In the face of increasingly disturbing natural disasters such as
hurricanes, floods and tsunamis, the International Council of
Science (ICSU) has set up a new program to try to mitigate natural
and human-induced hazards.
It will focus on how scientific knowledge can be used to create
and adapt policies regarding natural hazards and disasters, said
Peter Collins, program supervisor with the ICSU, a non-governmental
organization.
The council is holding its 28th General Assembly in China, which
concludes today.
"A lot of research has been done on how to deal with natural
disasters, but we need to persuade policy makers to be aware of
these studies in order to better prevent any possible hazards,"
Collins said.
He noted the program will combine both natural and social
sciences, and will invite policymakers to get involved.
The ICSU has reported that recent disasters in the United States
and Asia are not anomalies but are part of a long-term and dramatic
increase in natural disasters.
Between 1900 and 2000, recorded natural disasters rose from 100
to 2,800 per decade, it said.
In 2004, natural disasters caused US$140 billion in damage
globally. That figure is likely to rise this year.
Zhu Jinning from the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology
said Chinese scientists hope the program can strengthen interaction
between scientists and policymakers and give more information about
non-communicable diseases.
The ICSU assembly this year has attracted more than 200
scientists from 62 countries and regions.
(China Daily October 24, 2005)