate Central scientist Zachary Labe told Politico that the early heatwave 'is a stark reminder that climate change is making these dangerous and oppressive heat waves far more likely, affecting millions of people'. 'One of easiest ways to see climate change's impact is in how it's increasing the chance these types of heatwaves will occur,' Labe told Bloomberg. 'By the middle of this century, these types of heat waves will be normal. The extremes will be even higher.' According to the American Medical Association, elevated temperatures nearly 22,000 people died from heat in 14 years between 1999 and 2023. The National Weather Service statistics show heat claiming more lives than any other weather-related event. But heat events are only fatal in the extreme. A broader, general sense of oppression and discomfort was palpable in New York last week, when the extreme hear arrived after a cool spring and gave New Yorkers little time to acclimatize. 'We all know that prolonged heat exposure can have serious effects on your overall health, including mental health, but it can also negatively affect your skin,' said Kim Laudati, chief executive of IT Intelligent Treatment, a skin regeneration business in New York. Prolonged heat exposure due to the skin's moisture-barrier protective function becomes damaged, Lauditi said, leading to water loss within deeper and surface layers of skin, resulting in a state of dehydration. Chronic heat can lead to vasodilation and persistent redness. Inflammation ensues, which can also promote heat-induced erythema, or redness, to the point of creating telangiectasia; commonly known as 'spider veins' and melasma, a skin discoloration. There is also reduced concentration, irritability, and mood swings because the body is diverting resources to regulate body temperature; the impairment of melatonin production, leading to poor sleep. Heat-related damage to the blood-brain barrier can cause lack of focus, confusion, fainting and organ failure. 'With climate change already reshaping how we live, it's more important than ever that we educate ourselves,' Lauditi said. Climate change was on the minds of voters last week in New York's mayoral primary that culminated on the hottest day of heat-dome, when a thermometer at Belvedere Castle in Central Park registered 99 degrees for the first time since July 18, 2012. Democrat mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani has said that the climate crisis is the central issue of out time and that it isn't separate from the crisis of capitalism, making it a co-traveler with his resonant message about the affordability of life, or lack of it, in the city. Zohran's climate platform is grounded in making the lives of working people better through climate action,' said Denae Ávila-Dickson with the Sunrise Movement, a climate group that endorsed Mamdani. 'He has an important commitment to transforming New York City into a national leader on climate.' 'It's clear to us that the climate crisis has been politicized, but it's not a political issue,' Ávila-Dickson added. 'It's affecting people in every city, in every state, and a lot of times we fee that it affects people in right in rural States, especially because they're not having those same kinds of resources.' In a typical year between 1979 and 2000, the average temperature in the northern hemisphere temperature would break the 21C (69.8F) barrier in July and continue for about five weeks, according to University of Maine's Climate Change Institute. But last year, the hottest on record, the northern hemisphere's average temperature held above 21C from 13 June until 5 September, and data from the Environmental Protection Agency shows that heatwaves have grown longer, more frequent and more intense over the past seven decades. 'If I was to compare this with what happened in the 20th century, it would be very unusual,' said Sonia Seneviratne, a Swiss climate scientist at the Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science of the ETH Zurich, told the Washington Post.
The Guardian
7 days ago
- Climate
- The Guardian
Week of sweltering US heat – is this the new normal in a warming world?
