The 2010/2011 La Niña leaves human and economic toll in its wake, pushing global commodity prices up

[Barrett808]

The role of climate change in the recent catalogue of meteorological disasters will be hotly debated. It is widely acknowledged that a warming world will impact cyclone activity and rainfall patterns. However, the impact on the intensity of La Niña events remains uncertain.

The 2010/2011 La Niña episode has left a human toll in its wake and pushed global commodity prices up. Raw sugar prices have reached 36.08 US cents a pound in the first week of February 2011. This is the highest prices in 30 years. Even conservative analysts are forecasting a 30% increase on thermal coal prices for 2011-12 contracts relative to 2010-2011 settlements. The direct brunt of the current La Niña episode has been born by the Australian economy. Australia's role as a major exporter of key commodities has been bought sharply into focus as adverse conditions reverberate across the commodity markets. ...

The 2010 / 2011 La Niña leaves human and economic toll in its wake, pushing global commodity prices up