Erin Lankford
9/9/2010
9:40 PM
Recently Asia has been experiencing floods and environmental experts believe that damaged ecosystems are responsible as well as climate change. Floods are being increased due to pollution of waterways, deforestation and urban sprawl. It is estimated that 1,400 people were killed in Pakistan from record rains that could have been prevented with better management of flood plains. The sustainability of Asia is in jeopardy if the natural ecosystems are not protected. Leaders are not taking responsibility of waste management and instead blame climate change for natural disasters. Climate does have an effect on storms but the destruction of forests and clogged waterways amplified the damage that was done and increased the death toll. Destroying forests lead to an increase in floods. The natural infrastructure needs to be protected in order to reduce the impact of floods, this can be done by reforestation.
I think that while these floods could not have been prevented the damage could have been lessened and lived could have been saved. The negative outcome of the floods is amplified by deforestation and polluted waterways which is something that we have control over. The places that are affected by these floods seem to be lower income levels so perhaps the inhabitants cant directly make changes but government officials have a say and could do more to protect the natural ecosystem. Urban sprawl plays a large part in the pollution of the area and more should be done to regulate humans living on the natural flood plains. Better management of land can reduce the issue of both urban sprawl and deforestation.
http://news.discovery.com/earth/pakistan-floods-damaged-ecosystems.html
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