For the first time, researchers have proved human-caused global warming is directly responsible for creating a ‘critical threat’ of a devastating outburst flood – putting a city of some 120,000 people in the path of potential floodwaters, according to new research from the University of Oxford and the University of Washington, published on February 4, 2022 in Nature Geoscience.
As the planet warms, retreating glaciers contribute to the formation of unstable lakes, prone to hazardous outburst floods. Today’s study provides a vital missing piece of evidence for a ground- breaking lawsuit seeking compensation from an energy company, RWE, for climate change impacts.
This new research establishes a ‘full set’ of links from human-made greenhouse-gas emissions to the substantial risk of a dangerous outburst flood from Lake Palcacocha, high in the Peruvian Andes. This flood threatens to inundate the city of Huaraz.The study shows that warming has caused the retreat of the Palcaraju glacier which, in turn, has increased the flood risk. Crucially, this establishes a direct link between emissions and the need to implement protective measures now, as well as any damages caused by flooding in future.
Source: Prevention web
