|
| all news articles | by topics |
|
news
articles about singapore's wild places
|
| The
Straits Times, 21 Jan 05 Global warming a danger now: Extreme climate changes cause 160,000 deaths yearly, warns expert By Radha Basu GLOBAL warming is no longer a threat of the future - already, about 160,000 people worldwide die every year as a direct result of sudden and extreme changes in climate. Unless air pollution - the root cause of climate change - is reduced, mankind will end up on a catastrophic collision course with nature. That was the message from environmentalist James Gustave Speth, dean of Yale University's School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, as he delivered a lecture on the severity of climate risks at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) on Wednesday. Dominated by an increase in temperatures worldwide, climate changes are widely believed to be a result of carbon emissions. In 2003, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reached unprecedented levels, Professor Speth said, and it was no coincidence that a European heat wave that same year left 19,000 dead across the continent. That was no isolated incident. Quoting World Health Organisation statistics, he said about 160,000 people were dying every year from extreme climate conditions such as floods, droughts and heat and cold waves. A worldwide resurgence of diseases like dengue and malaria is also attributed to rising temperatures. Rising temperatures could also melt ice caps in the Antarctic, raising sea levels by more than 5m and threatening coastal regions in the Pacific and Indian oceans, he warned. Speaking to The Straits Times later, Prof Speth said no area is likely to be spared. But computer simulation can help predict the effects of rising temperature and erratic rainfall on individual geographical areas, so nations can take precautions. In north-eastern America where he lives, for instance, the birch, beech and maple trees that contribute to the region's legendary autumn colours have been shown to be under threat. But there is good news. Countries, companies and individuals are increasingly taking steps to combat the 'biggest environmental threat of all time', said Prof Speth. What can we in Singapore do? For a start, use smaller, more fuel-efficient cars, he said. Vehicles account for a fifth of all carbon emissions worldwide. Mr Howard Shaw, executive director of the Singapore Environment Council, who was present at the lecture, said people can also make environmentally informed purchases, like opting for energy-efficient goods. 'The council administers an energy-labelling scheme to identify products that save up to 30 per cent electricity,' he said. 'Green' individuals are already doing their bit. NTU undergraduate Ng Wai Ling, 22, for example, switches off unnecessary lights and electrical appliances, and re-uses laundry water to clean the toilet. The recent tsunami brought home to her the horrors rising sea levels can wreak. 'As a small island nation, we cannot ignore climate changes,' she told The Straits Times after the talk. 'If all of us take these little steps, they will add up to big savings.' links Related articles on Global issues: global warming issues, policies Related articles on Global issues: biodiversity biodiversity loss, extinction threats, commercial applications of biodiversity Related articles on Global issues: tsunami and the environment Media and other articles discussing the role of mangroves and coral reefs in mitigating the effect and the impact on the natural environment and the people that depend on them. |
| News articles are reproduced for non-profit educational purposes. | |
website©ria tan 2003 www.wildsingapore.com |