What has contributed to increased flooding worldwide?

The correct choice highlights the significant role that changing weather patterns and urban planning issues play in the increase of flooding worldwide. Changing weather patterns, largely driven by climate change, have led to more intense and frequent rainstorms, which can overwhelm drainage systems and cause flooding. Additionally, urban planning issues, such as inadequate drainage infrastructure and poor land use practices, can exacerbate the effects of heavy rainfall. Rapid urbanization often leads to an increase in impermeable surfaces that prevent water absorption, further contributing to flooding during storms.

While other factors like deforestation, industrial pollution, and rising global temperatures are relevant in the broader context of environmental change, they do not directly address the immediate and localized causes of increased flooding like the combination of altered weather patterns and deficiencies in urban infrastructure. Deforestation contributes to the overall climate issues and can affect local weather, but it is not as directly linked to flooding as the management of urban spaces and the direct impact of climatic shifts.