Monday, November 13, 2017

How has Society Adapted to Hurricanes?

As we faced an intense hurricane season this year, a historical perspective looks at our own adaption to hurricanes, especially in New Orleans, over nearly three centuries, from its foundation in 1718 to the horrors of Katrina in 2005.

It all came as a devastating shock, how could such a disaster have happened in one of the most technologically advanced nations in the world? Digging deeper into this question may unlock the secret on how societies deal with such extreme events and whether they will be able to adapt to future conditions.

Professor Eleonora Rohland, author of the historical perspective, states that lessons may be learned in the aftermath of disasters but have the easy potential to be disrupted by changing political regimes or population migration. Both of which may be no longer willing to adapt.

"The historical long-term perspective reveals that we are at a watershed moment in human history right now: adaptation -- to climate change or increasing/stronger extreme events such as hurricanes -- has turned from a contingent and drawn out historical process into an imperative, a prescriptive policy, almost," said Prof. Rohland. "For current climate change adaptation research, it is worth looking into the historical record to take into account the cultural, societal, and political factors that hampered adaptation in the past in order to be prepared for the future."

Original Article Found Here: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/09/170926235922.htm

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