Millions of people are left without power, homes or neighborhoods to return to as natural disasters in the United States have been plentiful in 2021. Natural disasters have taken over headlines on the news. Hurricanes on the East coast have interrupted the lives of many. On August 29, Hurricane Ida made landfall and was devastating cities in Louisiana. Over half the state was without power as the storms worsened. Further East, storms were moving through coastal cities, such as cities as far in Massachusetts or New York, delivering downpours and flash floods. All the way on the West coast, dozens of fires are currently burning. All of this discussion brings up the question: is climate change to blame? With WBR News, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Professor Kerry Emanuel of Atmospheric Science says yes and no. He says these storms are most likely due to man-made aerosols, not greenhouse gases. However, climate change still plays a role in hurricanes and storms. He mentioned that it does affect the path and intensity of the storms. He made sure to mention how important he thinks attention towards climate change should be. “We should not wait to deal with the problem until we can show with 95% certainty that the hurricanes, wildfires, the melting of the Arctic ice we are seeing is because of climate change. We should be doing things like innovating carbon-free energy and possibly coming up with ways of taking carbon out of the atmosphere now because we cannot afford to wait and because we will never have complete certainty about anything,” Emanuel said. Back at home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, senior Emily Sanborn says she makes sure to always keep climate change in mind amidst the many weather events in the country. “It is devastating to hear about and see how drastically climate change is affecting the world right now. I hope that those affected by the fires, flooding, hurricane, etc. get the help that they desperately need. Climate change is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed right now otherwise these natural disasters will continue to worsen with time,” Sanborn said. Some say that hurricane and wildfire seasons are getting harder every year. Keep those struggling through these tough times in mind and consider following storm and fire trackers in the news to keep updated on the world today.