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Temperatures dipped to -38 °F in Minnesota as Australia battled a heat wave that topped 115 °F. These temperature extremes make the headlines and have smashed records around the world, reigniting concerns about climate change. Meteorologists expect Australia’s extreme heat to be part of a new trend, with minimum temperatures increasing over the last 50 years.
As more and deadlier fires sweep through Western states, insurers are increasingly forcing homeowners to reduce their risks to receive coverage. While mitigation is sometimes time-consuming and subject to different standards depending on the insurer, the Wildfire Partners programme is a quick and economical approach to ensuring insurance eligibility.
President Trump has signed an executive order to boost logging and forest thinning on more than 4 million acres of federal lands to combat extreme wildfires. The order, which makes no mention of climate change, comes on the heels of another devastating and deadly wildfire season in California.
Disasters disproportionately affect people with disabilities, but communities can reduce fatalities and offer a more inclusive response by inviting disabled people into conversations about preparedness and response, and by investing in key equipment. Communities must also include disaster knowledge in plans and responses, and ensure systemic and individual changes.
Poorly planned and unmanaged growth, especially in high-risk areas, can result in catastrophe. California, like many states, can mitigate risk by advancing policies related to the link between growth management, hazard mitigation and land use. Urban planners, state policies, adaptation, proper incentives and community collaboration are vital tools for resilience.
As California battles increasingly dangerous wildfires, governor-elect Gavin Newsom will implement new measures to mitigate risk. Among these, he plans on improving vegetation management and urban planning, reconstituting the state's emergency council, using new technologies to enhance preparedness and response, and fighting climate change.
While many believe that disasters don’t discern between the rich and poor, low-income people can’t prepare for a disaster in the same way as the wealthy, increasing their odds of having their lives uprooted. Hurricane Michael has exacerbated many poor people's pre-existing debts and challenges, which were likewise triggered by their financial constraints.
A powerful hurricane in the eastern Pacific washed away an 11-acre island in the remote northwestern Hawaiian Islands, which are part of the nesting ground for 96% of the world's Hawaiian green sea turtle population. Experts warn that climate change will trigger more frequent and stronger hurricanes in the region, imperiling other islands.
Voluntary Commitments
The organization has no registered commitments.
The Sendai Framework Voluntary Commitments (SFVC) online platform allows stakeholders to inform the public about their work on DRR. The SFVC online platform is a useful toolto know who is doing what and where for the implementation of the Sendai Framework, which could foster potential collaboration among stakeholders. All stakeholders (private sector, civil society organizations, academia, media, local governments, etc.) working on DRR can submit their commitments and report on their progress and deliverables.