...HAS WARMING

Burning fossil fuels is the cheap, short-run option, but what about the long run?

Warming to bring drought, floods to Asia
Nita Bhalla, April 10, 2007 (Reuters via Yahoo News)

WHO
Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the U.N. climate panel

WHAT
Potential effects of climate change on Asia: Food shortages, water scarcity, heatwaves, floods and migration of millions

WHEN
Changes have already begun and may worsen through the end of the century.

WHERE
Asia, especially China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Especially coastal cities like Mumbai and Kolkata.

WHY
A 0.5 degree C.heat rise will change wheat yields in India from 2.6 metric tons/hectare to 2.15, increasing hunger. A loss Himalayan Hindukush mountain glacier melt will deprive a quarter of a billion Chinese loss of water supply. Massive portions of India’s 70% rural population will be forced to migrate to already teeming cities. 40 cm sea rise by the end of the century will cause up to 94 million people in low-lying coastal regions of Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and China to be flooded from their homes.

QUOTES
- Pachauri: "What we project is substantial decreases in cereal production in Asia and... there will unfavorable impacts on rain-fed wheat in south and southeast Asia…There will be risk of hunger and water resource scarcity."
- Pachauri: "Given that they are not able to pursue their livelihoods, they clearly would have no choice but to move into the large cities and towns," he said. "That means greater slum populations with inadequate urban infrastructure."