Rekordmonsun in Pakistan 2022: Mehr als 33 Mio. Menschen von Überflutungen betroffen

<em><strong>Record monsoon in Pakistan in 2022</strong></em>: More than 33 million people affected by flooding: The monsoon is a central component of the climate in the tropics and shapes the livelihood of people. Deviations in its characteristics from the long-term average can therefore have dramatic consequences, as shown by the record monsoon of 2022 in Pakistan. Over 33 million people were affected by the flooding caused by the extreme rainfall. The proximity of settlements to the riverbed and the failure of flood management infrastructure contributed to the extensive damage. At the same time, it was an exceptionally extreme climate event, in which various amplifying factors occurred simultaneously. The World Weather Attribution Initiative concludes that the rainfall intensity could have been increased by up to 50% due to climate change. Current climate model projections also predict a robust intensification of monsoon rainfall and an increase in extremes during the monsoon season in the 21st century. Moreover, current air pollution in Asia still dampens the climate change effect in the present climate. Once measures to improve air quality become effective, the climate change effect on the monsoon will become even more pronounced. How much global warming will change the monsoon and how many extreme events can be expected in the future ultimately depends on the greenhouse gas emissions that we humans will produce in the coming years.