Ten leading experts in climatology disagree on whether or not global warming is making hurricanes stronger. They do not disagree that continued development in coastal regions in harms way means that hurricanes will be more destructive in the future than they have in the past.
As they say in their statement: "Rapidly escalating hurricane damage in recent decades owes much to government policies that serve to subsidize risk. State regulation of insurance is captive to political pressures that hold down premiums in risky coastal areas at the expense of higher premiums in less risky places. Federal flood insurance programs likewise undercharge property owners in vulnerable areas. Federal disaster policies, while providing obvious humanitarian benefits, also serve to promote risky behavior in the long run."Climate Experts Warn of More Coastal Building - New York Times (July 25, 2006).
A copy of the statement signed by the experts is on the Kerry Emanuel's Homepage, Dr. Emanuel is a Professor of Atmospheric Science at M.I.T. and the author of "Divine Wind: The History and Science of Hurricanes" (Oxford Univerisity Press, Sept., 2005)
Posted by dougsimpson at July 26, 2006 12:02 PM