Mindjack readers are living everywhere in our world. So I guess this UN warning will concern many of you.
In a new study, researchers at the United Nations University (UNU) reveal that the number of people threatened by catastrophic floods is going to increase from one billion today to more than two billion by 2050. And guess who is responsible? Climate change, deforestation, rising sea levels and population growth in flood-prone lands. In other words, ourselves.
The study states that 25,000 people are killed each year by floods and other weather-related disasters. The UN experts also say that the yearly costs of these disasters are in the $50 to $60 billion range, mostly in developing countries. This "is roughly equal to the global development aid provided by all donor countries combined." What can we do to reduce the number of deaths? We need to build a greater global capacity to monitor and forecast extreme events in order to devise new warning systems and new planning strategies.
This overview includes other details and references. It also contains a map of our world with icons showing the locations of floods observed by NASA satellites between April and June 2004.
In a new study, researchers at the United Nations University (UNU) reveal that the number of people threatened by catastrophic floods is going to increase from one billion today to more than two billion by 2050. And guess who is responsible? Climate change, deforestation, rising sea levels and population growth in flood-prone lands. In other words, ourselves.
The study states that 25,000 people are killed each year by floods and other weather-related disasters. The UN experts also say that the yearly costs of these disasters are in the $50 to $60 billion range, mostly in developing countries. This "is roughly equal to the global development aid provided by all donor countries combined." What can we do to reduce the number of deaths? We need to build a greater global capacity to monitor and forecast extreme events in order to devise new warning systems and new planning strategies.
This overview includes other details and references. It also contains a map of our world with icons showing the locations of floods observed by NASA satellites between April and June 2004.
| :: posted by Roland Piquepaille, 1:33 PM | Comments (0)
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