The planet is in a no-win situation when it comes to extreme weather, unless we fix inequality

China’s extreme heat streak appears to have coincided with the most damaging consequences of a particularly active monsoon season in Pakistan. China saw weeks of drought conditions that have led to an uptick in heat-related deaths. Some areas dealt with heavy rainfall already, but it’s the downpours coming for the country’s driest regions that have led to the evacuation of more than 100,000 people. Within this time and from mid-June onward, parts of Pakistan have been devastated by flooding. More than 1,100 people have been killed by monsoon rainfall and more than 33 million others have been impacted by what environmentalist Bill McKibben describes as rainfall at 780% of “normal.”

McKibben has written about both China and Pakistan’s plights. In his pieces, he lists off other countries also grappling with extreme weather, including Germany, Serbia, and Somalia. I’d be remiss if I didn’t add our own nation, where flooding concerns have led the mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, to urge residents to evacuate for fear of the Pearl River cresting. Climate change has undoubtedly played a role in the severity of these weather events. Acknowledging climate change’s role in extreme weather is a great first step, but holding bad actors accountable is where things get tricky.