Damage Assessment of Agrometeorological Relevance from Natural Disasters: Economic and Social Consequences

Abstract

Damage from catastrophic events is both social and economic. Perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of modern life is our increasing ability to communicate, especially in the developed countries. This communication has brought an increased sense of connectedness but also made people more aware of the occurrence and consequences of natural disasters. In this paper we explore the potential for changes in frequency and magnitude of weather-related natural disasters and some of their connections to climate change and variability. Although changes in climate may have great consequence, increasing climate variability may become the most immediate challenge for world society. Both observations and simulation models show that as the potential for climate variability increases, natural disasters have become more frequent and of deeper economic impact. In areas of the world where these devastating events appear to occur and then quickly reoccur in a different guise, the sharing of information and resources becomes a pivotal issue for collective security. New technologies can help us understand these events and prepare for them. New social institutions may also be needed to cope with these issues on a global scale.