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Box 1.1 The role of biodiversity in mitigating the impacts of natural disastersThe year 2005 witnessed the largest financial losses ever recorded as a result of natural disasters, with preliminary estimates of total economic losses reaching over US$ 200 billion. Many experts have suggested that better management of natural ecosystems could lessen the loss of human lives and damage to property caused by such disasters, as explored in the four examples presented here, compiled from various sources. ALTERED FLOODPLAINS AND THE FLOODS OF CENTRAL EUROPE: Heavy rains in August 2002 and 2005 triggered catastrophic floods across Central Europe. Most of the natural, meandering stream and river systems in the region have been dyked, straightened and deepened over the past century, altering the flow of water accordingly. The natural ability of the land to retain and store water has also been reduced by the loss of once extensive marshlands and floodplain forests, and by the use of intensive farming methods. Large fields encourage runoff and erosion, and heavy machinery compacts the soil, limiting the land’s capacity to absorb excess water. Options for improved river basin management to reduce risks from fl oods are being explored. DEFORESTATION AND TROPICAL STORMS IN THE CARIBBEAN: In 2004, tropical storm Jeanne hit the island of Hispaniola, killing close to 3,000 people in Haiti, but only 18 people across the border in the Dominican Republic. This difference in human suffering has been linked to extensive deforestation in Haiti, where political turmoil and extreme poverty have led to the destruction of all but some 2% of the country’s original forest cover. Restoring forest ecosystems in Haiti would help to delay and reduce peak floodwater flows at local scales, making communities safe from the water torrents that now follow even normal rainfalls. MANGROVES AND THE ASIAN TSUNAMI: Mangrove forests have been rapidly disappearing from Southeast Asian coastlines in recent decades to make way for vast shrimp farms and tourist resorts. The tsunami that hit Asia in December 2004 revealed the devastating consequences of this loss. Although coastal vegetation could not have protected against catastrophic destruction in areas of maximum tsunami intensity, analysis of satellite images revealed that areas with mangrove or tree cover were significantly less likely to have experienced major damage. This underlines the protective role of coastal forests in reducing damage, including from regular storms, such as the typhoons that batter the Philippines every year. Efforts to replant mangroves are underway, but face challenges from coastal developers. COASTAL WETLANDS AND HURRICANE KATRINA IN THE UNITED STATES: Hurricane Katrina touched down on a coastal region of the United States that has been under environmental pressure for over a century. Re-engineering of the Mississippi River, accomplished through a system of canals and levees, has diverted natural sedimentation flows and steadily eroded coastal wetlands; Louisiana alone loses more than 65 km2 of coastal wetlands every year. Development has also destroyed barrier islands and oyster reefs that buffered the coast. During the hurricane, the tidal surge was able to travel unimpeded up shipping canals and burst over the levees surrounding New Orleans. Although damage from the storm would have been considerable in any case, breaches occurred more often in areas where wetlands had been destroyed and levees were exposed to wave action. Source & © CBD Related publication:
Other Figures & Tables on this publication: Table 3.1 Strategic Plan scorecard Table 2.1 Headline indicators for assessing progress towards the 2010 Biodiversity Target † Figure 1.1 Biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, ecosystem services, and drivers of change Figure 2.11 Change the Marine Trophic Index (early 1950s to the present) Figure 2.13 Estimates of forest fragmentation due to anthropogenic causes Figure 2.19 Intensity of ecological footprint Figure 4.1 Main direct drivers of change in biodiversity and ecosystems Box 3.3 Principles, guidelines and other tools developed under the Convention Box 1.1 The role of biodiversity in mitigating the impacts of natural disasters Box 1.2 Contribution of ecosystem goods and services to national economies Box 1.3 Millennium Development Goals Box 2.1 Headline indicators for assessing progress towards the 2010 Biodiversity Target Box 3.1 The Ecosystem Approach Box 3.2 Programmes of work of the Convention Box 3.4 The biodiversity-related conventions Box 3.5 The business case for biodiversity Box 4.1Summary of the main findings on biodiversity of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Box 4.2 Policy options for the 2010 Biodiversity Target and beyond Box 4.3 Elements of a strategy to reduce biodiversity loss Box 5.1 Checklist of key actions for 2010 Figure 1.2 Economic benefits under alternative management practices Figure 2.1 Annual net change in forest area by region (1990–2005) Figure 2.3 Change in live coral cover across the Caribbean basin (1977-2002) Figure 2.5 Trends in European common birds in farmland and forest habitats Figure 2.7 Trends in terrestrial surface under protected areas Figure 2.10 Trends in mean trophic levels of fisheries landings (1950-2000) Figure 2.15 Global trends in the creation of reactive nitrogen on Earth by human activity Figure 2.18 Global Ecological Footprint Figure 2.20 Aid activities targeting CBD objectives from 16 developed countries (1998-2003) Figure 3.1 Participation in Convention processes |
