It admits of no debate that climate change impact is cross-cutting, and the transport industry is not immune to that.
It is no exception. From aviation, road, sea, and rail transport, the primary objective is to move people, goods, and services from one point to another at an agreed and competitive price. The impact of climate change is palpable in view of the evident disruptions from an industry demand-supply perspective.
Anthropogenic factors and activities have been identified as the chief and key drivers of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the attendant global warming.
The cars that are running on carbon fuels, jet fuel for airplanes and fuel for the marine vessels, among others, all pollute the atmosphere and contribute towards the depletion and destruction of the ozone layer. While it is a key driver of climate change and a threat multiplier, the transport industry is also a victim of the same.
The impact of climate change in the transport space is both direct (primary) and indirect (secondary) as it relates to the industry infrastructure and the industry mediums through which goods and services are provided from one point to the next, other ancillaries considered.
Primary impact
This speaks to the direct bearing that the industry has on climate change via the use of carbon fuels and the attendant emissions of greenhouse gases that destroy the ozone layer. Ship-source pollutants most closely linked to climate change and public health impacts are greenhouse gases, including nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur oxides (SOx), and all other matter that is not friendly to the environment. Carbon emissions from cars, airplanes, marine vessels are dangerous to the ozone layer.
Secondary impact
It speaks to the effect and impact on the basic infrastructure that support and feeds the industry in the event of climate shocks. Climate variabilities can destroy the available infrastructure as it relates to railway lines, bridges, roads, runways and seaports.
The mediums through which goods and services are transported are also at risk of destruction in cases of flooding, storm surges and wildfires.
The aviation industry is affected with respect to delays and cancellations that are occasioned by bad weather, storms, flooding, freezing and heatwaves.
These extreme conditions make it for airplanes to either take off or land.
When Cyclone Idai made landfall in Manicaland in 2019, most bridges in Chimanimani were washed away, roads were either destroyed, cut off or completely washed away making many places inaccessible. Chimanimani District was the worst affected area which became inaccessible via road. The inaccessibility affected many other necessities in terms of rights, for example, the right to food, health and education.
Climate change, transport and human rights
Climate shocks with their secondary bearing on the transport industry infrastructure, have an impact on food accessibility and availability, access to health and education. Destruction of basic but key infrastructure like roads and railway lines preclude transportation of goods and services to intended destinations and beneficiaries.
In cases of natural disasters, it makes relief and rescue efforts difficult and in some cases impossible. Accessing health facilities when areas are cut off from such facilities becomes a human rights issue on account of accessibility of basic public health facilities and necessities.
There are four major rights that are directly linked to transport in the aftermath of climate shocks and disasters. These are the right to food, education, safe and portable water, and health. With respect to the food dimensions, it is the availability and accessibility that are impacted by climate change and transportation. When basic infrastructure is destroyed, product availability and accessibility becomes a key and critical issue.
Search and rescue operations, accessing health facilities for treatment and other psycho-social support services are hampered by in accessibility occasioned by climate shocks and impact.
The right to education is also negatively affected on account of schools either being destroyed or cut off. The events at Catholic-run Charles Luwanga school in Chimanimani are a case in point.
Sea rises, storm surges and drought
High and extreme temperatures have caused the melting of glaciers, explaining the rise in sea levels, which in turn affects seaports.
With respect to drought, marine transport is at serious risk on account of some critical river water levels being low to the extent that they cannot support movement of vessels, or low water levels affecting the cargo that vessels can carry.
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Climate change and turbulence
Climate change presents major threats, risks and challenges to the aviation industry as it makes airplane turbulence more frequent and more intense. The sudden, irregular movement of air that occurs most frequently in three situations: during thunderstorms and storms, over mountains, and in clear air is what constitutes turbulence. The first two types are easily detected by pilots, either visually or by radar. The final type (clear air), is considered the most dangerous, as they are invisible and are very unpredictable and unexpected in their occurrences.
Whatever the cause of the incident, climate change, which is linked to the burning of fossil fuels and therefore in part to aviation, is set to worsen these situations. According to the Geophysical Research Letters journal (June 2023) published in the UK, clear-air turbulence has already become more frequent over the past 40 years. With severe turbulence increasing by 55 percent over the North Atlantic, between 1979 and 2020.
Sam Matema is the MP for Buhera Central constituency and ZANU PF Manicaland Province spokesperson, and writes here in his personal capacity.
