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Tsunami in Khao Lak, Thailand |
Natural disasters were the main environmental theme of 2005, a year marked by devastating tropical storms in the North Atlantic and a series of large-scale earthquakes that severely impacted human society.
The year began with the devastation following the earthquake and tsunami that struck on December 26, 2004. The waves claimed the lives of 300,000 people, devastated economies, and obliterated coastal communities from Sri Lanka to Somalia. Furthermore, it caused severe damage to human habitats, such as saltwater intrusion inland and the complete destruction of coral reefs in Southeast Asia.
Geologists warned of many more earthquakes following this initial one. Indeed, by March, the island of Sumatra in Indonesia suffered a series of terrible aftershocks, the highest reaching 8.7 on the Richter scale, severely affecting the continental shelf and potentially triggering new tsunamis. Then in October, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake ravaged Pakistan’s Kashmir region, with an estimated death toll of 80,000 people; however, the number could rise as many faced a harsh winter lacking essentials and shelter.
The Hurricanes…
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Hurricane Katrina Devastates the Southern Coast of the United States |
The climate shift in 2005 was evident with an increase in the number of tropical storms. A series of names appeared in headlines, such as Dennis, Emily, Rita, Wilma, Stan, etc. The most ferocious was Katrina, which devastated nearly 90,000 square miles of Southern America. Eighty percent of New Orleans was submerged under seawater. Americans faced a disaster they claimed was unprecedented in history.
2005 was not only marked by an increase in the number of storms but also by significant changes in the paths of these storms. Hurricane Catarina, which struck Brazil in March, was the first storm recorded in the South Atlantic. It was also the first time storms from the Americas made landfall in Spain and Africa.
The Earth is Warming…
In 2005, polar ice continued to melt, signaling a gradual warming of the planet. According to researchers, 87% of glaciers in Antarctica have disappeared in the last 50 years. The ice shelves at the edges of this continent are gradually being split into oceans. The western ice sheet of Antarctica is also collapsing. Similarly, in the north,
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Antarctic Ice Sheets are Gradually Disappearing |
millions of square kilometers of Siberia’s permafrost are now becoming peat bogs. Arctic ice has diminished compared to a century ago.
A study published in November indicated that Europe would plunge into an ice age if the current global warming trend goes unchecked. Some experts even suggested that this warming trend would not be halted for at least the next ten years.
In Vietnam, we can observe changes in climate due to global warming. The northern region experiences hotter summers and colder winters, while prolonged droughts in the Central and Southern regions cause significant damage to the populace.
Actions Against Environmental Pollution…
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Atmospheric Pollution |
Despite warnings from nature and scientists, many governments were slow to act on solutions. In May, the G8 summit acknowledged climate issues as an urgent matter, but no concrete actions were taken beyond this general acknowledgment. In June, the Kyoto Protocol was not signed because the United States and Australia refused to endorse it, instead committing to develop clean technologies to replace current polluting methods. The international climate conference held in December in Montreal, Canada, was deemed a success as participating countries made “stronger” commitments to pollution issues, and the U.S. promised to return to negotiations in future meetings.
While many governments lag behind, numerous cities and other governments have set goals and measures to reduce pollution.
The Environmental Destruction Crisis…
In 2005, humanity continued to devastate the ecological environment. The Amazon rainforest, the lungs of our planet, is still being cut down at a steady rate of 24,000 square kilometers annually, with a growing trend.
Major sporting events always come with catastrophic consequences for the environment. Human activities continue to destroy marine and air environments. The increase in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere accelerates ocean acidification, severely affecting marine ecosystems. The ozone layer hole continues to expand. Humanity is directly destroying its own habitat.
In November, hundreds of tons of toxic chemicals, including benzene, spilled into the Tung Hua River in China following an explosion at a chemical plant, severely impacting drinking water supplies for many major cities in China before flowing into Russian territory. In December, the largest fire in Europe (in peacetime) originated from a fuel depot in England, creating a plume of toxic smoke reaching 3 kilometers into the atmosphere.
However, it is not all bad news. In June, the International Whaling Association voted in favor of ending 19 years of dangerous whaling practices that threatened extinction. In November, the United Nations announced positive progress in forest regeneration. A study published in February indicated significant changes in biodiversity in the Mesopotamian marshes in Iraq.
Unfortunately, good news is far too scarce compared to the “vast ocean” of negative impacts human actions have had on the environment. The consequences are borne by humanity itself, from natural disasters to man-made tragedies; it is no one but us who are the agents of this destruction. It is up to humans to save themselves.
