Friday, November 28, 2014

Climate changes

The Royal Society have published a report, which contains maps that demonstrate the impact of worldwide climate and demographic changes on exposure of people to extreme weather. "The risks from climate change can be underestimated if no account is taken of people's exposure and vulnerability: global average climate change metrics fail to highlight that the most extreme changes occur where people live - on land," the report explains  

"We are not resilient to the extremes of weather that we experience now, and many people are already extremely vulnerable," says Prof. Georgina Mace, chair of the working group for the report. "National governments have a responsibility to do everything in their ability to protect their people from the devastation caused by extreme weather events."

People in countries with a low Human Development Index comprise 11% of those exposed to hazards but account for 53% of disaster mortality. Regarding risks to people from floods, droughts and heatwaves, the report notes that people living in East, West and Central Africa - as well as India and South-East Asia - are particularly vulnerable as increasing population numbers in these areas will be exposed to extreme weather events.

The researchers say climate change could increase the number of heatwave exposure events they experience by three times by the year 2100. the combination of climate and population changes could lead to more than 10 times the number of annual heatwave exposure events suffered by this part of the population, the researchers say.

Another finding from the report indicates that changes in temperature and humidity could cause significant reductions in the ability to work outside in Africa, Asia, and parts of North, South and Central America. And this could also affect Western countries, as global food production would be impacted as a result.


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