Climate change boosting flood and
drought:
Experts Monday, 3 March 2007
Global warming may excarcebate floods and make them more common, say experts
Billions of people will be at greater risk from storms, floods and droughts in the years ahead, partly as a result of global warming, an international water agency has warned.
"By 2025, half the world's population will be living in areas that are at risk from storms and other weather extremes," the World Water Council said, citing evidence gathered by U.N. and other experts. The economic cost will be huge, especially for poor countries that are likely to bear the brunt of these events, it said.
"Extreme weather records are [already] being broken every year and the resulting hydro-meteorological disasters claim thousands of lives and disrupt national economies," said William Cosgrove, vice president of the Marseille-based think tank made up of users and suppliers of water for social and economic development.
"The big problem is that most countries aren't ready to deal adequately with the severe natural disasters that we get now, a situation that will become much worse as storms and droughts become more pervasive," he said.
The agency has released the warning ahead of an eight-day conference, the Third World Water Forum, which opens in Kyoto, Japan, on March 16. The forum is the keystone of U.N. efforts to draw attention this year to abuse of the world's precious supplies of freshwater.
Experts say rivers and aquifers in many parts of the world are being hit by industrial pollution, sewage disposal or excessive extraction. This worsens water quality, inflicts shortages and, in tense border regions, even exacerbates the risk of war.
The council emphasised that water supplies in many countries could be badly affected by climate change inflicted by the burning of fossil fuels. As the temperature of the sea and atmosphere steadily rises, this could be "calamitous for traditional rainfall patterns", it said in a statement.
"The expected climatic change during the 21st century will further intensify the hydrological cycle, with rainy seasons becoming shorter and more intense in some regions, while droughts in other areas will grow longer in duration, which could endanger species and crops and lead to drops in food production globally," the council said.
Another result of climate change will be the risk of more frequent, and possibly more brutal, storms, extreme weather events. Part of the problem, it added, was that of human habitation in vulnerable areas, such as encroachment in flood plains.
The economic cost of extreme weather and flood catastrophes is severe and set to rise, hitting poorest nations the hardest, the council said.From 1971 to 1995, floods affected more than 1.5 billion people, or 100 million a year; of those, 318,000 people were killed and more than 81 million left homeless.
In addition, the number of major flood disasters has risen relentlessly. There were six in the 1950s; seven in the 1960s; eight in 1970s; 18 in the 1980s; and 26 in the 1990s.
"Droughts are becoming more severe and widespread," the group said. "Up to 45% of reported deaths from natural disasters between 1992 and 2001 resulted from droughts and famines. The most vulnerable communities are impoverished peoples occupying marginal rural and urban environments."
It sounded the alarm for countries in Africa, saying the "unprecedented droughts" many have experienced "may signal widespread climate change." It gave the example of Ghana's Akosombo Reservoir, a huge lake created in 1966 that at one time supplied 95% of the country's power needs and had enough electricity left over to export to neighbouring countries.
Now, however, the lake is less than half full because of less rainfall. That has had a huge economic impact, for electricity has had to be derived from other sources and, sometimes, must be rationed.
Richard Ingham - Agençe France-Presse
Written by Donald Onken
Director, Oasis Botanical Sanctuary
Contributing Editor Samuel Lockney
Jan 25-99
Earth Voice © 1999 O.B.S.
I wish to introduce you to the great gift of well being, through the
gradual change of diet,which everyone can achieve. If you would like to
live a long and healthy life, the best thing to do is change the substances
you put in your body, from the animal and chemically preserved foods, to a
plant based natural diet. This along with exersize, and a positive mental
outlook, have become essential to our health in modern day society.
The modern world has delivered many new and toxic foods that are processsed,
refined,hydrogenated, chemically preserved, artificially flavored,and
laden with synthetic hormones and pesticides. Along with this
comes so many new medical problems such as heart desease, cancer and arthritis
with the consumption of these immune inhibiting substances. It seems ironic that
the same companies that make the pesticides, and herbicides also create the
pharmicutical drugs for the world.
