By Betwa Sharma
Two Indian cities – Kolkata and Mumbai – are among the top ten facing
the highest risk from climate change, according to a study released
last week by Maplecroft, a British consultancy firm specializing in risk
assessment.
The most vulnerable is Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka followed by Manila
in the Philippines and Bangkok in Thailand. Kolkata is ranked seventh
and Mumbai is eighth. India’s capital city Delhi ranks 20 among the 50
on the vulnerability index.
New York City, which bore the brunt of Hurricane Sandy, is listed at 41.
The report
warns that countries experiencing economic growth of above 5% should
not ignore how climate change can impact people and businesses.
“As global corporations expand into the emerging growth markets,
their operations and supply chains will become exposed to a complex set
of climate risks that have the potential to disrupt business
continuity,” said Helen Hodge, Maplecroft’s Head of Maps and Indices.
New York City, however, is categorized only as “medium risk” because of its quick response to Hurricane Sandy.
“The country’s strong economy and infrastructure, coupled with the
extensive preparations before the storm’s landfall, enabled a relatively
rapid return to operations for many businesses and services, with some
of New York’s major airports and the New York Stock Exchange reopening
only two days after the storm,” the study said.
While Hurricane Sandy hit New York, an almost equally ferocious
Cyclone Nilam hit the southeastern coast of India in October. Sandy has
caused damages and economic losses of $50 billion to U.S. northeast
region.
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