Natural disasters disproportionately impact the poorest countries; low-income developing countries accounted for 95% of all disaster fatalities between 1970 and 2008 (Handmer et al., 2012). These impacts are generally expected to worsen as the climate changes and sea levels rise. Fortunately, we have the technology today that enables us to determine the likely deaths, damages, and losses (direct and indirect) that will result from natural hazards and climate change, and to highlight which actions will be most effective in reducing impacts on individuals, communities, and governments. This ability to understand disaster and climate losses before they happen and to provide robust analysis of the costs and benefits of preparedness, reduction, and adaptation is a powerful tool in managing disaster risks and adapting to a changing climate…
Learn more: An urgent case for higher resolution digital elevation models