Unstable Weather, Natural Hazards Weaken Economies, Report Says
2012年5月10日 10:41 智信中国低碳投资 www.chineselowcarbon.com 来源：Bloomberg
Natural disasters, unstable weather and global warming may have a “significant” impact on economies, causing increased volatility and political misjudgment, according to a report today from U.K. investment manager Standard Life Investments Ltd.
The tsunami in Japan last year disrupted global supply chains and shook the future of nuclear power worldwide, the fund manager said in its Global Perspectives report. Hurricane Katrina, which hit New Orleans in 2005, caused property damage of more than $80 billion, and direct losses associated with a drought in China last year were more than $1 billion.
“Apart from natural disasters, rather less extreme weather events such as bad winters, hurricanes and floods can also complicate the economic landscape,” Douglas Roberts, senior international economist at Standard Life, said in an e-mailed statement today. Pollution and environmental damage costs China about 4 percent of gross domestic product every year, the report said, citing Chinese government estimates.
The U.S. National Science Foundation found that the influence of routine weather variations is as much as 3.4 percent of U.S. gross domestic product, Roberts said.
“As the incidence of severe weather events increases so too does the cost of insurance, impacting all sectors of the economy,” he said.
Human behavior is contributing to weather fluctuations, and if climate change continues it’s likely that the costs of weather on global economies will also rise, according to the report.
The tsunami in Japan last year disrupted global supply chains and shook the future of nuclear power worldwide, the fund manager said in its Global Perspectives report. Hurricane Katrina, which hit New Orleans in 2005, caused property damage of more than $80 billion, and direct losses associated with a drought in China last year were more than $1 billion.
“Apart from natural disasters, rather less extreme weather events such as bad winters, hurricanes and floods can also complicate the economic landscape,” Douglas Roberts, senior international economist at Standard Life, said in an e-mailed statement today. Pollution and environmental damage costs China about 4 percent of gross domestic product every year, the report said, citing Chinese government estimates.
The U.S. National Science Foundation found that the influence of routine weather variations is as much as 3.4 percent of U.S. gross domestic product, Roberts said.
“As the incidence of severe weather events increases so too does the cost of insurance, impacting all sectors of the economy,” he said.
Human behavior is contributing to weather fluctuations, and if climate change continues it’s likely that the costs of weather on global economies will also rise, according to the report.
