Four Corners: Wild Weather (ABC TV Mon, 28 March 2022)

Next Monday’s Episode of Four Corners, “Wild Weather” is a BBC Panorama production, focusing on the increase in extreme weather ‘events’ around the world.

“Dangerous climate change is no longer something we can talk about as being off in the future. It’s arrived.” Climate scientist, USA

The devastating floods that wreaked havoc in Australia’s eastern states and the massive destruction caused by the Black Summer fires have rammed home the terrible cost of extreme weather and its aftermath. But Australia is not the only nation experiencing wild, dangerous and unprecedented weather.

“There’s no way to have a positive spin on it, it’s just far worse than we all expect it’s going to be.” Ecologist, UK

“The water started rising. It was terrible. We didn’t know what to do. We couldn’t stay in the house, but there was nowhere else to go.” Flood survivor, Germany

In Germany last year, hundreds of people were killed in floods when record rainfall saw rivers bursting their banks, washing away buildings that had stood since medieval times.

“I’m incredibly angry… we’ve worked very hard on technology and we also know how to forecast floods at a local level…so why so many people died… it’s so very frustrating.” Professor of Hydrology, UK

Soaring temperatures in the northern summer smashed Canada’s records and ferocious wildfires, reminiscent of our own Black Summer, burned a town to the ground.

“I looked through the window and the clouds were sort of incredibly dark with black bits and burning bits in them…it just got darker and darker and then Gordon said, ‘there is no phone there is no internet there is no power, nothing.” Wildfire survivor, Canada

From cyclone ravaged farmland in India to Australia’s wheatbelt and the dust storm choked skies of South Korea, the program shows the impact of extreme weather.

“It looks like the end of the world. In this kind of weather, I feel that I really, really don’t want to be outside.” Resident, South Korea

Climate scientists warn that these are not random acts of bad luck, they are a symptom of our changing climate.

“There is no doubt about that, and I think we cannot beat around the bush anymore and be nice to each other and say ‘maybe, maybe, maybe it’s not happening’. Let’s get that clear.” Climate policy researcher, India

Research commissioned for the program and undertaken by the UK Meteorological Office, shows that this weather is only likely to increase.

“What happens into the future is, assuming continued emissions, then these temperatures, these extreme temperatures become a regular occurrence. We would see this every year.” Climate scientist, UK

Those pushing for global government action on climate change say the world needs to be prepared for an increase in this wild weather and act now.

“Even if we got to net zero tomorrow, the impacts that have been set in chain will continue…and that’s why making sure that people have defences against flooding, they have defences against a whole range of climate change is very important.” President, COP21

Airdate: Monday 28 March, 2022 at 8.30pm on ABC TV.