Locusts swarm on a tree south of Lodwar town in Turkana county, northern Kenya last month. — AP
THE world has been planning for the future in the mistaken belief that it will resemble the past. But as Covid-19 coincides with cyclones in South Asia and the Pacific and vast locust swarms in East Africa, the need to prepare for a world of unexpected shocks has become clearer than ever.
Epidemics, floods, storms, droughts, and wildfires are all expected to become more frequent and severe, affecting hundreds of millions of people each year.
