PLEA Network

29 August 2017, Carbon Brief, Media reaction: Hurricane Harvey and climate change. Hurricane Harvey continues to rock the southern US, where at least nine people have died after unprecedented flooding. The events around Houston, Texas have sparked early debate over the links between the hurricane and climate change. Commentary from scientists suggests that warming is likely to have intensified its impact. Above-average sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico provided more energy and moisture for the developing hurricane, they say. And sea level rise ensured a larger storm surge at the coast and prevented floodwater from draining more quickly. Nevertheless, many other factors are likely to have played a role. These include Houston’s population explosion, continued building in flood-prone areas and subsidence due to groundwater over-extraction, media reports suggest. What role does climate change play? Alongside the swath of news coverage on Hurricane Harvey and the devastation it has caused, much of the reporting has delved into the question of where climate change fits in. Most articles highlight that the impact of climate change on hurricanes has many different strands. As the New York Times points out, “the relationship between hurricanes and climate change is not simple. Some aspects are known with growing certainty. Others, not so much.” To help unpick the details, journalists have been quizzing climate scientists, quoting them widely in recent days. Some scientists have also penned guest articles. Read More here