last
updated 29th September 05
By 4ecotips
 Katrina
may become a common disaster
An estimated 12,000 weather-related
disasters since 1980 have caused 618,200
fatalities and resulted in economic
losses of $1.3 trillion according
to the Worldwatch Institute's president
Christopher Flavin. In the 1980s,
the average annual economic loss from
weather-related disasters was $26
billion. In 2004, that number rose
to $104 billion, and in 2005, Hurricane
Katrina alone is expected to cost
$100-200 billion in economic losses.
He says: "The catastrophe we
are watching unfold along the US Gulf
Coast is a wake-up call for decision
makers around the globe. If the world
continues on its current course -
massively destroying coastal wetlands
and increasing fossil fuel consumption
- future generations may face a chain
of disasters that make Katrina-scale
catastrophes a common feature of life
in the 21st century.
"At a time when politicians
and the media have focused on immediate
symptoms rather than long-term problems,
Worldwatch plays a more important
role than ever."
For example, well-financed opponents
of action on climate change had delayed
implementation of carbon dioxide emissions
limits for over a decade, allowing
global emissions to grow by 20% since
1990. The world's population had expanded
by more than a billion people during
the same period, which was undermining
the health of the ecosystems on which
humanity relied, from forests to water
and marine resources.
In the past few weeks, Worldwatch
has been actively analyzing and communicating
the lessons of Katrina, responding
to scores of media requests and providing
long-term context to the immediate
crisis along the Gulf.
Flavin explains: "Worldwatch
researchers are showing that goals
such as reducing poverty, stabilizing
the world's climate, and slowing world
population growth must be treated
as part of an interconnected whole
rather than in isolation.
"With the help of many concerned
people like you, we are redoubling
our commitment to provide the information
and vision needed to point the way
toward leaving the world a better
place for future generations.
"Never has our work been more
important to the world and never has
the support of friends like you been
more important to our work."
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