Dallas Morning News (September 21)
There’s “little solace amid the pileup of hurricane and earthquake devastation, not to mention the record-setting wildfires…. But the silver lining in this chaos is that time and time again, nature’s wrath is answered by steely human resolve…. Those of us lucky enough to be spared from this summer of destruction can do more than marvel at the responses of courage and resolve. Let us each lend a hand in whatever way we best can.”
Tags: Chaos, Courage, Destruction, Devastation, Earthquake, Human resolve, Hurricane, Nature, Pileup, Silver lining, Solace, Wildfires, Wrath
The Economist (November 7)
El Niños’ “weather effects, both good and bad, are felt in many places” but rich countries gain more from mighty Niños, on balance, than they lose.” In contrast, poor countries are the big losers. Poor governments and individuals can seldom afford disaster insurance. “Since the poorest are least likely to recoup their losses from disasters linked to El Niño, minimising their losses needs to be the priority.” As countries like Ethiopia have shown, low cost measures carried out in advance can play a major role in alleviating the devastation that often accompanies El Niño.
Tags: Devastation, Disaster insurance, Disasters, El Niño, Ethiopia, Losses, Poor countries, Priority, Rich countries, Weather
Washington Post (July 27)
After great devastation, the Ebola crisis appears to be winding down in Africa. “Now it is time to confront another hard problem: addressing the weaknesses in global response that allowed the virus to spread so rapidly. Without the urgency of another outbreak, national governments and the World Health Organization will be disinclined to change the way they do business. But change they must, or there will be another wave of disease, panic and unnecessary death.”
Tags: Africa, Change, Death, Devastation, Disease, Ebola, Global response, Outbreak, Panic, Urgency, WHO
