• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Skip to footer navigation

  • Calendar of events
  • 687 Larch Av, Teaneck NJ
  • 201-836-5187
  • Contact Us
  • DONATE
Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County NJ

Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County NJ

  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Leader
      • Leader Curt Collier
      • Leader’s Talks
      • Joe Chuman, Retired Leader
        • Talks by Dr Joseph Chuman
        • Speaking of Ethics: Living a Humanist Life
        • Wedding Officiant
    • Gatherings
    • FAQ
      • How does Ethical Culture make a difference in society?
      • What social life is there in Ethical Culture?
      • How is Ethical Culture religious?
    • Ethical Brew
    • Ceremonies
    • Philosophy
    • Constitution & Bylaws
    • Contact Us
  • Sunday School
    • About Our Sunday School
    • Primary Class
    • Elementary Class
    • Junior Class
    • Senior Class
    • Sunday school FAQ
    • Sunday School News
  • Social Action
    • History of Our Social Action
    • All Social Action Articles
    • Battling Racism
    • Environmental Action
    • Healthcare
  • Adult Education
    • About Our Adult Ed Programs
    • Open Mic
    • Conversemos
    • Job Club
    • Accountability Circle
      • Anti-racism
      • Gender Explorations
    • Mindfulness Mediation
    • Socrates Cafe
    • Ethical Culture Review of Books
  • News
    • All News
    • President Column
    • UN Report
    • Gathering Addresses
    • Member News
    • Sunday School News
  • EVENTS

Extreme weather and climate change

October 29, 2017

By Drs. Sylvain Ehrenfeld and Reba Goodman

There is strong scientific consensus that the heavy rainfall, and the power of the storms Harvey and Irma that roared through Houston, Texas, and Florida was caused by climate change. Harvey and Irma would not have been so intense if the air and sea fueling them hadn’t been so warm. The extreme rainfall resulted from increased water vapor that was created by the water’s higher temperatures. Harvey and Irma were endlessly covered on TV, but climate change was hardly considered.

Because of climate change, Atlantic hurricanes will become more severe. In Texas and Florida, the damage when hurricanes hit land will be aggravated by the existing rampant unregulated housing. The area’s oil and chemical refineries are also vulnerable. In Florida, real estate still reigns supreme, with few rules governing building in precarious areas.

Facts ignored are still facts

What lessons will be learned from the facts and experience of the extreme weather events? A quote from Aldous Huxley goes right to the point: “Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.”

In East Asia, an event related to climate change created tragedy in India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Exceptionally heavy monsoon rainfall resulted in extensive flooding on rivers downstream in Bangladesh with more than 1,400 people killed. When the flood waters recede, the problems facing these communities will be horrific. Food, crops, and stores have been lost. Safe water and sanitation facilities have been damaged and water-borne diseases are on the rise.

Disasters always leave devastation in their paths; the recovery is always hardest for the poor.

UN climate change conferences have always been bedeviled by the ethical issue of global justice. Poor countries claim, correctly, that they suffer most from climate change and that developed countries are responsible because they became rich using fossil fuels and should help the poor countries cope with the effects.

Compensating poorer countries

Finally, at the milestone Paris UN climate conference, it was agreed that $100 billion a year is to go from richer to poorer countries by 2020 to adapt to climate change. It should be said that the $100 billion for mitigating climate change is not legally binding. It is unlikely that the US will pay into this fund. Hopefully, other countries will contribute.

People indeveloping countries are paying a heavy price for global action or inaction beyond their control. Some poor countries are taking actions on their own to cope.

An example is Bangladesh, a low-lying nation, vulnerable to storms and catastrophic sea level rise. Bangladesh has done much to protect the population by creating an early warning system, using the widespread availability of cell phones. They have built at least 2,500 concrete storm shelters. The result has been a vast reduction in storm-related deaths. The nation’s agricultural research centers are devising salinity-resistant strains of rice. When stormwaters retreat back to the ocean, they leave the salt all over the crops, which does a lot of damage.

There are limits to what can be done if, as expected, climate change gets worse without global action. Human inactivity is causing stronger storms, but it’s political inaction that is endangering our future.

Dr. Sylvain Ehrenfeld is IHEU representative to the UN and Dr. Reba Goodman is a member of the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County. Special thanks to Charlene Nicole Fulmore, assistant to Dr. Goodman.

Primary Sidebar

Ethical Brew is Back!

Ethical Brew Coffeehouse

Recent News

  • Calling All Families to our Fall Festival!
  • We Grow and Flourish When We Help Others Do the Same
  • Members, Friends Join March to End Fossil Fuels
  • Open Mic Variety Night Gets Even Better!
  • A Sleepover Under Stars and Amid Bright Lights

Sign up for our newsletter.

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

We believe in ethics. We believe in people.

Please believe in us.

About Us

Ethical Culture was founded to focus on community and good works, rather than personal salvation. Read more…

Archives

Footer

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Connect with Us

Address: 687 Larch Ave, Teaneck, NJ 07666
Phone: 201-836-5187
Email: [email protected]

Sign up for our newsletter.

 

Recent Posts

  • Calling All Families to our Fall Festival! September 19, 2023
  • We Grow and Flourish When We Help Others Do the Same September 18, 2023
  • Members, Friends Join March to End Fossil Fuels September 18, 2023
  • Open Mic Variety Night Gets Even Better! September 18, 2023
  • A Sleepover Under Stars and Amid Bright Lights September 14, 2023
Our Society’s Covid-19 Guidelines

We believe in ethics. We believe in people.

Please believe in us.

Topics

atheism atheist church book review children civil rights climate change community compassion death democracy Doris Friedensohn education Elizabeth Warren environment environmentalism Ethical Brew ethical community Ethical Culture ethical education ethics family Felix Adler gender happiness healthcare humanism humanist humanists human rights Israel Joseph Chuman LGBTQ+ politics racism religion Secular Humanism social action Socrates Cafe Sunday School technology transgender Trump unemployment world health youth

What We Do For Fun….

There's always time for play: celebrations, discussions (some in Spanish -- find Conversemos on our calendar), hikes, picnics, cultural outings, and more. Come join us!
Kids get into the act
Diane running the show

Important Links

  • Member of the American Ethical Union
  • Ethical Brew
  • Sanctuary Committee
  • BC Gun Violence Prevention
  • NJ Website Designer
© 2023 | The Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County NJ

Copyright © 2023 · Kreativ Pro On Genesis Framework · The Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County · Log in

  • Calendar of events
  • 687 Larch Av, Teaneck NJ
  • 201-836-5187
  • Contact Us
  • DONATE