DanChurchAid
Climate Change
Climate on the agenda
17/06/2008:
The poor people in the development countries are the ones who must pay the biggest price for the climate changes even though it is largely our way of living in the rich countries which contributes the most to create the climate changes.
|
| Climate change can cause drought, floods and disasters, such as the recent one caused by the cyclone Nargis in Burma. |
The consequences of the climate changes are already felt in many places around the world – more floods, more frequent spells of drought and more hurricanes and a weather which seems constantly to change.
When the rainy season moves or unexpected amounts of rain fall, or when the spell of drought starts earlier than expected it all contributes to affect the harvest and periods of seed grains in many regions of the poor countries.
And especially in the poor countries the possibilities of prevention and adaptation to the climatic changes are very difficult.
Climate change leads to hunger
Climate changes are a global problem which will affect us all in one way or another.
But no matter how terrible the consequences will be for people in the industrialised countries, the consequences will be even more brutal to vulnerable populations in the poor part of the world.
They will in particular experience lack of food and then serious hunger disasters.
Climate changes affect unfairly
| Consequences |
|---|
| 30 million people are expected to be affected by hunger before 2050 as a direct consequence of the climate changes 90 per cent of the victims of natural disasters during the 1990ies lived in the poor parts of the world 182 million people in Africa South of Sahara are in danger of dying |
First and foremost the industrialized countries are the ones which have contributed to the climate changes we see today.
Though less than 20 per cent of the world’s population live in the West, the West produces 85 per cent of the greenhouse gasses which cause climate changes. Thus it is thought-provoking that especially poor countries such as i.e. Malawi, Bangladesh, Guatemala and India need to prepare themselves to adapt to the climate changes and face the challenges which are already starting to appear.
Prevention and help
In several of the poor countries in which DanChurchAid works, the consequences of the climate changes combined with destruction of the nature and the environment are already felt.
DanChurchAid and its partners in Africa, Central America and Asia work to prevent and alleviate the worst consequences for the poor.
