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OUR FRAGILE PLANET EARTH Planet Earth may be at greater risk than ever before with the emergence of global warming and global climate change as possible future threats Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of North Carolina, USA PLANET EARTH IS WARMING UP AS A RESULT, LOCAL AND REGIONAL CLIMATES ARE LIKELY TO CHANGE LEAVING MANY CITIES WITH ENVIRONMENTS AT HIGHER RISK, ESPECIALLY FROM WEATHER-RELATED NATURAL HAZARDS AS A RESULT OF GLOBAL WARMING, - - - Sea level will rise.
Coastal areas will be flooded
The frequency and intensity of severe windstorms may increase, with an associated increase in flooding from storm surge and rainfall and mudslides.
The frequency of wildfires may increase
Winter storms may be more intense AS A RESULT, EARTH’S ENVIRONMENTS ARE LIKELY TO BE AT HIGHER RISK Oceans
Polar regions
Deserts
Grasslands
Wetlands
Mountains
Forests
Cities Possible Changes in Earth’s Polar Regions Warming of Planet Earth due to the apparent warming will likely cause:
Melting of polar ice caps, glaciers, and pack ice
GREENLAND NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA WENGEN, SWITZERLAND KANAI FJORD, ALASKA SOUTH GEORGIA ISLAND MT KILIMANJARO, TANZANIA NORTHEAST USA: 1 METER RISE IN SEA LEVEL MANHATTAN ISLAND, NEW YORK CITY: AT RISK FLORIDA: 1 METER RISE IN SEA LEVEL LOUISIANA: 1 METER RISE IN SEA LEVEL THE NETHERLANDS VENICE, ITALY HALONG BAY, VIETNAM FUNAFUTI,TUVALU Possible Changes in Earth’s Environments When Planet Earth receives more water in a short period than can be contained in the floodplains and wetlands, the result is:
Flooding
Floods in Mozambique
Possible Changes in Earth’s Environments
Planet Earth’s coasts are subjected to severe windstorms with large waves, storm surge, and heavy rainfall--large quantities of water, which cause:
Drastic irreversible changes along the coast lines. HURICANE KATRINA: NEW ORLEANS UNDER WATER, 2005 HURRICANES DESTROY BARRIER ISLANDS TROPICAL STORM NOEL 235 MILES SW OF NASSAU: OCT 31, 2007 70 % OF MEXICO’S TABASCO STATE UNDER WATER: NOV 2, 2007 TROPICAL STORM NOEL: HAITI, OCT 30, 2007 Possible Change in Earth’s Environment As Planet Earth warms up,
Desertification Increases
1/6 OF WORLD’S POPULATIONS AFFECTED BY DESERTIFICATION Possible Changes in Earth’s Environment As Planet Earth warms up,
Dust Storms may Increase
DUST STORM: AL ASAD, IRAQ: APRIL 27, 2007 Natural Phenomena that Change our Environment Planet Earth is warming up, causing:
Droughts
DROUGHT IN CHINA: 2007 Possible Changes in Earth’s Environment As Planet Earth warms up,
Rivers may dry up.
ELBE RIVER, GERMANY: SUMMER, 2007 COLORADO RIVER BASIN, WESTERN USA LOS ANGELES RIVER: SUMMER 2007
Possible Changes in Earth’s Environment As Planet Earth warms up,
Wildfires may Increase
WILDFIRES IN EUROPE: JULY 2007 WILDFIRES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: OCTOBER 21,2007 Possible Changes in Earth’s Environment
Planet Earth is easily damaged by some of man’s actions, for example:
Deforestation
1 ½ ACRES OF RAIN FOREST DISAPPEAR EVERY SECOND
Implications for Planet Earth The potential risk to Planet Earth’s environments calls for:
Public policies that promote long-term community resilience
COMMUNITY DATA BASES AND INFORMATION HAZARDS: GROUND SHAKING GROUND FAILURE SURFACE FAULTING TECTONIC DEFORMATION TSUNAMI RUN UP AFTERSHOCKS NATURAL HAZARDS
INVENTORY
VULNERABILITY
LOCATION RISK ASSESSMENT RISK ACCEPTABLE RISK UNACCEPTABLE RISK GOAL: DISASTER RESILIENCE PREPAREDNESS
PROTECTION
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
RECOVERY IENCE
FOUR PILLARS OF RESILIENCE COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC POLICIES MONITORING Protecting Planet Earth Planet Earth’s changes in exposure and risk over time call for:
Technology to monitor the causative factors, warn people, and protect property, and infrastructure. POLICIES FOR REDUCTION OF RISK MONITORING (TRACKING CHANGES THAT MIGHT INCREASE THE RISK TO A CITY AND WARNING THE PEOPLE IN TIME FOR THEM TO GET OUT OF HARM’S WAY) AND PROTECT PROPERTY THE INT’L SPACE STA (ISS) PROVIDES EYES IN THE SKY: HURRICANE FELIX, SEPT 3, 2007 EARLY WARNING: A CAT 2 HURRICANE DEAN: AUG 16, 2007 EARLY WARNING AND EVACUATION: AUGUST 19, 2007
TYPHOON LONGWAN ENROUTE TO TAIWAN & CHINA: OCT 1, 2005 TSUNAMI WARNING SYSTEM COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC POLICIES MITIGATION (Protection) THAMES RIVER BARRIER: ENGLAND CONTAINMENT:SANDBAGS ALONG HUAI RIVER, CHINA THREE GORGES DAM: 2309 M LONG, 190 M HIGH, 15 M THICK
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