Deadly Landslide In Colombia And Floods In Venezuela Expose ‘Scientific Injustice’ In Climate Crisis
Poor nations face extreme weather with fewer tools, as experts call for urgent investment in climate science and early warning systems
Deadly landslides in Colombia and widespread flooding in Venezuela in June have brought renewed focus to the stark inequality in global climate science. Heavy rainfall triggered natural disasters across the two South American nations, killing dozens, displacing thousands, and prompting experts to denounce the systemic underinvestment in climate research for the Global South.
In Colombia, the deadliest landslide struck near Medellín, burying homes and killing at least 27 people. In Venezuela, torrential rain caused rivers to overflow, destroying homes, wiping out crops, and displacing thousands.
According to a rapid analysis by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group, this tragedy reflects a deeper issue of scientific injustice. Rich countries — historically responsible for the vast majority of fossil fuel emissions — possess the resources to study and prepare for extreme weather. Poorer nations like Colombia and Venezuela, which have contributed least to global warming, often lack the data, tools, and funding to forecast climate extremes or develop effective mitigation strategies.
Dr. Joyce Kimutai, Research Associate at Imperial College London’s Centre for Environmental Policy, said: “Yet again, we’ve studied an extreme rainfall event in a Global South country and come up with unclear results. This is a scientific injustice.”
WWA’s analysis revealed that in Colombia, three months of rain — intensified by ongoing storms since April — fell on already saturated ground, triggering the deadly landslide. In Venezuela, five-day downpours inundated regions where rivers were already running high.
Climate modeling indicates that in today’s world, warmed by approximately 1.3°C, similar rainfall extremes can be expected every 10 years in Colombia and every 3 years in Venezuela. However, the findings were inconclusive in determining the exact influence of climate change on these specific events. This lack of clarity, scientists say, is largely due to poor data availability and outdated or underperforming models for tropical and mountainous regions.
“Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa urgently need more attribution studies,” Kimutai emphasized. “Global datasets and models often perform poorly in these regions. Investment in weather stations and regional climate science should be a global responsibility — and that money really should come from rich countries.”
Professor Paola Arias of Colombia’s Universidad de Antioquia added that Colombia and Venezuela regularly endure cycles of deadly floods, droughts, and wildfires. “It doesn’t take much for a weather event to become a disaster because many people are already vulnerable. Without scientific insight, we remain unprepared for what’s ahead.”
WWA researchers noted that Colombia is experiencing a drying trend, with seasonal rainfall about 12% less intense and frequent. Venezuela also shows a 9% decline in heavy five-day rainfall. These patterns underscore the complexity of climate impacts in tropical regions — marked by mountains, coasts, rainforests, and varied weather systems — all of which challenge existing global models.
Dr. Mariam Zachariah, also from Imperial College, highlighted how this limited understanding jeopardizes the ability of developing countries to adapt. “Unfortunately, many tropical nations lack the capacity for in-depth climate research. As a result, we’re left with uncertainty just when clarity is most needed.”
The WWA report concludes with urgent recommendations: strengthen early warning systems, restore forests, and fund local climate research to build resilience.
Roop Singh, Head of Urban and Attribution at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, pointed to another growing risk — unplanned urban growth. “More people are settling on unstable slopes on city outskirts, raising their exposure to landslides during heavy rains. Simple adaptation measures like forest conservation and early warnings can be life-saving and cost-effective.”
As climate extremes intensify, scientists and humanitarian leaders are calling on the global community — particularly wealthy nations — to correct the research imbalance and invest in climate science where it’s needed most.
The writer of this article is Dr. Seema Javed, an environmentalist & a communications professional in the field of climate and energy