The list of climate-related disasters in the US was long last week as vast swathes of America sweated under a brutal heatwave. There was a 'mass-casualty event' of fainting high-schoolers in New Jersey as a K-pop concert was cut short in Washington. Young hikers had to be rescued in New Hampshire as tarmac roads bucked and melted in South Dakota and Nebraska. Luckless Amtrak passengers were stuck on a train with no air conditioning in a Baltimore tunnel, while some subway services in New York were suspended. The Trump administration declared a power emergency in the US south-east, and in Georgia the agriculture commissioner advised residents to make sure their animals had water and shade. 'Remember to take care of our friends also,' Tyler Harper said. These incidents – and many more – were the result of the highest temperatures across the northern and middle swath of the US at this early summer date in some cases since the late 19th century. Nearly 130 million people were under extreme heat warnings or heat advisories on Thursday, according to Noaa's Weather Prediction Center, with 282 locations breaking daily heat records this week, with another 121 equalling with previous highs, Noaa data showed. Daily heat records were set in at least 50 cities in the eastern US on Tuesday alone, according to the National Weather Service, with New York City recording its hottest day since 2012, according to Noaa. Climate scientists blamed a rapidly warming Arctic for the heat dome – a consequence that they say is the result of the 'stuck' weather patterns that come from a wavier polar jet stream, which can cause not just heatwaves but also heavy rainfall and floods. A new study, published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, said found that stalled atmospheric patterns have tripled over the last 70 years. The authors of the study claim that while climate models predict that these patterns would occur more frequently with climate change, their study is the first to demonstrate that it is already happening – and will likely intensify as the planet continues to warm. Climate Central's climate shift index estimates that high temperatures over the past few days were at least five times more likely to occur because of human-caused climate change. Climate Central scientist Zachary Labe told Politico that the early heatwave 'is a stark reminder that climate change is making these dangerous and oppressive heat waves far more likely, affecting millions of people'. 'One of easiest ways to see climate change's impact is in how it's increasing the chance these types of heatwaves will occur,' Labe told Bloomberg. 'By the middle of this century, these types of heat waves will be normal. The extremes will be even higher.' According to the American Medical Association, elevated temperatures nearly 22,000 people died from heat in 14 years between 1999 and 2023. The National Weather Service statistics show heat claiming more lives than any other weather-related event. But heat events are only fatal in the extreme. A broader, general sense of oppression and discomfort was palpable in New York last week, when the extreme hear arrived after a cool spring and gave New Yorkers little time to acclimatize. 'We all know that prolonged heat exposure can have serious effects on your overall health, including mental health, but it can also negatively affect your skin,' said Kim Laudati, chief executive of IT Intelligent Treatment, a skin regeneration business in New York. Prolonged heat exposure due to the skin's moisture-barrier protective function becomes damaged, Lauditi said, leading to water loss within deeper and surface layers of skin, resulting in a state of dehydration. Chronic heat can lead to vasodilation and persistent redness. Inflammation ensues, which can also promote heat-induced erythema, or redness, to the point of creating telangiectasia; commonly known as 'spider veins' and melasma, a skin discoloration. There is also reduced concentration, irritability, and mood swings because the body is diverting resources to regulate body temperature; the impairment of melatonin production, leading to poor sleep. Heat-related damage to the blood-brain barrier can cause lack of focus, confusion, fainting and organ failure. 'With climate change already reshaping how we live, it's more important than ever that we educate ourselves,' Lauditi said. Climate change was on the minds of voters last week in New York's mayoral primary that culminated on the hottest day of heat-dome, when a thermometer at Belvedere Castle in Central Park registered 99 degrees for the first time since July 18, 2012. Democrat mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani has said that the climate crisis is the central issue of out time and that it isn't separate from the crisis of capitalism, making it a co-traveler with his resonant message about the affordability of life, or lack of it, in the city. Zohran's climate platform is grounded in making the lives of working people better through climate action,' said Denae Ávila-Dickson with the Sunrise Movement, a climate group that endorsed Mamdani. 'He has an important commitment to transforming New York City into a national leader on climate.' 'It's clear to us that the climate crisis has been politicized, but it's not a political issue,' Ávila-Dickson added. 'It's affecting people in every city, in every state, and a lot of times we fee that it affects people in right in rural States, especially because they're not having those same kinds of resources.' In a typical year between 1979 and 2000, the average temperature in the northern hemisphere temperature would break the 21C (69.8F) barrier in July and continue for about five weeks, according to University of Maine's Climate Change Institute. But last year, the hottest on record, the northern hemisphere's average temperature held above 21C from 13 June until 5 September, and data from the Environmental Protection Agency shows that heatwaves have grown longer, more frequent and more intense over the past seven decades. 'If I was to compare this with what happened in the 20th century, it would be very unusual,' said Sonia Seneviratne, a Swiss climate scientist at the Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science of the ETH Zurich, told the Washington Post.
