This document discusses how Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate change due to factors like its large land mass and dependence on agriculture. It notes that drought and climatic variability have always challenged Africa, but climate change is expected to exacerbate these issues. The document summarizes recent drought conditions affecting East Africa and references new research predicting that extreme drought levels will drastically increase globally by the end of the century without action to curb emissions and support adaptation. It emphasizes the urgent need to cut greenhouse gas emissions, support adaptation funding, strengthen disaster risk reduction, reform emergency responses, tackle poverty, and empower communities to cope with climate impacts.
This document discusses the essential elements needed for a successful climate change agreement in Copenhagen. It argues that the agreement must commit to keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius by reducing greenhouse gas concentrations to 350 ppm CO2e and peaking global emissions by 2017 with an 80% reduction by 2050. Developed countries should collectively reduce emissions over 40% below 1990 levels by 2020, with targets assigned based on responsibility and capacity. The agreement should also commit $195 billion annually by 2020 from developed to developing countries for mitigation and adaptation, and make outcomes legally binding and enforceable.
Africa - Up in Smoke - Global Warming Vulnerability Z3P
This document discusses the vulnerability of Africa to climate change and provides recommendations. Key points:
1) Africa is highly vulnerable to climate change due to widespread poverty and dependence on natural resources for livelihoods. Small-scale farming provides most food and employment but is reliant on rainfall.
2) Climate change is already affecting Africa through increasing drought, worsening food shortages, coastal erosion, and rising sea levels. Projections include more drought in southern Africa and parts of the Horn of Africa by 2050.
3) Recommendations include dramatically increasing support for small-scale, diverse agriculture; rich countries cutting greenhouse gas emissions deeper than Kyoto targets; and ensuring initiatives are "climate-proof" and
This report documents the widespread human impacts of climate change occurring today. It finds that climate change causes over 300,000 deaths, affects 325 million people, and causes $125 billion in economic losses annually on average. Four billion people are vulnerable and 500 million face extreme risk. The impacts studied include effects on food, health, poverty, water resources, human displacement, and security. The worst affected are the world's poorest, who contribute least to causing climate change. Climate change threatens to undermine progress on sustainable development and humanitarian goals. More severe impacts are expected in coming decades even if further warming is contained.
Multidisciplinary Research Week 2013 at the University of Southampton. #MDRWeek.
‘Integrated solutions for multiple global problems through applying the Sustainomics transdisciplinary framework’ – Presentation by Professor Mohan Munasinghe, Chairman, Munasinghe Institute for Development (MIND), Colombo; Professor of Sustainable Development, SCI, University of Manchester. Link: www.mohanmunasinghe.com
See the latest videos, interviews, pictures, tweets and views from the floor at: www.southampton.ac.uk/multidisciplinary
The document summarizes the changing role of engineers in addressing environmental threats to national security. It notes that environmental degradation, such as climate change and ecosystem damage, poses security risks through impacts like increased extreme weather, migration, and resource conflicts. The National Action Plan on Climate Change in India recognizes this and aims to promote adaptation and mitigation strategies. Engineers will play a key role in developing technologies to build sustainable infrastructure, renewable energy sources, and other solutions to limit environmental damage and its security consequences.
Water security is a global concern as the challenge of securing safe and plentiful water for all is one of the most daunting challenges faced by the world today. Humanity is facing a "water bankruptcy" crisis even greater than the current financial crisis that is destabilizing the global economy. This water crisis is already beginning to take effect and there will be no way to bail the earth out of increasing water scarcity. To achieve water security, new enabling environments and instruments are needed, including policy tools that leverage economic and social complementarities, fiscal measures, strengthened institutions, innovative financial mechanisms, skills development, improved information and monitoring, and a focus on increasing water productivity and responsiveness to change.
