Hurricanes and Global Warming FAQ
December 13th, 2005Posted by: Roger Pielke, Jr.
We’ve set up a very basic “Hurricanes and Global Warming FAQ” here. It is designed to be updated as interests request and events warrant. So if you’d like to suggest a question or comment on an answer please do so and we’ll continue to update it as readers find it useful. We’d welcome suggestions for other topics for which a similar FAQ might be of interest.
December 21st, 2005 at 9:36 am
If it is widely accepted that the big damage from hurricanes is due to societal rather than climate changes, then something can be done. These range from building restrictions to tax policy and an awareness that the insurance costs in high risk areas are being socialized to all of us through insurance rates and government relief costs. Get this perspective in people’s heads and actions can be taken.”
You’re ignoring a third possible action. If a system can be developed that will significantly reduce the intensity of hurricanes at landfall, such a system would significantly reduce costs REGARDLESS of whether present and future costs are influenced by societal change or climate change.
For example, if a system can be developed that will reduce hurricane intensity at landfall by 2 Saffir-Simpson categories, such a system could be expected to reduce present and future hurricane costs by 90%, compared to not developing such a system. This applies REGARDLESS of whether future costs will be more influenced by societal or climate change.