Ten thousand dead

Myanmar cyclone is a portent of disasters to come 8

At least 10,000 people lost their lives when a tropical cyclone struck the nation of Myanmar, in Southeast Asia. Perhaps the jury is still out on the extent to which storm intensity can be related to climate change. What is clear is that sea-level rise will make future storms, more intense or no, much more deadly in many developing nations. We can talk about pain at the pump for Americans being a serious problem, but it pales in comparison to the threat to human life posed by global warming.

Another note: Myanmar is one of a handful of rice exporters in the region. With food supplies already tight, it won't take many of these kinds of events to wreak serious havoc in global food markets. Expensive food in America is a problem, but it's not a deadly problem. The same cannot be said in much of the developing world.

So really, what is that hour-long commute worth to us? Can we really not afford to place a price on carbon and offer China the necessary incentives to follow suit?

Ryan Avent is a freelance economics writer living in Washington, D.C. He blogs at ryanavent.com, and at The Economist’s Free Exchange.

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  1. Wolverine Posted 9:04 am
    05 May 2008

    Very SuspiciousCyclone season has not even begun yet on this side of the equator.  For such an intense hurricane to have formed already indicates something strange goin on.

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  2. Nucbuddy Posted 1:08 pm
    05 May 2008

    Storm sensitivity and the wealth of nationsRyan Avent wrote: What is clear is that sea-level rise will make future storms [...] more deadly in many [epithet deleted] nations.
    Perhaps those future storms would be less deadly if those future nations were wealthier.

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  3. Tasermons Partner Posted 2:09 pm
    05 May 2008

    Uhmm......it's usually considered conjecture to apply singular events to climate change.  Better to go with overall patterns and trends.

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  4. Jeanmac Posted 5:22 am
    06 May 2008

    global warming causes no problemsSince no single event could ever be "blamed" on Global Warming,we really do not have to worry..Nothing will be connected or made worse by global warming...I think it is a huge waste that so many people watch "Animal Planet" and many Nature shows that have no convincing discussion about climate change...As the World Burns will will all be so Politically correct...Polar Bear

    Join the Green Party of the US now.You know the other 2 parties

    are corporate sponsored.

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  5. Jeanmac Posted 5:25 am
    06 May 2008

    global warming causes no problemsSince no single event could ever be "blamed" on Global Warming,we really do not have to worry..Nothing will be connected or made worse by global warming...I think it is a huge waste that so many people watch "Animal Planet" and many Nature shows that have no convincing discussion about climate change...As the World Burns will  all be so Politically correct...Polar Bear

    Join the Green Party of the US now.You know the other 2 parties

    are corporate sponsored.

    Permalink

  6. kmp Posted 5:36 am
    06 May 2008

    Portent of disasterAs annoying as it is that "deniers" jump on every cooler than average day (or week, or month) as proof that global warming doesn't exist, it is equally annoying when any (every) dramatic storm is used as a 'portent of doom' related to global climate change.
    Don't get me wrong; I believe that, in aggregate, unseasonable weather, violent storms, plagues of locusts, etc., are related to human-caused climate change, but it is very annoying to have the doomsday scenario trumpeted from the rooftops every time a major storm strikes, especially in light of the fact that we (that being the Royal We, the We who believe) are always saying that you can't predict weather patters from singular events.  I can only imagine the eye-rolling going on right now on the other side of the fence.

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  7. Black Wallaby Posted 5:14 pm
    06 May 2008

    AGW disasterskmp wrote in part:
    "...Don't get me wrong; I believe that, in aggregate, unseasonable weather, violent storms, plagues of locusts, etc., are related to human-caused climate change,..."
    Well that is very interesting.  Do you have any evidence to back-it-up?
    Do you know the reasons why Chris Landsea resigned from the IPCC?
    Do you believe that severe cold such as the collapse of 172,000 power pylons in the Chinese electrical grid last January, is caused by AGW, and if so, Why?
    The loss of the Spanish Armada?  (BTW, those big boats were driven by wind-power before anyone ever heard of CO2)
    I look forward to your expanded wisdom.

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  8. Black Wallaby Posted 5:10 pm
    16 May 2008

    So where is the evidence?

    That there is a connection between global warming and increasing disasters
    How do you measure a disaster.....for instance if a high category cyclone/hurricane hits nowhere, how does that compare with it hitting in an area of high population density and vulnerability?
    Increasing global populations and capital/insurance values?


    4)................etc.......annat

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