The last few years have been characterized by unusual, severe weather around the world. Some of these events have arisen from global climate change, notably widespread flooding in Europe and severe droughts in Australia. Increased tropical storm frequency in the Atlantic and western Pacific is apparently associated with normal interdecadal climate variation, but models indicate that storms will be more intense as global climate change continues. Whatever the causes of these untoward events, society's infrastructure in heavily developed lowlands is suffering tremendous damage, and human misery is incalculable. No island has been too small and no continent too large to have its resources stretched by the effects.
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