Research by the Environmental Change Institute (ECI) of the University of Oxford published last Thursday on the magazine "Communications Earth and Environment" highlights that almost nine out of ten major world ports are exposed to damage caused by climate change, with consequent impacts on global trade. In particular, the Research has analyzed 1,340 important port ports of call and found whereas 86% of these are exposed to more than three types of climatic and geophysical hazards.

To highlight what the impact of these events could be on ports and the economy, ECI researchers recalled whereas in 2005 Hurricane Katrina caused the closure of three U.S. ports through which almost half of the domestic agricultural exports, while in 2011 the earthquake and tsunami in Tohoku, Japan, had damaged infrastructure Causing damage worth 12 billion dollars.

ECI researchers provide a picture in the study detailed climate risks affecting the ports analyzed. Referring to the main hazards, the head of research, Jasper Verschuur, explained that "it is expected that conditions Extreme seas, such as storms, will cause disruption of operations at about 40% of ports globally. In addition, ports are exposed to other hazards, including flooding. rivers and earthquakes and, therefore, port designers and Operators must take into account multiple hazards, which They do not always correspond to what is happening today. For example, Quay foundations require special attention if they are exposed to earthquakes and so the orientation and design of breakwater dams when exposed to strong waves and currents, and also the drainage system if they are exposed to river and rain floods. If this does not happen, we could Witness severe disruptions to trade and supply chains World Cup'.

Stressing that, beyond the physical damage, the detention of ports caused by natural events puts trade at risk commercial of 67 billion dollars a year, the Research finds that if the greatest climate risks are addressed from the great ports of Asia, the Gulf of Mexico and Europe Western, however, despite the risk being particularly high in high-income countries, impacts could be in ports in middle-income countries. The document highlights hence the urgent need for the great ports of these nations to make substantial investments to meet these risks in light of rapid climate change. "Fortunately, - observed Verschuur - in many ports are underway initiatives to modernise obsolete and inefficient port infrastructure. However, these efforts are not sufficient given the challenges envisaged by climate change that ports will have to face in the coming decades. Our document - he specified - allows organizations to prioritize investments to adapt ports, as well as helping to identify the most suitable interventions'.