The category 4 storm that made landfall in the small Indian Ocean archipelago of Mayotte this weekend was described by one witness as “apocalyptic, catastrophic,” as most of the capital was reduced to rubble, largely unrecognizable to those who live and work there.
The storm also caused fatalities with estimates ranging from hundreds to thousands. The devastation there elicited international condolence messages as well as acknowledgments from some governments that nations need to redouble efforts to adapt to climate change. But what about efforts to mitigate against global warming?
This year, in the U.S. alone, climate-related disasters with losses exceeding a billion dollars numbered 24.
Host Robin Young checks in with New York Times science and climate writer David Wallace-Wells, whose best-selling “The Uninhabitable Earth,” takes a deep dive into the future without climate change mitigation.
This segment airs on December 17, 2024. Audio will be available after the broadcast.