Bangladesh

1. Bangladesh A little water can hurt

2. Bangladesh: extremely poor densely populated low-lying dependent on agriculture coastal All these factors together makes this country highly vulnerable to the catastrophes of sea level rise (SLR)

3. August 2004 - monsoon season brings devastating floods that paralyzes the coastal regions ~ 60% of the region was covered with polluted water ~ 20 million are directly affected - widespread damages to households, roads, bridges, embankments, and irrigation systems - nearly agriculture in the region was soiled - clean freshwater supply almost vanished Similar flooding occurred 16 years prior but the poverty of the country held back efforts to safeguard the people from such natural disasters ~ could have built dams and dikes to lessen the blow but the cost were too great for the state to handle

4. See what happened $2.2 billion in damages Economic growth slows from 2.7% to 2% Women standing in her ruined fields

5. Today and Tomorrow Today 46 million people live in flood-endangered areas SLR of half a meter would put 92 million at risk SLR of 1 meter would put 118 million at risk Threats: Loss of land Spread of disease Pollution of water supply Loss of biological communities that cannot adapt to sudden change Economic collapse - no ports, fisheries, agriculture, and tourism

6. Causes of SLR Anthropomorphic factors have lead to the accumulation of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, resulting in global climate change The rising temperatures of the earth expand the ocean’s volume in 2 ways: 1) melting of the poles 2) thermal expansion of water in the ocean The US emits 200 times the amount of CO2 in tons as Bangladesh

7. We can see that such “natural” disasters may not be so natural but really more “causal.” If this is so, who should be blamed as the “causer” of these disasters?

8. Drought and Darfur Getting to the root of the problem

9. For the past two decades Sudan has been gripped by civil war. While peace was man in 2003, the Darfur regional violence escalated. • Of the 1.5 million population of Northern Darfur, most of the people can be separated into 2 groups: Farmers: settled, black Muslims Herders: nomadic, Arab Muslims These 2 classes have been in greater conflict than ever before. People call it a ethnic and racial issue The conflict is typically characterized as genocide, waged by the Arab Janjaweed (backed by the Sudanese government) against Darfur’s black Africans. The distinction between “Arab” and “African” in Darfur is defined more by lifestyle than physical differneces: herders vs. farmers. The groups are not racially distinct. ~ Alex de Waal, Director of Social Science Research Council

10. The real roots • Rainfall has declined 40% in the last two decades, according to UN statistics • The Sahara Desert has spread southwards by an average of 100 km over the past four decades • Land degradation due to overgrazing of fragile soils - the number of livestock has increased from 27 million to 135 million • Deforestation has led to loss of 12% of Sudan’s forests cover in the past 15 years - within the next 10, all remaining forest may be lost Sand blows into fertile fields and the rare rainwater washes away any alluvial soil. The people of Darfur use social and political grounds to fight in the war to survive.

11. 200,000 have died since 2003Another 2.5 have become refugees Politicians say peace is needed, but soldiers cannot keep peace among desperate, hungry people

12. The local level holds most of the ethnic rivalry that has been amplified by food shortage Corrupt government Extreme poverty Long standing ethnic hatred Worsening of arid landscape Vulnerable country

13. What do you think is more crucial today: a global movement or a local movement?

14. Hurricane Katrina Is this just the beginning?

15. The Hurricane August 23 - formed as Tropical Depression 12 over the Bahamas August 24 - upgraded to tropical storm and started to move towards Florida August 25 - gained hurricane status until it hits land then losses intensity Enters the Gulf of Mexico and regains hurricane status August 27 - rapidly intensifies over warm waters of Loop Current, reaches Category 3 August 28 - attains Category 5 status, peaks at 1pm ~ 175 mph, central pressure of 902 mbar August 29 - hits New Orleans as a sustained Category 3 with 125 mph winds

16. 1 of 5 deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history - 1,836 dead 1 of the costliest - $81.2 billion in damages

17. New Orleans Flood protection levees were breached ~ in 1 day, 75% of the city was flooded Vulnerability enhanced by degradation of Mississippi River delta and extensive ground subsidence (sinking of an area of land) Approximately 80% were able to evacuate - the still tens of thousands not able to escape were mostly elderly and African Americans 1.3 million were displaced by flooding, 1 million required emergency care The economy shut down - especially oil production

18. Failures • 50 breaches in drainage canal levees ~ the US States Amry Corps of Engineers designed most of the levees - 17th Street Canal levee, Industrial Canal levee, and the London Avenue Canal floodwall Breaching these levees caused most of the flooding New Orleans is the city built below sea level - most susceptible to flooding New Orleans experienced similar flooding in 1969 where 600 drowned, but the predictions of Katrina were ignored but the city and state - no adequate preparations were made Governor Kathleen Bianco and Mayor Ray Nagin were absolutely unprepared and incapable of handling the task of evacuating the thousands of people as well as providing food and shelter Africans Americans and the elderly received the biggest blow

19. The Powerful Storm • The National Hurricane Center claims that since 1995 the destructiveness of hurricane has greatly increased ~ this rise is attributed to “Atlantic Ocean fluctuations” of temperature Rise is ocean temperature = increased hurricane intensity The natural cycle that alters ocean temperature has increased 1 degree F over the past few decades ** increased surface temperature causes an acceleration in hydrological cycle arising from the relation between saturation vapor pressure and temperature Most studies show the percent of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes in the six hurricane basins have increased significantly in the last 30 years

20. See the general increase in surface temperature and how it correlates with the number of severe hurricanes

21. If the globe is going to change no matter what, what do you think the world will change into? What will it look like? Will we be able to adjust smoothly?