Hurricane "Harvey" and his media context

American media are discussing Hurricane Harvey, who hit Texas. This event turned out to be a convenient occasion for commentators to recall those topics that seem to them most important. Among them are global warming, insurance and energy system.

Wall Street Journal is most concerned about the state of energy infrastructure. Hurricane once again reminded how important it is to maintain its stability and how vulnerable it is in the current state. After the United States introduced the embargo on Arab oil, they had to quickly replenish their strategic fuel reserve so that it was enough for a 94-day imports. Of course, the energy supply situation has already changed significantly. Now the United States is imported 25% less oil than ten years ago, and more than a million barrels are exported per day, while until recently they almost did not export oil. But this is rather the result of a successful combination of circumstances, and not focused efforts.

On Monday, it is noted in another WSJ material , due to the storm by 15%, the performance of American oil refineries decreased, and the number of failed ones is growing. In particular, the Exxon Mobile Corporation reports that its Texas oil refining enterprise operates in limited mode. If the hurricane after Texas also goes to Louisiana, then the performance in total can decrease by 30%.

Flood - consequence of a hurricane / pixabay.com

Another important side of this story, according to WSJ , is unexpected financial challenges to the American Congress. In the USA, the federal insurance system for natural disasters is now in a difficult situation due to many debts. The federal program appeared about 50 years ago. This was due to the fact that private insurance companies considered insurance in cases of floods too risky. Since the program was mired in debt, Congress has to resolve the question of how to improve its financing. Moreover, this will have to do this already in disaster.

Another problem for the congress in connection with the hurricane is that it is necessary to take funds from somewhere to restore objects that were not insured, but were damaged and necessary. What to do in such cases is a controversial question. Many conservative Republicans began to object to the help of the federal level, after the hurricane “Sandy” hit the east coast of the United States in 2012.

The liberal Ny Times due to the hurricane "Harvey" considered it necessary to turn to the topic of global warming. Referring to scientists, the author of one of the materials writes that the damage from the hurricane is aggravated by meteorological factors. In particular, due to warming water in the Gulf of Mexico, rain intensified, and due to the weakening of the winds, the hurricane lingers in one place for a long time.

Hurricane on the coast of the USA / Pixabay.com

Recently, the material says, scientists have become more and more evidence to associate extreme weather phenomena with climate change. Although it is precisely in the application to hurricanes that the construction of such ligaments is difficult, because, being complex systems, they are influenced by many factors, including unknown ones. Nevertheless, the author notes, it cannot be denied that an increase in global temperatures heats the oceans, and from this water evaporates faster into the atmosphere. All this increases humidity and promotes extreme precipitation.