Extreme Weather Swings Between Droughts and Floods in the World's Densely Populated Cities

The weather in some of the world's most crowded cities is oscillating between severe droughts and devastating floods, as rising global temperatures disrupt the planet's water cycle, according to a study commissioned by WaterAid and released on Wednesday.

Researchers analyzed 42 years of weather data from over 100 major cities and found that South and Southeast Asia are experiencing intensified rainfall, while Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa are becoming increasingly arid.

"There will be winners and losers associated with climate change," said Michael Singer, of the Water Research Institute at Cardiff University, and one of the study’s authors. "It's already happening."

Cities Worst Affected by Climate 'Whiplash'

The study highlighted China's eastern city of Hangzhou and Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, as the top cities facing "climate whiplash"—rapid alternations between prolonged floods and droughts.

Additionally, 15% of the cities studied were found to be at high risk for both extremes, including:

Dallas, Texas
Shanghai, China
Baghdad, Iraq

"You can't assume that every place will respond to atmospheric warming in the same way," Singer noted. "Climate change doesn’t discriminate—it impacts both wealthy and poor nations, regardless of infrastructure."

Severe Weather Patterns Intensify in Vulnerable Cities

Hangzhou, a coastal city in China, endured more than 60 days of extreme high temperatures last year, breaking records. At the same time, it was struck by severe floods, forcing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate.
Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Mumbai, India, once prone to dry spells, have now flipped to become significantly wetter.
Meanwhile, Cairo, Egypt, and Hong Kong are seeing a steady decline in rainfall, contributing to more arid conditions.

Urban Infrastructure Struggling to Adapt

Many cities have built infrastructure designed either to manage water shortages or to prevent flooding. However, with climate patterns shifting rapidly, these cities now face entirely different challenges and will need to invest in adaptation measures, Singer warned.

A Few Cities See Favorable Climate Changes

Not all cities have been negatively impacted. A small number of urban centers have seen more stable weather patterns, with fewer extreme wet and dry months over the period from 2002 to 2023 than in the previous two decades. These include:

Tokyo, Japan
London, UK
Guangzhou, China

As climate change accelerates, cities worldwide will need to rethink their long-term strategies to cope with unpredictable weather patterns and mitigate climate-related risks.

Calls Grow for UN to Investigate Myanmar Envoy Julie Bishop Over Alleged Business Ties

The United Nations is under increasing pressure to investigate its special envoy on Myanmar, Julie Bishop, over alleged business connections between her consulting firm and Chinese mining and construction companies with interests in Myanmar.

Advocacy Groups Demand Inquiry

Justice for Myanmar, a well-known advocacy group, has formally requested UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to probe Bishop’s potential conflicts of interest. The demand follows a report by Australia’s The Saturday Paper, which detailed alleged links between Bishop’s firm and Chinese state-owned enterprises.

By Tuesday, additional activist organizations had also joined the call for an independent investigation.

"The ties to Chinese and other companies operating in Myanmar create unacceptable conflicts of interest that must be fully investigated," Justice for Myanmar wrote in its letter to Guterres.

The group urged the UN chief to examine Bishop’s business dealings, assess whether she should remain in her UN role, and make the investigation’s findings public.

Bishop’s Response

Bishop, a former Australian foreign minister and current chancellor of Australian National University, has not publicly addressed the allegations.

In a statement to The Australian newspaper, her consulting firm asserted:

"We are a private advisory firm engaged to provide strategic analysis and guidance."

The company further clarified that it does not take fiduciary or executive roles, nor does it offer legal, corporate, or financial advice. It added that “any potential or actual conflicts are declared and vetted.”

Bishop was appointed as the UN special envoy to Myanmar in April.

Myanmar’s Civil War and China’s Influence

Myanmar has been engulfed in civil war since the military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected government in 2021. The military heavily relies on Chinese-backed mining and construction projects to sustain its revenues.

Additionally, China remains a key arms supplier to Myanmar’s ruling military junta.

Concerns Over Bishop’s Role

In its letter, Justice for Myanmar contended that Bishop’s connections to businesses with interests in Myanmar could compromise her role as a UN envoy, particularly given her responsibility to engage with civil society groups.

"The loss of trust of Myanmar civil society is a critical issue for the special envoy’s position," said Justice for Myanmar spokesperson Yadanar Maung, in a statement to The Associated Press (AP).

Dalai Lama Declares His Successor Will Be Born Outside China

The Dalai Lama has stated that his reincarnation will take place outside China, in what he describes as the "free world."

In a new book released on Tuesday, the 89-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader affirms that his successor will not be born in Tibet, which is an autonomous region under Chinese control.

"Since the purpose of a reincarnation is to continue the work of the predecessor, the next Dalai Lama will be born in the free world," he writes in Voice for the Voiceless.
"This will ensure that the traditional mission of the Dalai Lama—to be the voice for universal compassion, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, and the symbol of Tibet representing the aspirations of its people—will carry on."

The Dalai Lama has lived in exile in India since 1959 following an unsuccessful Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule.

China’s Stance on Tibet and the Dalai Lama’s Successor

China considers Tibet an inseparable part of the country, despite its historical periods of independence. Beijing views movements advocating Tibetan autonomy or independence as threats to national unity.

The Chinese government has denounced the Dalai Lama as a "separatist" and insists that it holds the authority to appoint his successor.

The current Dalai Lama was recognized as the reincarnation of his predecessor at the age of two. However, he has made it clear that he rejects Beijing's claim over the selection process for the next Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama’s ‘Middle Way’ Approach

While the Dalai Lama stepped down as the political leader of the Tibetan government-in-exile in 2011, he continues to focus on his spiritual leadership.

Rather than calling for full independence, he has long advocated for a “Middle Way” approach, which seeks greater autonomy for Tibet while remaining within China.

Tibetan Aspirations and the Future of Reincarnation

In Voice for the Voiceless, the Dalai Lama reveals that he has received numerous appeals from Tibetans inside and outside Tibet, urging him to ensure that his spiritual lineage continues.

He emphasizes that the desire for freedom among the Tibetan people cannot be suppressed forever.

"One clear lesson from history is this: If you keep people permanently unhappy, you cannot have a stable society," he writes.

The statement further reinforces the uncertainty surrounding Tibet’s future and China’s control over the Dalai Lama’s succession.