(Food-Beverage-News.Com, April 04, 2014 ) Over the course of two decades, the number of global natural disasters had exceptionally tripled causing thousands of lives perished in a single blow. Back in the 80’s, there were around 120 large natural disasters per year. Fast forward today, this figure is multiplied by 5. In 2012, the world witnessed how Hurricane Sandy wiped away towns and cities amounting to a total loss of about $28.2 billion, combining private insurers and government-sponsored programs with approximately $65 billion worth of economic loss between the United States, Canada, the Bahamas and the Caribbean. A year ago, about 84 percent of economic losses happened outside of the United States including Typhoon Haiyan, who demonstrated the real and ever-present potential for large-scale destruction, damaging the Philippines, Vietnam and China. Floods hitting India and Nepal in June resulted in 6,748 deaths, while an earthquake in Pakistan killed 825 individual in September. The most expensive event all year was a series of floods in Central Europe, which cost a total of $22 billion in economic losses. Extreme unpredictable weather conditions not only took lives but bore economic holes even to highly-developed nations with technologically advanced weather facilities.
The issue of climate change is nothing new to us from the time of its conception decades ago. Since the 1970s, our global society has invested heavily in energy efficiency. This environmental effort has contributed effectively in lessening the energy global consumption. However, climate change is not strictly confined in melting glaciers in the Himalayas, it’s happening now in all countries across the globe. In an opening statement at the recent Japan meeting, IPCC or International Plant Protection Convention Chairman Rajendra Pachauri said, "Nobody on this planet is going to be untouched by climate change." IPCC report reveals climate change is happening to our land, impacting our food supplies, our water, our jobs, our security, our health and our way of life.
Cultural Shift
Climate change also brought about great cultural change in our society. Dystopian concepts have become evident everywhere with movies like Hunger Games and Divergent based on post-apocalyptic literature to Discovery Channel’s Doomsday Preppers centered on End of the World training. The resurgence of superheroes in movies and DC comic books suggests doubt in the ability of ordinary people to control the world. The declining trust in institutions from government to medicine is more pronounced in younger generations. They are becoming skeptical and expects very little of societal development. Sociologists warn loneliness has become epidemic on individuals despite social networking sites making communication readily available. With these behavioral shifts, it’s only a matter of time when people start running around in quest for food, water, emergency preparedness kits and more importantly, survival.
Adaptation is the solution
In the face of dystopian concept, experts still see hope in re-evaluating our standpoint of the future. Early adaptation is now being suggested to reverse the effects of climate change. Initial efficiency investments such as efficient appliances, city ordinances, and environmental conservation proved to be prolific and effective. Ecosystem-based adaptation will help manage sustainability in terms of flood control, food production, watershed and maintaining equilibrium. The take away is, action should be done today before it’s too late.
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