The most serious problem is that the public does not think clearly in a
polluted and toxic environment, distorted perception and impaired memory
are but a few effects of toxosis therefore the problem continues to compound
itself into a paradox. These people never question the safety
of their consumption though many of these chemicals were approved before the
advent of the modern testing facilities of today. Also powerful chemical fertilizers
and soil additives were discovered before the microscope, and before we could figure
their biological impact on the billions of microbiological organisims
that make up the living earth, which depends on them for the decomposition of old,
and the creation of life, perhaps the most vital link in the book of life.
This is a living earth that no one sees, but is a
key link to all existence on this planet. Pollution in the air, water, and food we eat is all contributing
to decrease in our intelligence, fertility, and health. Each year the problems
continuesto be a dangerous trend.
The best way to began changing, is to gradualy remove the bad substances from your diet and replace them
with healthy alternatives, one by one. A varity of fresh, raw, organically cultivated fruits,
grains, nuts, vegies, beans, mushrooms and herbs are your healthy alternatives.
No one should go "cold turkey" as it may discourage you.
Were do you get your proteins? is a common question, Protiens are found
in all living plant cells, if you have ever had life sciences in school you would know
this to be true. After 6 to 8 weeks of dietary change you will feel the
difference in attitude, energy, and mental alertness.
According to biblical times people lived to be 900 years old and behond, they
certainly were not eating the highly processed food, drinking the chemically
laden water, and food that we do today. Another example would be the gorilla,
living for 200 years, and keeping all their teeth until death, this is because of
their diet which is a 100% plant based diet.The giant tortoises are also vegetarians,
they live to be 300 years of age. I am not saying that you give up all processed
foods, but try and process the foods yourself, this can be quite a enjoyable
activity. As a "raw food'er" I strive to maintain a 50% balance between raw
foods and home processed. Overly cooked and processed foods may still contain
Vitamins, proteins and some phyto chemicals, but they do not contain the living
enzymes to brake down and utilize these substances.
As the worlds population continues to grow at alarming rate,
there soon will not be enough food or resources to support human life. The
Capacity to Cultivate the earth is limited, we cannot destroy the natural
balance and wonders of the world in this panic for consumption. 7 Pounds
of grain are feed to the cow for the production of one pound of its meat. Meat
that will be cooked of its enzymes and laden with pesticides and hormones.
If we are to survive on this planet we must learn to consume products that
require less energy, and do not pollute the natural resources.
Readers Resource
Here are some good book titles I highly reccommend to every one :
"Diet for a New America" John Robbins 1987 Stillpoint
Publishing. How your food choices affect your health, happiness and the future
of life on earth.
"Spontaneous Healing" Andrew Weil, M.D. 1995 Alfred A.Knopf
How to discover and enhance your body's natural ability to maintain and heal
itself.
"Nutrition and the Mind"Gary Null, Ph.D. 1995 Four walls
and eight windows. Execellant insight on how food effects alcoholism, alzheimers
anxiety disorders,depresion,thyroid disorders and other ailments of the day.
..Very popular..Mr. Null can be heard on KPFK radio 90.7fm
"Guideposts to Health and vigorous long life"John H. Tobe
1965 Modern Publications Reg'd.The very simple basic fact that we have been
allowed a niche on this earth should indicate clearly and unmistakably that it is
our duty and purpose to live in it in good health as long as humanly possible.
"Secret to Hunza superior Health"Carl Classic 1991 Center
for Human Natural Nutrition. How people of hunza stay young with extraordinary
healhealth and live longer.
"How to stay out of the Doctors Office" Dr. Edward M. Wagner &
Sylvia Goldfarb 1992 Instant Improvement Inc. An encyclopedia for alternative healing
"Back to Eden" Jethro Kloss 1985 Back to Eden Books. A priceless
guide to herbal therapy
"Enzyme Nutrition" Dr. Edward Howell 1985 Avery Publishing Group Inc.
Unlocking the secrets of eating right for health, vitality and longevity.
I hope that Food, Health, and Envronment will become a regular feature in the
Earth Voice. If you have any questions regarding this subject, or
sugestions on how we can educate the public more on this vital topic
please send a e-mail to Don Onken
at oasisproject@earthlink.net