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Human health and biodiversity are in danger in the world right now. Around 1 million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction, many within decades, more than ever before in human history, finds the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services ( IPBES) in a new report.
Recently Comoros , Tanzania, Mozambique and India were devastated by a tropical cyclone . Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique were hit by Cyclone Idai in March. Two unprecedented back-to-back tropical cyclones came in Mozambique in March and April causing the death of more than 1000 people. On April 24, Comoros Islands were hardly affected in coastal, rural and urban areas living 4 people dead and 15 000 people displaced (according to the first report published after the disaster).
India was also devastated by a major cyclonic storm. According to the World Meteorology Organization, these cyclones underline the need for coordinated disaster risk reduction strategies, by including strong early warning systems which reach the people who need them most.
What one can do with cyclones, climate change, extreme weather, floods, population increase? These issues will be debated during the second international conference on multi hazard early warning to be held in Geneva from 13-17 May.
This global platform is a biennial multi-stakeholder forum established by the UN General Assembly to review progress, share knowledge, and discuss the latest developments and and trends in reducing disaster risk.
Era Environnement takes this opportunity to publish this week a series of related stories called “Rivoukou-we are safe” about the people who were affected by Cyclone Kenneth in Comoros, one of the world “hospots” of biodiversity. We, as media based in Comoros Islands, in Samba M’bodoni, one of the villages which has seen homes and agricultural areas smashed by the cyclone Kenneth, would like to put Comoros on the world map. Our aim is to also publish articles on others countries in Africa on disaster risk and solutions.
We have already published articles during the cyclone in Comoros, Tanzania and Mozambique. We will also publish a column of an activist in Mozambique, and you will have the possibility to send your comment to her. Our facebook page Eraenvironnement, @sustainableDG, is also open for comments in French, Spanish, Portugese, English, Swahili and Comorian.
Thank you
Editorial by Houmi Ahamed-Mikidache