Towards a water secure world by Dr Mohamed Ait-Kadi, Chair of the GWP Technic...Global Water Partnership
Water security is a global concern as the challenge of securing safe and plentiful water for all is one of the most daunting challenges faced by the world today. Humanity is facing a "water bankruptcy" crisis even greater than the current financial crisis that is destabilizing the global economy. This water crisis is already beginning to take effect and there will be no way to bail the earth out of increasing water scarcity. To achieve water security, new enabling environments and instruments are needed, including policy tools that leverage economic and social complementarities, fiscal measures, strengthened institutions, innovative financial mechanisms, skills development, improved information and monitoring, and a focus on increasing water productivity and responsiveness to change.
This document discusses the essential elements needed for a successful climate change agreement in Copenhagen. It argues that the agreement must commit to keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius by reducing greenhouse gas concentrations to 350 ppm CO2e and peaking global emissions by 2017 with an 80% reduction by 2050. Developed countries should collectively reduce emissions over 40% below 1990 levels by 2020, with targets assigned based on responsibility and capacity. The agreement should also commit $195 billion annually by 2020 from developed to developing countries for mitigation and adaptation, and make outcomes legally binding and enforceable.
Africa - Up in Smoke - Global Warming Vulnerability Z3P
This document discusses the vulnerability of Africa to climate change and provides recommendations. Key points:
1) Africa is highly vulnerable to climate change due to widespread poverty and dependence on natural resources for livelihoods. Small-scale farming provides most food and employment but is reliant on rainfall.
2) Climate change is already affecting Africa through increasing drought, worsening food shortages, coastal erosion, and rising sea levels. Projections include more drought in southern Africa and parts of the Horn of Africa by 2050.
3) Recommendations include dramatically increasing support for small-scale, diverse agriculture; rich countries cutting greenhouse gas emissions deeper than Kyoto targets; and ensuring initiatives are "climate-proof" and
This report documents the widespread human impacts of climate change occurring today. It finds that climate change causes over 300,000 deaths, affects 325 million people, and causes $125 billion in economic losses annually on average. Four billion people are vulnerable and 500 million face extreme risk. The impacts studied include effects on food, health, poverty, water resources, human displacement, and security. The worst affected are the world's poorest, who contribute least to causing climate change. Climate change threatens to undermine progress on sustainable development and humanitarian goals. More severe impacts are expected in coming decades even if further warming is contained.
Multidisciplinary Research Week 2013 at the University of Southampton. #MDRWeek.
‘Integrated solutions for multiple global problems through applying the Sustainomics transdisciplinary framework’ – Presentation by Professor Mohan Munasinghe, Chairman, Munasinghe Institute for Development (MIND), Colombo; Professor of Sustainable Development, SCI, University of Manchester. Link: www.mohanmunasinghe.com
See the latest videos, interviews, pictures, tweets and views from the floor at: www.southampton.ac.uk/multidisciplinary
The document summarizes the changing role of engineers in addressing environmental threats to national security. It notes that environmental degradation, such as climate change and ecosystem damage, poses security risks through impacts like increased extreme weather, migration, and resource conflicts. The National Action Plan on Climate Change in India recognizes this and aims to promote adaptation and mitigation strategies. Engineers will play a key role in developing technologies to build sustainable infrastructure, renewable energy sources, and other solutions to limit environmental damage and its security consequences.
Water security is a global concern as the challenge of securing safe and plentiful water for all is one of the most daunting challenges faced by the world today. Humanity is facing a "water bankruptcy" crisis even greater than the current financial crisis that is destabilizing the global economy. This water crisis is already beginning to take effect and there will be no way to bail the earth out of increasing water scarcity. To achieve water security, new enabling environments and instruments are needed, including policy tools that leverage economic and social complementarities, fiscal measures, strengthened institutions, innovative financial mechanisms, skills development, improved information and monitoring, and a focus on increasing water productivity and responsiveness to change.
Towards a water secure world by Dr Mohamed Ait-Kadi, Chair of the GWP Technic...Global Water Partnership
Water security is a global concern as the challenge of securing safe and plentiful water for all is one of the most daunting challenges faced by the world today. Humanity is facing a "water bankruptcy" crisis even greater than the current financial crisis that is destabilizing the global economy. This water crisis is already beginning to take effect and there will be no way to bail the earth out of increasing water scarcity. To achieve water security, new enabling environments and instruments are needed, including policy tools that leverage economic and social complementarities, fiscal measures, strengthened institutions, innovative financial mechanisms, skills development, improved information and monitoring, and a focus on increasing water productivity and responsiveness to change.