Bloomberg
09-05-2025
- Climate
- Bloomberg
Why Trump's Plan to Stop Tallying Weather Losses Matters to the Insurance Industry
NOAA's billion-dollar disaster list provides a crucial metric for tracking rising damages tied to climate change and development. By and Brian K Sullivan Save Extreme weather is an increasingly expensive problem in the US. Last year, fires, droughts and storms caused more than $182 billion in damages — but going forward, the federal government won't be keeping track. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, announced Thursday it will 'retire' its popular database of climate and weather disasters that caused at least $1 billion in damage, a move that follows the Trump administration's efforts to scrub environmental data across the federal government.
New York Times
08-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
The Government to Stop Tracking the Costs of Extreme Weather
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said on Thursday it would stop tracking the cost of the country's most expensive disasters, those which cause at least $1 billion in damage. The move would leave insurance companies, researchers and government policymakers without information to help understand the patterns of major disasters like hurricanes, drought or wildfires, and their economic consequences, starting this events are becoming more frequent or severe as the planet grows hotter, although not all disasters are linked to climate change. It's the latest effort from the Trump administration to restrict or eliminate climate research. In recent weeks the administration has dismissed the authors working on the nation's biggest climate assessment, planned to eliminate National Parks grants focused on climate change, and released a budget plan that would cut significantly climate science from the U.S. Geological Survey and the Energy and Defense departments. Researchers and lawmakers criticized Thursday's decision. Jesse M. Keenan, associate professor and director of the Center on Climate Change and Urbanism at Tulane University in New Orleans, said ending the data collection would cripple efforts by federal and state governments to set budgets or make decisions on investment in infrastructure. 'It defies logic,' he said. Without the database, 'the U.S. government's flying blind as to the cost of extreme weather and climate change.' Few institutions can duplicate the kind of information provided by the database, said Virginia Iglesias, a climate researcher at the University of Colorado. 'It's one of the most consistent and trusted records of climate-related economic loss in the country,' she said. 'The power of the database lies in its credibility.' So-called billion-dollar disasters — those with costs that balloon to seven figures are more — have been increasing over time. In the 1980s, when NOAA began compiling these lists, there were just over three per year, on average, when adjusted for inflation. For the period from 2020 to 2024, the average was 23 per year. In total, at least 403 such events have occurred in the United States since 1980. Last year there were 27, a tally second only to 2023 (which had 28). Last year's disasters included hurricanes Helene and Milton, which together caused about $113 billion in damages and more than 250 deaths, a severe hailstorm in Colorado that caused about $3 billion in damages and a yearlong drought across much of the country that caused $5 billion in damages and claimed the lives of more than 100 people from heat exposure. NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information plans to stop tracking these billion-dollar disasters in response to 'evolving priorities, statutory mandates, and staffing changes,' the agency said in an email. When asked, the agency did not say whether another branch of NOAA or federal agency would continue tracking and publicly reporting the price tag of such disasters. The announcement said the agency would make archived data from 1980 to 2024 available. But the dollar amount of disasters from 2025 on, such as the Los Angeles wildfires and their estimated billions of dollars of damage, would not be tracked and reported to the public. 'You can't fix what you don't measure,' said Erin Sikorsky, the director of The Center for Climate and Security. 'If we lose this information about the costs of these disasters, the American people and Congress won't know what risks climate is posting to our country.' Other institutions or agencies would likely be unable to duplicate the data collection because it includes proprietary insurance information that companies are cautious to share, Ms. Sikorsky said. 'It's a pretty unique contribution.'
