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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