The world is running up huge ecological debts, just as it has run up huge financial debts. Neither is sustainable. Our leaders cannot successfully put capitalism back together again without at the same time fixing the greatest single consequence of unsustainability – climate change.
Rajendra K. Pachauri, the head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, addressed the negotiators at the 18th round of climate treaty talks in Doha, Qatar, on Nov. 28, 2012. More on Dot Earth: http://j.mp/dotcop18
IPCC: http://ipcc.ch
Treaty: http://unfccc.int
For the majority of the world’s population and most developing countries, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the eradication of poverty remain their highest priority.
The impacts of climate change threaten the achievement of the MDGs, but also create opportunities for further efforts to achieve these development imperatives.
Keeping track - UNEP : From Rio to Rio+20 (1992-2012) Zoely Mamizaka
- Evidence of human-caused climate change has strengthened, with global temperatures, sea levels, and carbon dioxide levels rising sharply.
- Awareness of biodiversity loss has grown, with over 28,000 species now threatened with extinction.
- Issues around chemicals, waste, and pollution have become more pressing as industrialization and consumption have increased globally.
- The scale of global challenges like energy, water, and food security has expanded rapidly with continuing population and economic growth.
- New technologies like the internet, smartphones, and renewable energy have transformed societies and economies around the world.
- International environmental law
"Climate change occurs due to the earth’s internal processes such as volcanic eruptions, amount of sunlight (solar radiation) coming into the earth’s atmosphere, and lastly because of human activities such as the creation o Green House Gases (GHGs). "
The document discusses key issues for the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development. It argues that the conference should launch international action in several areas: 1) Addressing food security by moving beyond increasing agricultural output to ensuring the right to food, 2) Increasing climate change ambition and emission reductions to stay below agreed warming limits, and 3) Addressing structural inequities and unsustainable development that have led to current crises through investment in new development paths.
Climate change and the risk of violent conflict in the Middle East
-Rising Temperatures, Rising Tensions-
Climate change and the risk of violent conflict in the Middle East by Oli Brown and Alec Crawford
This report was written by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), an independent environment and development policy research institute, headquartered in Canada with offices in New York and Geneva. IISD has been researching various aspects of climate change and environmental security for the past 15 years.1 IISD is not a campaigning organization, nor does it have political links in the region.
The study involved two research trips (October 2008 and January–February 2009) augmented by deskbased research. IISD’s neutral position enabled the authors to hold consultations and conduct interviews on several sides of the region’s many political divides; a total of eight informal and frank consultations and dozens of interviews were held in Amman, Beirut, Damascus, Jerusalem, Ramallah and Tel Aviv. More than 100 experts, academics, donor representatives, environmental activists and political figures participated.
The project was funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, this report should in no way be
seen as a reflection of the position of the government of Denmark, the participants in the consultations or
the reviewers. All errors of commission or omission are the responsibility of the authors who welcome
comments and feedback (obrown@iisd.org; acrawford@iisd.org).
1See more of IISD’s work on climate change at http://www.iisd.org/climate and on environmental security at http://www.iisd.org/security/es
Progress and Pitfalls of the Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership. Made...Madeline Green
The Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership (KFCP) between Australia and Indonesia aimed to protect forests and rehabilitate peatlands in Kalimantan, Indonesia. However, it was shut down in 2013 due to a lack of progress. The document discusses what went wrong, noting that the KFCP lacked adequate financing and national-level strategy from the beginning. Specifically, the initial goals announced in 2007 were much larger than what was outlined as feasible in the 2009 Project Design Document, showing the project's scale and costs were underestimated without sufficient planning. This lack of proper planning around financing and strategy undermined key aspects of implementing REDD+ and ultimately led to the partnership's failure.
