of the economy: research/development, culture/interchange, residence, environment,
and transportation/access. This is known as the Global Power City Index (GPCI).
This GPCI analyzes the ranking itself and also the components of the ranking to
understand the strengths, weaknesses, and challenges of each city has in a changing
world. The present top four cities in the world according to the GPCI are London,
New York, Tokyo, and Paris.
One of the characteristics of these world cities is that they are located in the
mid-latitude civilization belt (25
N–55
N), similar to the origin of ancient civilizations. It is thought that the rise and fall were significantly influenced by climate
change.
Among them, City Ur is modern-day Iraq; this great city was once one of the
earliest civilizations in the world and is symbolic of Mesopotamian civilization. It
flourished due to abundant rainfall and irrigation facilities built in Mesopotamia and
was severely impacted when the Indian Ocean monsoon moved south and changed
rainfall patterns. By 2000 B.C., its agricultural economy had collapsed, and today it
has become a barren land. Fagan believes this is “the first time the entire city has
collapsed in the face of an environmental disaster” (Fagan 2004).
The modern world cities of London, New York, Tokyo, and Paris will also be
exposed to unprecedented climate change threats.
The four significant civilizations, civilizations created in the ancient days of
humankind, and the world cities in each era, have been discussed. However,
human civilizations and world cities are changing with the times. One of the causes
of this transition is climate change, and one of the driving forces of its evolution is
social and technological innovation.
1.3 Recent Extreme Weather and Economic Loss
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) defines abnormal weather as “a
phenomenon in which the average temperature and precipitation are significantly
biased from the average year, and the deviation occurs only once in 25 years or
more.” In recent years, the frequency of abnormal weather has increased across the
globe. There are ongoing changes that could have a significant impact on the global
climate. To gain a better understanding of the progress of ordinary weather, we have
compiled the news materials of each institution based on the WMO report and have
also shown typical abnormal weather that has occurred in recent years (since 2015).
1.3.1 High Temperature
The WMO published the annual meteorological status report every year and compiled the annual meteorology using the “hottest year in history,” since 2011. The
2019 report stated that “currently, the average temperature of the Earth has been
14
W. Zhou
and transportation/access. This is known as the Global Power City Index (GPCI).
This GPCI analyzes the ranking itself and also the components of the ranking to
understand the strengths, weaknesses, and challenges of each city has in a changing
world. The present top four cities in the world according to the GPCI are London,
New York, Tokyo, and Paris.
One of the characteristics of these world cities is that they are located in the
mid-latitude civilization belt (25
N–55
N), similar to the origin of ancient civilizations. It is thought that the rise and fall were significantly influenced by climate
change.
Among them, City Ur is modern-day Iraq; this great city was once one of the
earliest civilizations in the world and is symbolic of Mesopotamian civilization. It
flourished due to abundant rainfall and irrigation facilities built in Mesopotamia and
was severely impacted when the Indian Ocean monsoon moved south and changed
rainfall patterns. By 2000 B.C., its agricultural economy had collapsed, and today it
has become a barren land. Fagan believes this is “the first time the entire city has
collapsed in the face of an environmental disaster” (Fagan 2004).
The modern world cities of London, New York, Tokyo, and Paris will also be
exposed to unprecedented climate change threats.
The four significant civilizations, civilizations created in the ancient days of
humankind, and the world cities in each era, have been discussed. However,
human civilizations and world cities are changing with the times. One of the causes
of this transition is climate change, and one of the driving forces of its evolution is
social and technological innovation.
1.3 Recent Extreme Weather and Economic Loss
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) defines abnormal weather as “a
phenomenon in which the average temperature and precipitation are significantly
biased from the average year, and the deviation occurs only once in 25 years or
more.” In recent years, the frequency of abnormal weather has increased across the
globe. There are ongoing changes that could have a significant impact on the global
climate. To gain a better understanding of the progress of ordinary weather, we have
compiled the news materials of each institution based on the WMO report and have
also shown typical abnormal weather that has occurred in recent years (since 2015).
1.3.1 High Temperature
The WMO published the annual meteorological status report every year and compiled the annual meteorology using the “hottest year in history,” since 2011. The
2019 report stated that “currently, the average temperature of the Earth has been
14
W. Zhou