Gar Smith

Gar Smith asserts in the following viewpoint that global warming will destabilize humanity and the environment by causing a dramatic increase in extreme weather (EW). EW events such as deadly floods, droughts, and powerful storms are already wreaking havoc across the globe, according to Smith, and he predicts that uncontrolled global warming will force the resettlement of populations and the redesign of industry, disrupting economies worldwide. Smith is editor in chief of the Earth Island Journal and winner of the Alternative Press Award for best scientific and environmental reporting for 1997 and 1998.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to the author, how many deaths were caused by extreme weather events in 1998?
2. What are some of the after-effects suffered by communities struck by natural disasters, in Smith’s opinion?
3. In...