How’s the weather? 
 
Weird, and getting stranger every day.
 
Last week in Kampala, Uganda the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued new preliminary findings entitled Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation.  (Full report available in February 2012.)
 
Among the findings:

• Globally, hot days will become even hotter and more frequent.
• Heavy rains will occur more often.
• Wind speeds of cyclones and hurricanes will increase though their number may decrease.
• Droughts will become more intense and last longer.
• Economic losses due to extreme weather will increase globally but especially in developing countries.

What is causing these weather extremes?
 
The IPCC finds, “It is likely that anthropogenic [human] influences have led to warming of extreme daily minimum and maximum temperatures on the global scale.”
 
The report seeks not only to document climate-related weather changes but also to warn the most vulnerable regions to prepare.
 
Chris Field, a Co-chair of Working Group II, explained, “We hope this report can be a scientific foundation for sound decisions on infrastructure, urban development, public health, and insurance, as well as for planning—from community organizations to international disaster risk management.”
 
In other words, without genuine global action to address climate change, extreme weather is our future.