Cities need to be prepared for climate change

Cities and their populations need to be protected from the oncoming climatic changes, according to a new report from the UN and the World Bank.

The report, Climate Resilient Cities, provides advice for city managers to follow to minimise the impact on their city in the case of flooding or heavy storms which are an effect of climate change.

According to the report, millions of people living in cities, particularly in east Asia and the Pacific, could be at risk from disasters.

Setting up early warning systems and a network of shelters are among the preparations city administrators should make for emergencies.

Building on high ground and using resilient materials are also advisable to reduce the human cost.

Salvano Briceño, director of the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction said: "Ninety percent of disasters are already weather-related, and more intense and frequent hurricanes and floods are predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change."

A recent report concluded that at current carbon emissions levels there are 100 months before irreversible climatic change occurs changing and intensifying weather patterns.