Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Then and now: When silence descended over Victoria Falls
Located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls is one of the largest waterfalls in the world. As it stretches 1.7 kilometers in width and drops water 100 meters, it is one of the natural wonders and world heritage sites. However, the gigantic falls became silent in 2019 when the water flow of the Zambezi river decreased severely because of the worst drought in a century. It affected tourism, hydroelectric generation, and food production in Zambia. Just like glaciers are retreating and ice sheets are melting, silenced waterfalls are another clear evidence of global warming. As Africa’s population is expected to increase from 1.3 billion now to 4.3 billion in 2050, the continent, especially the sub-Saharan region, is going to be affected the most by climate change. While Africa is the land of opportunity as an increasing number of younger people become workers and consumers, it is also on the front line of the battle against the climate crisis and the subsequent consequences like water shortage, food security, droughts and floods, and biodiversity.
The silence in Victoria Falls is one of the most vocal calls for immediate action.
Enjoy reading the article and think about how the world should tackle the population increase and climate crisis at the same time.
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