We often have a bad habit of ignoring adaptation. Case in point is
Gore's depictions of flooding cities in his film, coupled with a
hypothetical description of hundreds of millions of refugees and a
comparison to Katrina. Sure, half of Bangladesh deluged would create
refugees, but it would likely be a slow process of population movement
as the seas rise a few mm per year.
Likewise, we can expect European and other countries to adapt by
purchasing more air conditioning in response to more frequent heat
waves (and thus creating an interesting feedback of higher energy use
and more associated emissions). Its only in the countries that lack
the potential to significantly adapt to the effects of climate change
where the gradual worsening effects will have the greatest toll.
On Jul 5, 11:24 am, James Annan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Gareth wrote:
> >> We're left hoping for a good decision driven by a misunderstanding of
> >> the relationship between climate change and extreme weather.
>
> > It's only a misunderstanding if the frequency of extreme events
> > doesn't change by much. With respect to the 2003 European heatwave, it
> > will be a normal summer in 20-30 years. Not an extreme event...
>
> Indeed, it will be normal because you will be used to it (more or less).
> And it will still be nowhere near as hot as a current Tokyo summer,
> that's for sure!
>
> The summer death toll from hot extremes in the UK has been falling even
> as the temperatures have been rising. (I only focus on the UK by virtue
> of having seen figures for it.) That doesn't stop people extrapolating
> out to future carnage, even before the projected temperature gets
> anywhere close to what is typical in Tokyo.
>
> James
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