Well, those of you aware of the news will be aware that the Red Cross has published its yearly report on natural disasters - and concludes that environmental destruction, disaster and climate change created more refugees in the last year than wars did.Key findings of the report are:
More major natural disasters occurred in 1998 than in any other year on record.
(MunichRe)
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed 1998 as by far the warmest year since records began.
40 of the 50 fastest-growing cities are in earthquake zones.
(Martin Degg, Chester College; Pg. 18, Chapter 1, WDR)
Environmental refugees account for some 58 per cent of all refugees worldwide.
(Norman Myers; Pg. 20, Chapter 1, WDR)
Half the world's population lives in coastal zones. Ten million are at constant risk of coastal flooding
(Pg. 11, Chapter 1, WDR)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says that 60 per cent of the world's population will be living in potential malarial zones by 2100. There could be an extra 50 to 80 million cases of malaria and 3.5 million cases of river blindness.
(Pg. 14, Chapter 1, WDR)
Three million people per year are made homeless by flooding.
(Pg. 11, Chapter 1, WDR)
The United Nations estimates that 80 per cent of the world will live in developing countries by 2025, more than half of which will be "highly vulnerable" to floods and storms.
(Chapter 2, WDR)
Desertification is forecast to reduce yields of millet in the Sahel by up to two-thirds and could sap up to 43 per cent of the flows of the Indus, Niger and Nile rivers, raising the spectre of water wars.
Does anyone still want to argue about the global free market bringing good to all and the greenhouse effect being a myth?
Gideon
(we need to *do* something folks; not just talk about what can or should be done...)
None.
