Of course, it is possible to plan for such extreme events. Unfortunately, our governing institutions were developed for an older, more stable world. This means that they were designed to be slow and difficult to change. In particular, response to rare disasters were mostly designed for action AFTER a disaster is occurring and are primarily oriented to recovery and restoration. This means we are almost unable to change our laws, regulations, and agencies to ANTICIPATE emergencies by acting to reduce damages and losses in the hours and days before it happens and are stuck with REACTIONS after the fact.

It is becoming necessary for ordinary citizens to be aware of approaching disasters and take appropriate action in advance. The recent flooding in South Carolina can provide some examples. The characterization of it as a “1 in a 1000 year event” is inaccurate. It is based on the old world, not on the real world we currently experience. Is it 1 in 100 years, 1 in 10 years?

The flooding was expected days in advance. On 2 October, I posted a link on Facebook to a projection for Sunday, 4 October: http://earth.nullschool.net/#2015/10/04/0300Z/wind/surface/level/overlay=total_precipitable_water/orthographic=-69.13,23.53,1024. The federal emergency declaration came later: https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2015/10/03/president-obama-signs-emergency-declaration-south-carolina. Also see https://www.fema.gov/blog/2015-10-05/inside-femas-south-carolina-flooding-response.

Gee, Nikki. I wonder how the costs of cancers, asthma, and having your state half washed away compare to the putative soaring costs of power generation due to switching to a modern energy source?

Can someone tell me how I can keep from looking at this lady as anything other than a pea brained toady of the fossil fuel syndicate? I can think of much more demeaning ways to describe her, but, basically, she and her Republican ditto head friends seem to be incapable of grasping the realities of carbon dioxide, infrared, fossil fuels, warmer oceans, and changing climate. What they are capable of grasping, however, are petro dollars, whatever the source.

Nikki, you just sold your state down the river for a handful of silver. You are as incompetent of a leader and as complacent a puppet as any corporate destroyer of Democracy could ever hope for. Enjoy your Kocho brothers dollars. Ho.

“Gov. Nikki Haley and officials from South Carolina’s electric cooperatives Wednesday blasted a proposed federal mandate to reduce carbon emissions, saying it would stifle economic growth and cause power rates to soar in the state.”

Gee, Nikki. I wonder how the costs of cancers, asthma, and having your state half washed away compare to the putative soaring costs of power generation due to switching to a modern energy source?

Can someone tell me how I can keep from looking at this lady as anything other than a pea brained toady of the fossil fuel syndicate? I can think of much more demeaning ways to describe her, but, basically, she and her Republican ditto head friends seem to be incapable of grasping the realities of carbon dioxide, infrared, fossil fuels, warmer oceans, and changing climate. What they are capable of grasping, however, are petro dollars, whatever the source.

Nikki, you just sold your state down the river for a handful of silver. You are as incompetent of a leader and as complacent a puppet as any corporate destroyer of Democracy could ever hope for. Enjoy your Kocho brothers dollars. Ho.

“Everything about the story pointed to political interference, including the unexpected departure of former DNR Director John Frampton, who had led the state agency for eight years and spearheaded the climate report in question. The local press reported that Frampton had been forced out by a political appointee who had been named by South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley to head a self-described “business-friendly” board in charge of the state agency.

From Climate Progress, Feb 26, 2013