Think of climate change, and the mind instantly tends to go to melting ice caps, arid plains, forest fires and sinking tropical islands. But the impact of rising temperatures will not only be felt in the hinterlands. A report, commissioned by London’s mayor, this week highlighted the possibility of “more intense and frequent heatwaves, more intense rainfall, flash flooding and sea level rise” in the British capital. It is a reminder that cities across the world — where over 80 per cent of global gross domestic product and the majority of the planet’s population live — are also under significant threat.
一想到氣候變化，人們就會立刻想到融化的冰蓋、乾旱的平原、森林大火和下沉的熱帶島嶼。但氣溫上升的影響將不僅僅侷限於內陸地區。本週，由倫敦市長委託撰寫的一份報告強調了英國首都遭遇「更強烈、更頻繁的熱浪，更強的降雨、山洪暴發和海平面上升」的可能性。這提醒我們，世界各地的城市——全球80%以上的國內生產毛額(GDP)產生於此，全球大多數人口居住於此——也面臨著重大威脅。