While humans continue to find ever more cruel and inventive ways to kill one another well into the 21st century, climate change remains largely ignored, and it, too, continues to claim lives with increasing ferocity each year. This is evident from recent events: at least a hundred people have died after devastating floods swept through the southeastern United States, where Hurricane Helene struck, causing widespread flooding, rising rivers, and the displacement of numerous communities. Meanwhile, monsoon floods in Nepal have killed at least 192 people in the Himalayan Republic.
In both instances, climate experts have highlighted what they’ve been warning about for decades. Yes, monsoon rains are common in South Asia during this period, and yes, the southeastern United States is vulnerable to hurricanes that form in the Atlantic and frequently target the region. However, they also point out that the severity of these natural disasters worsens every year.
Previously, when nature existed in a delicate balance, these events followed patterns that allowed humans to defend themselves. Now, they have become more dynamic, more intense, and more unpredictable, leading to greater destruction and loss of life. Nepal and the United States are not isolated cases. Countries around the world are facing floods, excessive rainfall, extreme heat—forces that are making the planet increasingly uninhabitable.
This brings us to the fundamental question: why, despite such widespread devastation, have we failed to take meaningful action? Perhaps the best example comes from the United States. When asked about support for those affected by Hurricane Helene, President Joe Biden gave a dismissive response, stating that the government had done all it could and lacked the funds for rehabilitation efforts.
This response came just days after the president approved $8.7 billion in military aid to Israel. It appears that there is always money available for war and destruction, but none for saving lives, building sustainable infrastructure, shutting down industries driving climate change, and working to fix the planet before it’s too late. This prioritisation, led by the West and spearheaded by the United States, is pushing the world toward catastrophe.
