The recent history of the Philippines reads like a catalogue of Hollywood blockbuster disaster movies. But locals are so focused on day-to-day survival — getting enough food for tomorrow — that the relative unlikelihood of a tsunami makes it not worth considering, writes resident Wayne Smith.
Floods
Letter from...: The Phillippines
Swimming for survival: it’s our duty to teach
As stories emerge of people being swept away by floodwaters, it’s a source of frustration that there are very few large-scale survival swimming or lifesaving programs running in Asia and the Pacific, where these skills could literally be saving lives, writes Justin Scarr.
Once-in-a-century floods, drought and fire. Again.
Cherry-picking extreme weather events weakens your case, but both sides do it shamelessly in the climate debate, writes Frank Campbell.
Silk Road under threat from melting glaciers
The Chinese gateway to the Silk Road is under threat from climate change, suffering dramatic flooding from melting glaciers.
Climate refugees to rise by 50% by 2015
A new Oxfam report says a 50% increase in people affected by climate-related humanitarian disasters by 2015 could overwhelm emergency response and humanitarian aid systems.
Climate emergency in the Pacific
At a time when Queenslanders are inundated with massive flooding, spare a thought for our island neighbours, writes Nic Maclellan.
Neither flood nor fire can stay Shanahan’s delusions
Turnbull’s own proposals for a stimulus package aren’t much shy of the same level of debt, showing just how little difference there is between the major parties on this supposedly vast ideological issue, writes Bernard Keane.
2007 is an expensive year for insurers
The cost of the storms and flooding in Australia and Britain looks set to top $A9 billion over the next few days, making higher rates for motor vehicle, business and home and contents insurance almost certain next year.
Premiums may rise as Oz insurers hit upon hard times
How much have Australia’s two biggest global insurers, QBE and Insurance Australia Group been impacted after the second round of big, expensive floods in Britain in a month?
State of the planet
Floods force many to face climate change reality … Climate change fears even reach Formula One racing … Satellites to combat illegal logging in Pacific … Could climate change herald mass migration in the US?
