Populations and climate
Unlike vegetation, humans have adapted to live in all climates on Earth, from the tropical rainforests, the deserts and even the polar climates. Most people come to enjoy the climate where they live. However, they may have to face the challenge of climactic variability, and possibly more radical climate change. There is an argument that the developed world is becoming increasingly independent from climate variability, however this is not entirely true: Despite a marked decline in mortality and social disruption resulting from climate extremes, the financial consequences of climate variability are increasing. One reason for this is that rising incomes are enabling people to buy properties in more vulnerable locations, such as close to the seashore, on the flood plains of rivers or high in the mountains. The losses incurred as a result of extreme weather events in these parts of the world are rising steeply.
In many parts of the world, crowded cities with inadequate services are increasingly susceptible to weather disasters. In particular, building in flood-prone areas, particularly shantytowns without adequate early warning services and infrastructure for evacuation, increases vulnerability, especially to flash floods and mudslides such as those experienced in China, Brazil, Madagascar, Mozambique and Venezuela. WMO has a disaster risk reduction Programme to help prepare and protect human populations to adverse and extreme weather events.
No comments:
Post a Comment