Footprint Nachhaltigkeit Studie Quelle: www.unep.org/geo/pdfs/Keeping_Track.pdfFlorian Hörantner
Here are some of the key things that are new or have changed significantly since the 1992 Rio Earth Summit:
- Recognition of climate change as a serious global threat: The science establishing human-caused climate change has become much stronger. The impacts are also being felt through more extreme weather, sea level rise, and other changes.
- Awareness of biodiversity loss: There is greater understanding of the biodiversity crisis, with about 1 million species now threatened with extinction. The interconnectedness of ecosystems is also more widely recognized.
- Growth of sustainability concepts: Ideas like sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, eco-labels, and the green economy have become mainstream. Renewable energy is now a significant industry.
(2012) UNDP The Future We Want: Biodiversity and Ecosystems— Driving Sustaina...Dr Lendy Spires
This document outlines UNDP's Biodiversity and Ecosystems Global Framework for 2012-2020 in response to the CBD Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. The framework establishes three signature programmes: 1) mainstreaming biodiversity into development planning and sectors, 2) unlocking the potential of protected areas for sustainable development, and 3) managing the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystems. The framework is designed to help countries achieve the Aichi biodiversity targets by 2020 and leverage UNDP's expertise in biodiversity, ecosystems, poverty reduction and sustainable development to support countries in reversing biodiversity loss.
This document is a report published by Conservation International (CI) that examines approaches to minimizing the environmental and social impacts of oil development in the tropics. It acknowledges that most new oil development over the next decade will occur in tropical regions, which are biodiversity hotspots, and that past oil projects have caused significant disruption. The report aims to outline best practices, tools, and policy mechanisms to help ensure oil extraction can coexist with biodiversity conservation and be responsive to local communities when carried out responsibly.
- The document discusses the impacts of climate change that have already been observed in Pacific Island Countries (PICs), such as changes in rainfall patterns and fish catches. It notes that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of natural hazards like floods, storms and droughts.
- The text then outlines several projections for future climate changes, such as increased warming, sea level rise, threats to mangroves and coral reefs in PICs. It notes that without emissions mitigation, global temperatures will exceed 2°C above pre-industrial levels by mid-21st century.
- Finally, it summarizes the positions of PICs at international climate negotiations in Cancun and Copenhagen, calling for stronger
042009 Climate Change: Third World Vulnerability, First World Accountability ...lisa.ito
Climate Change: Third World Vulnerability, First World Accountability
Ros B De Guzman
National Grassroots Conference on Climate Change
Balai Kalinaw, UP Diliman
20-21 April 2009
www.philclimatewatch.org
The World Bank assembled this long list of supporting quotes to accompany the release of the Potsdam Institute climate report it commissioned.
Here's the full report and related materials:
http://climatechange.worldbank.org/content/climate-change-report-warns-dramatically-warmer-world-century
Here are related Dot Earth posts:
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/climate/
This document discusses the connections between climate change and national security. It argues that climate change impacts like rising sea levels, extreme weather, and decreased agricultural productivity could exacerbate global tensions and conflicts by threatening water and food security. Climate change is a threat multiplier that makes existing security challenges even more difficult to manage. The document outlines implications for military roles, including increased humanitarian and disaster response missions both domestically and abroad. It also discusses impacts on infrastructure, supply lines, and the need for militaries to adapt operations and reduce their own emissions. Overall, the document advocates for serious consideration of how climate change could threaten global stability and shape future security environments.
This report examines climate and disaster resilience financing for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). It finds that while funding is increasingly available, SIDS face challenges in accessing and managing the multiple sources of finance due to limited human resources. The report provides an overview of recent financing trends, highlights the complexity of the global architecture from bilateral and multilateral sources, and calls for a more coordinated and tailored approach to better support SIDS in building resilience.
The document discusses the benefits of exercise for mental health. Regular physical activity can help reduce anxiety and depression and improve mood and cognitive functioning. Exercise causes chemical changes in the brain that may help boost feelings of calmness, happiness and focus.
The document discusses how climate change is already negatively impacting many people around the world, especially the poor and vulnerable. It provides examples of how Caritas organizations are witnessing increased extreme weather events like droughts, floods and cyclones causing problems. Climate change is exacerbating poverty, reducing agricultural productivity, and may displace hundreds of millions of people over the coming decades. It is a daily reality that is compromising livelihoods, food security and health for many.
