Cyclone evacuation in Odisha, India, to become a global example

A press release from the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction: The effective evacuation of almost 1 million people in Odisha ahead of Cyclone Phailin will be highlighted as a global example in the lead-up to the 3rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, in 2015.

The Head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), Ms Margareta Wahlström, lauded Odisha for its ‘landmark success’ actions in limiting the number of deaths directly caused by the cyclone to 21.  “We have started work on documenting the Odisha success story and will highlight it as an example at the World Conference. It is easy to talk about problems and failures. We have to bring into people’s minds what works,” Ms Wahlström said.

The Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, said the plaudits would spur his State to continue efforts to strengthen its disaster risk management and that they would not become complacent.  “The credit for the success of Phailin management goes to the brave people of Odisha who rose to the occasion in spite of all the odds and faced the calamity with inspiring courage,” said Chief Minister Patnaik, whose state fixed a ‘zero casualty’ target during the cyclone.

“I would also like to thank the meteorological department for its accurate prediction of the storm that played a major role in our preparedness. We want to prepare a long-term disaster risk reduction plan and climate change action plan for our state and we are now poised to implement it in the coming years.”

Ms Wahlström presented a citation to Chief Minister Patnaik to recognise the State Government’s achievement in being so well prepared ahead of the cyclone.  “The State Government’s fast response was remarkable. It was a fantastic achievement; they did excellent work. Odisha’s handling of the very severe cyclone will be a landmark success story in disaster management,” she said....

NASA image of Cyclone Phailin, October 11, 2013

Report reveals missed opportunities to save water, energy

Terry Nagel at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment: Water and wastewater managers are missing substantial opportunities to save energy and money, according to a report published Wednesday (Sept. 4) by Water in the West, a research center at Stanford University. The report, “Water and Energy Nexus: A Literature Review,” also identifies significant  gaps in knowledge about the amount of water used to extract energy resources such as natural gas, oil and coal, and to generate electricity.

The report finds “robust opportunities for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, as well as for the conservation of scarce water resources, coupled with the potential for generating significant new renewable energy resources,” according to co-author Cynthia Truelove, a visiting scholar with the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment.

The report is a comprehensive survey of publications by the academic, government and nonprofit sectors between 1990 and 2013 that analyzes policy, along with scientific and technical research, on the connections between water and energy.

“This report summarizes the tremendous breadth and depth of research and analysis that has explored the interrelationship between water and energy,” said Andrew Fahlund, executive director of Water in the West. “Nevertheless, it also points out a number of significant gaps in our understanding of the nexus of water and energy and points to important needs for future study."...

Image from the Stanford Woods website