Back in the 1960s, it looked as if computers might just make forecasting easy – plug in some numbers and the forecast would come out; simple. Except that these forecasts weren’t accurate. They weren’t accurate then and they aren’t accurate today, no matter how hard meteorologists struggle to get it right.
Social scientists, environmentalists, urban planners, and architects are talking about how our cities should be planned and designed to be more resilient to looming shocks and stresses. The concern is that natural disasters around the world cause nearly $400 billion to the economy and that number is climbing.
German reinsurance group Munich Re says the combination of Hurricane Sandy, extensive droughts and weather-related disasters cost America over $110 billion in damages a few years ago. Sandy alone cost $65 billion.
Is it surprising that U.S. spending on natural disaster damage control is second only to defense?
Today’s cities are all subject to the future shocks and stresses that will be associated with climate change, energy scarcity and global population growth. Their economies, food supplies, public and private transportation, and the production of materials to build them, are all energy intensive and fossil fuel dependent; and their existing building fabric has not been designed to stand up to the future environmental shocks and stresses produced by a warming climate.
Dennis Walsh is a writer, researcher and consultant (www.walshfuturist.com or walsh.wired@gmail.com).
Reforms, Election and Cyberspace
We are now a matter of days away from a federal election in Canada. With over 27 million Canadians on……...
Immunity passports, a looming election, digitizing, and diversity
A lot has been happening across Canada. From COVID-19 vaccines to immunity passports, a looming election, digitizing, and diversity. And……...
Leadership, Strategy and COVID-19 vaccines
At the time of writing, Canada has distributed over 3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. These vaccines will be available……...
Public trust and infodemics
We are officially in the second wave of COVID-19. This is evident in the increasing number of infections that are……...
CGE Weekly – Episode 7
The summer is quickly coming to a close and the host J. Richard Jones is back with a new episode…
How IoT can Support Business Growth and Enhance an Organization’s Bottom Line
In this episode of CGE Radio, join host J. Richard Jones as he sits down to talk about the Internet…
Empowering Agile Government Services
In this episode of CGE Radio, J. Richard Jones and co-host Lori Turnbull, deputy editor Canadian Government Executive discuss returning…
CGE Weekly – Episode 6
The Roaring 20’s in the Canadian Public Sector In or latest exciting episode of CGE Weekly, host, J. Richard Jones…
Build relationships, not regimes
The people are the company. Your employees, your partners, they are the firm. Share the mic. Everybody has a story……...
Diversity and inclusion in the federal government: a double-edged sword
In diversity there is beauty and there is strength. – MAYA ANGELOU Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau officially ushered in diversity, equity,……...
Learning diversity and inclusion from Indigenous leadership
Your history and your culture influence your type of leadership. Indigenous peoples come to leadership with their own history and……...
Reshaping digitized public service delivery
Digitizing services helps governments meet public expectations and become more efficient and resilient. The task is complex, but a tried-and-true……...
COVID-19: Uprooting and Transforming Work in Canada
The COVID-19 crisis has placed unprecedented demands on public servants in all jurisdictions in the country. Their response has been……...
Inter- and Intrastate Politics and Governance in Canada
In federal systems like Canada’s – where power, authority, and responsibility are divided and/or shared between multiple orders of government……...