Bridging the digital divide will save our planet
By Benjamin Larroquette and Reina Otsuka
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The only problem is that we live in a world of digital haves and have nots. Simply put, we must bridge the digital divide and we must build more effective and actionable climate risk assessments if we are going to save humanity from the truly existential risk of this vast and complicated crisis.
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Governments in Asia and the Pacific are making important steps in integrating data analysis into ecosystem-based adaptation approaches to proactively respond to and plan for multiple vulnerabilities. In the Philippines combined mangrove and coastal ecosystem impact is being assessed to protect vulnerable cities. In Viet Nam, geospatial assessment of flood impact is protecting rural infrastructure.
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The persistent question: How can we strengthen innovation to serve the world’s most vulnerable communities and reach the last mile? And how can we build up local innovations and solutions that cater to the specific needs and contextual constraints of these groups, instead of further widening the gaps between the digital haves and have-nots?
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