Random fact of the day

In 1990, just under a third of the world’s population lived on the coast. By 2002, that figure had risen to to 41%, and coastal populations are now growing at four times the global average.

Why does this matter? “People are attracted to the coasts because of the high density of ecosystem services, but then the concentration of population has the side effect of depleting those same services.” – Uni of Vermont

Consider what happened with Hurricane Katrina. Grand Isle is regularly hit by severe storms, yet federal building subsidies continue to pour in. One statistic quotes over $1 million of public money has been spent for each of Grand Isle’s 600 or so permanent residents over the four decades leading upto 1990. It has been summed up as welfare for the wealthy. The US populace are paying for people to live in a hit zone.

Food for thought. I might expound on this point, and a few similar ones after my exams=p