Natural disasters have quadrupled in two decades: study (Oxfam study largely blames global warming)

AFP on Yahoo ^ | 11/25/07 | af

[goldstategop]

Junk Science Alert! No one heard of "global warming" twenty years ago!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[NurdlyPeon]

Not bad. It only took them until the second sentence to get to the “poor hurt worst” part. But what about the “women hurt worst” line. I didn’t see that in there anywhere. I’d give it a 6.5

[Jeff Head]

Clearly, this is just one more horror that must be Bush’s fault. [/sarcasm]

[D-fendr]

And... the money quote:

Rich Western nations and the United Nations must act to “make humanitarian aid faster, fairer and more flexible and to improve ways to prepare for and reduce the risk of disasters”

[KarlInOhio]

How much of this was from better communications? There is quite a difference between someone posting a youtube video of flooding vs. the old method of someone from the national government just not finding a village where there one used to be.

Rich Western nations and the United Nations must act to "make humanitarian aid faster, fairer and more flexible and to improve ways to prepare for and reduce the risk of disasters," it said.

Don't send food - just money. Preferably direct deposited to the Leader's Swiss bank account.

[JennysCool]

I’m sure there were just as many natural disasters in 1980 as there are now. The difference is that satellite and internet technology developed over the last quarter-century now enables the whole world to get the news about each and every disaster occurring anywhere.

[P-40]

"Rich Western nations and the United Nations must act to "make humanitarian aid faster, fairer and more flexible and to improve ways to prepare for and reduce the risk of disasters"

Now how will money from Rich "Western nations" do anything to "reduce the risk of disasters"

[w1andsodidwe]

In the US, we used to have the occasional tornado outbreak, now we have disaster declarations when a tornado hits.

We used to have the occasional flood, now we have disaster declarations when it floods.

We used to have the occasional hurricane, now we have disaster declarations before the hurricane even hits.

We used to have the occasional wildfire, now we have disaster declarations when a wildfire occurs.

We used to have the occasional drought, now we get disaster declarations when one occurs.

We classify everything as a disaster nowadays. Mabe that is why there are more of them.

[Paladin2]

Why is there a greenhouse left standing?

[bboop]

Well, Oxfam! /roll eyes/ What do you expect from Oxfam? Deep research?

[w1andsodidwe]

Now how will money from Rich "Western nations" do anything to "reduce the risk of disasters"

I think you have discovered the real reason for this article.

[stylin19a]

I believe you are the winner.

[RegulatorCountry]

Subsidize it, and then be surprised when you get more of it? Oh well, that scam has been very profitable for legions of bureaucrats here in the US, so why not try it worldwide?

[okie01]

The world suffered about 120 natural disasters per year in the early 1980s, which compared with the current figure of about 500 per year, according to the report.

Shouldn't that read "The world reported about 120 natural disasters in the early 1980s, which compared with the current reported figure of 500"?

What, exactly, has changed: The climate? Or the reporting?

[Waco]

If there is more floods occuring, then there’s not less fresh water is there? This article is Shullbit!

[devere]

Charles Mackay anticipated this human-caused global warming delusion in his 1841 classic, “Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds”:

“Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one!” Charles Mackay

When it comes to human nature, not much if anything has changed since 1841.

[elkfersupper]

This tactic worked for MADD and the anti-tobacco crowd.

Why shouldn't it work for the global warming zealots?

By and large, they are all one and the same.

[torchthemummy]

The world suffered about 120 natural disasters per year in the early 1980s, which compared with the current figure of about 500 per year, according to the report.

The most obivous question is what is the definition of a "natural disaster"? I am quite comfortable in stating that the definition has become more "liberal" in the vein of the changing definition of obesity. Change the definition and, wala, more "victims"

The number of people affected by extreme natural disasters, meanwhile, has surged by almost 70 percent, from 174 million a year between 1985 to 1994, to 254 million people a year between 1995 to 2004, Oxfam said.

As dominant as Pres. Bush's popular vote was over Kerry, I felt it was insignifigant to state the fact that Pres. Bush won more votes than any presidential candidate in history. Ditto for Kerry. The point is a consideration of proportionality. That is how many eligible voters vs. actual voters.

[Gay State Conservative]

I used to give to Oxfam but I eventually figured out that they were a Marxist organization.They’ll never see another dollar,pound,euro,franc,krone,peso or rupee from me.