Typhoon Yagi: The Impacts of Climate Change

Typhoon Yagi, the most powerful storm in the South China Sea in the past three decades, has wreaked havoc on the Philippines, China, and Vietnam. The devastating power of this typhoon is perhaps the clearest evidence of how climate change is directly impacting human lives.

According to preliminary statistics on September 17, 2024, there were 329 deaths and missing persons, approximately 1,929 injured; about 234,700 houses, 1,500 schools, and many infrastructure facilities were collapsed or damaged; 726 dike incidents; over 307,400 hectares of rice, crops, and fruit trees were flooded and damaged; 3,722 aquaculture cages were damaged or swept away; nearly 3 million livestock and poultry died, and nearly 310,000 urban trees were broken (according to the Government Electronic Newspaper).

Scientists have repeatedly warned that climate change is one of the main causes of these extreme weather events. For example, rising temperatures causing the greenhouse effect have increased the strength of storms, making them stronger and longer-lasting; warming oceans create ideal conditions for storms to form and develop rapidly. Along with that, melting ice at the poles and changes in ocean currents also cause weather patterns to become unpredictable and erratic.

Typhoon Yagi, the most powerful storm in 30 years, has caused severe damage. (Photo: TTXVN)

However, it cannot be denied that humans are one of the main contributors to climate change. The increase in environmental pollution, especially the large emission of CO2 from industry, transportation, and agriculture, is causing the Earth to become increasingly “warmer”. Activities such as deforestation, unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, and plastic pollution also contribute to changes in the natural ecosystem, weakening the planet’s self-balancing ability. And as a result, we are facing extreme weather events like Typhoon Yagi.

The appearance of Typhoon Yagi is a wake-up call, reminding us that if we do not act now, we will face even more severe consequences. Reducing pollution and preventing climate change is the responsibility of every individual and community. Here are some practical actions we can take:

• Reduce emissions: prioritize the use of public transportation, limit the use of personal vehicles, and switch to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power
• Plant trees: Actively green urban and rural areas to balance the climate and reduce the amount of CO2 in the air
• Save energy: Use electricity, water, and other resources more efficiently to reduce environmental impact
• Raise awareness in the community: Organize educational activities, publicize environmental protection, climate change, and the small but important actions that everyone can take daily