10 things that reminded us in 2019 it was time we acted on climate change

Amazon wildfire, cyclones, hurricanes, water crisis and rising pollution were only some of the many natural and man-made disasters we face last year.

BS : The year 2019 was punctuated by a series of deadly, devastating natural and man-made disasters. Starting with fires ravaging California, the year ended with fires in Australia. Amazon wildfire, cyclones, hurricanes, water crisis and rising pollution bore bad tidings. All the catastrophes pointed to the climate crisis. But 2019 was also the year in which millions of people were galvanised into action. Even as some world leaders like US President Donald Trump dismissed 'climate change' as a conspiracy theory, the year's scorching temperatures and other disasters pushed students, activists, scientists and politicians to act.

Here are 10 events in 2019 that indicated it was high time the world acted against climate change

Australia's ongoing bushfire nightmare

Wildfires have turned southeast Australia into an apocalyptic nightmare and threatens to wipe out forests and species of animals. While bushfires are not new to Australia, the situation this time has been catastrophic because of record-breaking temperatures, extended drought and strong winds. The extreme heat follows the driest spring on record. On September 9, the historic getaway Binna Burra Lodge in Queensland was destroyed in the fire. On November 11, New South Wales issued a “catastrophic” fire danger rating for the first time in the decade. In December, thousands of residents and tourists were forced to evacuate southeastern Australia as bush fires razed scores of buildings. Military ships and aircraft were deployed. Around 12 million acres have been burnt by bushfires so far. Ecologists say about half a billion mammals, reptiles and birds have been killed since the fire started in September. They estimate that about 8,000 koalas have died since the fires started, as the slow-moving animals are unable to escape the flames.

The devastating bushfires confirmed what scientists have been saying for a while: Australia’s fires will become more intense as climate change worsens.

Amazon forest fire

In 2019, Brazil had more than 93,000 fire outbreaks, most of which were agricultural. Illegal land-grabbers also destroyed trees so they could raise the value of the property they seized. Amazon, which is also referred to as the 'lungs of the world', witnesses fire outbreaks every year. However, the fires in 2019 were more intense than in previous years — up more than 60 per cent from the same time the previous year, and the highest number since 2010.