The devastation witnessed after the recent floods in Texas underscores a critical, undeniable truth: Extreme weather is a compounding reality, and its escalating effect on our world is a crisis we cannot ignore. Increasingly frequent and intense natural disasters are rippling through every corner of our world; they are a profound and urgent challenge to human safety first and foremost, as well as supply chain continuity and stability.
A tragedy in Texas this week, extreme rains and catastrophic flooding led to at least 119 deaths, including dozens of children at summer camp. As of this writing, 172 people are still missing. The emotional impact of this event for these families cannot be overstated, especially as concerns persist regarding whether critical staffing vacancies — particularly for a key warning-coordination meteorologist in the Austin-San Antonio office — could have hindered public outreach, CNN reports. The article notes that the personnel cuts raise serious questions as to whether the tragedy could have been mitigated with proper staffing.
Disasters like these are likely to get worse, as extreme rainfall and flooding are amplified due to human-induced climate change.” In fact, floods affect more people worldwide than any other disaster. By 2050, one study projects the material cost of flooding to rise by $11 billion.
Regrettably, climate change itself is still under debate in some circles. Michael Bloomberg, writing an opinion piece for his own Bloomberg News, states that “climate denialism” made the Texas floods worse: “Climate change is a manageable problem with practical solutions. Those solutions will not only save lives, but also improve our health, reduce our energy bills and create more jobs. The longer these officials pretend otherwise, the more the public will suffer, and the more people will die.”
Although the direct human toll is always our greatest concern, climate change’s impact on supply chain is also undeniable. A threat to the world’s water supply, and therefore the viability of mining copper, puts chip production at risk, reports Asia Financial. Experts believe it will disrupt at a least one-third of the world’s chip production by 2035 and more than half by 2050. Chile, the world's largest copper producer, already faces water shortages that are hindering chip production. And of course, we’ve reported on atypical water levels in the Panama Canal, which have been diverting hundreds of commercial vessels since 2023, causing delays and economic wreckage for local communities.
Meanwhile, severe heat is damaging the food supply in Southeast Asia, Eurasia Review reports, especially rice, which is a staple crop and sensitive to high temperatures. “For the past two years, the region has endured prolonged and record-breaking periods of heat, with air temperatures repeatedly exceeding 40oC [104°F]” — well above the optimal range of 22-28 oC (72-82°F), per the World Meteorological Organization. Alarmingly, Asia is warming twice as fast as the global average, with the trend from 1991 to 2024 almost double that of 1961 to 1990 period.
Action amid adversity
Fortunately, there are many ways we can help. In the short-term, convenience store chains, grocery stores and big-box stores are already stepping in with donations of money, food and supplies. And ASCM partner ALAN (American Logistics Aid Network) is offering support on a larger scale: The nonprofit provides logistics-related relief resources and guidance for amazing results. If you would like to help, ALAN requests donations in the form of warehouse space, trucks, equipment and financial contributions. Or to volunteer your expertise locally, here is a list of urgent requests.
In the longer-term, supply chain organizations across the globe must commit to reducing our climate impacts. This is a key area of focus at CHAINge North America, where sustainability-focused educational sessions, panels and roundtables will empower you to become a force for corporate social responsibility and business integrity. I hope you will join us in Columbus, Ohio, September 9-10.
