A recent case study conducted jointly by scientists representing World Bank, United Nations, European Union, and the World Vision Foundation has identified nine Asian cities that are at risk of severe flooding in the near future.
They are Guangdong and Shanghai, China; Dhaka, Bangladesh; Kolkata and Mumbai, India; Rangoon, Myanmar (Burma); Hà Nội and Hải Phòng, Âu Lạc (Vietnam), and Bangkok, Thailand. In addition, a more detailed study of Bangkok conducted by leading Thai research group Sirindhorn International Environmental Park concluded that without swift intervention, large areas of the city and surrounding suburbs would be submerged within a decade.
In related research, scientists from the US-based Civic Exchange and Great Britain's Leeds University found that climate change is increasing the risk of flooding in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta so rapidly that 1 million people will likely need to move to higher ground by 2050 due to rising sea levels.
We appreciate this detailed assessment, international scientists, and your alert to the imminent danger of climate change in Asia and all coastal cities. May everyone help to mitigate such misfortune through effective lifestyle changes, for the safety of communities worldwide.
During an October 2009 videoconference in Hong Kong, Supreme Master Ching Hai encouraged everyone present to be exemplary heroes in helping rebalance the environment, for ourselves and all beings on the planet.
Hong Kong has long enjoyed prosperity and peace. But, as with all cities and countries in the world, she is vulnerable to the effects of global warming, such as the threat of sea level rise and as we have learned from the experts today, diseases are intensifying as well.
In such an increasingly frightening scenario, we are lucky and blessed to still have the time to save our lives, and the lives of our children and our co-inhabitants. So, I am still hopeful that this important conference today will motivate everyone to make the small changes needed to propel us all toward a beautiful future for ourselves and the planet.
Please be a hero - be veg, go green, do good deeds, and save the planet.
http://www.pattayadailynews.com/en/2010/12/17/bangkok-one-of-nine-asian-cities-to-be-flooded-
within-a-decade/
http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20101217-253205.html http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-30/climate-change-increasing-flood-risk-in-hong-kong-
update1-.html