The reduction in equivalent costs (human and commercial) of winter storms in 2010/2011 and winter storms in 2015/2016 (so far) is significant with the newer forecast and modeling programs. It's not just "better" technology, it's being able to plan a week out, so that your boss is not stuck in DC without a place to stay during a blizzard, or perhaps they would decide to move the Friday meeting to Charleston, SC because the weather models were able to predict the path and effects of the storm coming in a good 72 - 96 hours in advance.
With climate change modeling, forecasting of flood and fire conditions can be better targeted; businesses (especially transportation and distribution) can make continuity and contingency plans and FEMA/state EMS plans and pre-positioning can be in place before the storm or flood or natural disaster occurs and disrupts lives and business.
The concerns of the Australian corporate sector should be focused like a laser on the effects of climate change. With the brutal droughts and heat waves Australia has been experiencing, your entire infrastructure is affected. If wild-fires destroy your rails, if heat waves melt your roads and make your work sites unbearable to both machines and men, if droughts remove your water sources, if when it does rain, all you end up with are dangerous flash floods that end up muddy pits of run-off silt because the earth is too burnt out to soak the water into the ground, how can even the mighty "mining and resource extraction industry" continue on with business as usual? Why wouldn't they need a predictive modeling service to allow them to plan for extreme weather conditions that will (not might, but will) impact their bottom line, not to mention a subsistence revenue operation.
They will become as the dust on the ground they're currently hiding their heads under. Singing "la-la-la" isn't going to bring about cooler weather or rain.
Haele
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