Louise French’s Post

Our societies, cites, infrastructure are so woefully unprepared/inadequate for our new climate - major investments are needed to reduce #vulnerability to #extremeweather @ReadyOrNotChangeIsComing #climatecrisis

As well as climate policies and investments, we need to prepare for the worst – why we’re holding Floodfighters 2024, 5 November 2024, RNLI College, UK. Rising seas: Coastal communities around the world are increasingly alarmed by the rising sea levels and frequent coastal floods. Since 1900, average sea levels have risen by nearly 21 centimeters, at an average rate of 1.7 millimeters per year, which has doubled over the past two decades reaching a rate of up to 3.7 millimeters per year. Without climate policies and investments, projections indicate that mean sea levels could rise by up to 1 meter (m) by 2100. https://lnkd.in/eJUZ9aWv

In a recent analysis of the Rio Grande do Sul flood disaster, researchers at World Weather Attribution make this finding: (See https://lnkd.in/dVT62JPS) “Forecasts and warnings of the floods were available nearly a week in advance, but the warning may not have reached all of those at risk, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙘 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙧 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙨.” We urgently need a global adult climate literacy upskilling program as physical environments continue to destabilise as we approach +1.5°C of heating. There are 3.3-3.6 billion people on the frontlines of this and lack of climate literacy is going to cost many lives! #ClimateLiteracy #Leadership #Adaptation

Climate change is not some hazard on the horizon: it is happening now, directly impacting the lives of people everywhere, but particularly the poor, vulnerable and elderly. So while we continue all efforts to reduce emissions and limit global warming, we also need to accelerate work to adapt and build resilience. The #LondonClimateResilienceReview, commissioned by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and chaired by Emma Howard Boyd CBE, looked at London's preparedness for heatwaves, droughts, wildfires storms, sea level rise and subsidence - and the impact on the health and wellbeing of Londoners, and on the UK economy. The Howard Boyd Review sets out a roadmap for boosting London's climate resilience in the face of global climate disruption - and improving people's lives while doing so. National and local governments everywhere have a responsibility to prepare for climate impacts, and protect their people - this report provides a blueprint. You can read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/e9ih3Gzi https://lnkd.in/dK7bjZd4

The development decisions of the past are really changing our ability to adapt to sea level rise as a result of climate change. To adapt we need to consider what we value, what needs to be protected and how we adjust. In this example, I'm interviewed about the northern coast of Western Port Bay. https://lnkd.in/gMv6hk9S

Having attended two talks last week: one on the politics of decarbonisation and the other on action being taken by Westminster City Council, I'm given a timely reminder by Laura Clarke OBE's post that draws attention to the need to be prepared for the unavoidable impacts of climate change now and in the near future, as well as the challenges of preventing worse to come. #climate #adaptation #mitigation #kindactivism

Are you, your family, community, and business prepared for disruptions? This year's inaugural Exercise SG Ready raises this critical question. Scientists highlight that extreme weather events are growing in intensity, duration, and frequency due to human-induced climate change. Analysts caution that even the most well-prepared warning systems can be caught off guard. Picture a year's worth of rain falling in just a few hours in your area - are you ready to handle the potential consequences of extreme weather? It's alright if you feel unprepared; you can start today. #SGReady #ClimateChange #ExtremeWeather #DisasterPreparedness

When a year's worth of #rain falls in just a few hours, it starkly highlights the urgency of the climate crisis. We can't afford to delay mitigation efforts any longer. #Climate change is accelerating, and the impacts are becoming more severe and frequent. Immediate and decisive action is crucial to curb emissions, adapt to changing conditions, and build #resilience against future #extreme #weather events. The clock is ticking, and every moment counts. https://lnkd.in/g5zs9q9J

🌍 We Are Not Prepared for Climate Change As floods become a constant feature across Africa, Europe, and Asia, the ongoing devastation caused by climate change is undeniable. The destruction from Storm Boris in Central Europe shows us that this is not a one-time event—it’s part of a larger, persistent pattern. From Austria to Romania, entire communities are facing catastrophic loss, and these scenes are playing out worldwide, from African villages to Asian coastal cities. This isn’t just an Africa thing or a Central Europe thing—it’s global. Climate change doesn't respect borders, and neither should our response. The only solution is to come together as one global community. We need unified, collective action now if we are to mitigate the worsening effects. Climate change demands a response rooted in science, policy, and community engagement. There is still time to act, but it requires collaboration at an unprecedented scale. 🌱 #ClimateAction #StormBoris #Floods #GlobalCooperation #Sustainability #ClimateChange United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) https://lnkd.in/davDvk9B

This is why we need to start better addressing climate risk in our land use planning decisions. The impacts are not just the immediate threat to life and property, but the long term threats to an individuals way of life, social and economic well being, and the connections and vitality of the whole community.