Sunday, April 29, 2012

Global partners confront impacts of climate extremes on development

FinChannel.com: On the heels of a sobering UN report on dramatic climate extremes expected to occur around the world, officials from donor and developing countries, along with international organizations have reaffirmed their commitments to making disaster resilience a priority in development planning. 
According to The World Bank , the officials, meeting during the World Bank /IMF Spring Meetings, also recognized that linking disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, and integrating them into the development agenda, is critical to building resilience in communities and countries. 
Mahmoud Mohieldin, World Bank Managing Director, said, "We have too often witnessed how disasters can roll back years of development progress. On top of that, we now need to prepare for a changing world—rapid urbanization and a changing climate are reshaping and exacerbating disaster risks. But geography need not be destiny, and the future—however uncertain and unpredictable when we factor in the impact of climate change—need not be feared if correct preventive policies are taken today.” 
Convened by the European Union, the Government of Japan, and the World Bank /GFDRR, the meeting was informed by last month’s report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change —Special Report on Managing the Risk of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation. 
The report documents that current extreme weather events are projected to become more common in the future, and a changing climate is the cause....
An aerial view of mudslide damage after Hurricane Mitch in 1998, US Geological Survey photo

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