The document summarizes key landmarks in Paris, France. It notes that Paris is about a 10 hour flight from Calgary, Canada and is a 25 minute drive from Saint Denis, France. It describes the Eiffel Tower, which was constructed in 1889 for a World's Fair and features over 18,000 iron pieces. It also mentions the Arc de Triomphe, the world's largest triumphal arch located in Paris, which was designed by Jean François Thérèse Chalgrin and completed in 1833. The presentation concludes with thanks from the author, Breanna Choma.
This document is a call from Catholic bishops around the world for climate justice and action on climate change. It expresses concern about how climate change disproportionately impacts poor communities in developing countries. The bishops call on world leaders to achieve a strong, binding global climate agreement to ensure survival and wellbeing for all people. Developed nations have a moral obligation to address climate change due to their greater consumption. Climate change is affecting millions through increased natural disasters, and developing countries need assistance to adapt.
This document summarizes the work of Cameron and Moira Thomson in establishing the SEER Centre Trust to advocate for the use of rockdust to regenerate soils and stabilize the climate. They transformed an infertile site in Scotland into fertile soil through the application of rockdust and compost. Rockdust replenishes deficient minerals in soils and increases crop yields. The authors believe spreading rockdust globally could boost soil fertility and allow soils to absorb excess carbon, mitigating climate change. Their experiments demonstrate rockdust's ability to rapidly improve soil quality and productivity.
The world is running up huge ecological debts, just as it has run up huge financial debts. Neither is sustainable. Our leaders cannot successfully put capitalism back together again without at the same time fixing the greatest single consequence of unsustainability – climate change.
Rajendra K. Pachauri, the head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, addressed the negotiators at the 18th round of climate treaty talks in Doha, Qatar, on Nov. 28, 2012. More on Dot Earth: http://j.mp/dotcop18
IPCC: http://ipcc.ch
Treaty: http://unfccc.int
For the majority of the world’s population and most developing countries, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the eradication of poverty remain their highest priority.
The impacts of climate change threaten the achievement of the MDGs, but also create opportunities for further efforts to achieve these development imperatives.
Keeping track - UNEP : From Rio to Rio+20 (1992-2012) Zoely Mamizaka
- Evidence of human-caused climate change has strengthened, with global temperatures, sea levels, and carbon dioxide levels rising sharply.
- Awareness of biodiversity loss has grown, with over 28,000 species now threatened with extinction.
- Issues around chemicals, waste, and pollution have become more pressing as industrialization and consumption have increased globally.
- The scale of global challenges like energy, water, and food security has expanded rapidly with continuing population and economic growth.
- New technologies like the internet, smartphones, and renewable energy have transformed societies and economies around the world.
- International environmental law
"Climate change occurs due to the earth’s internal processes such as volcanic eruptions, amount of sunlight (solar radiation) coming into the earth’s atmosphere, and lastly because of human activities such as the creation o Green House Gases (GHGs). "
The document discusses key issues for the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development. It argues that the conference should launch international action in several areas: 1) Addressing food security by moving beyond increasing agricultural output to ensuring the right to food, 2) Increasing climate change ambition and emission reductions to stay below agreed warming limits, and 3) Addressing structural inequities and unsustainable development that have led to current crises through investment in new development paths.
Climate change and the risk of violent conflict in the Middle East
-Rising Temperatures, Rising Tensions-
Climate change and the risk of violent conflict in the Middle East by Oli Brown and Alec Crawford
This report was written by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), an independent environment and development policy research institute, headquartered in Canada with offices in New York and Geneva. IISD has been researching various aspects of climate change and environmental security for the past 15 years.1 IISD is not a campaigning organization, nor does it have political links in the region.
The study involved two research trips (October 2008 and January–February 2009) augmented by deskbased research. IISD’s neutral position enabled the authors to hold consultations and conduct interviews on several sides of the region’s many political divides; a total of eight informal and frank consultations and dozens of interviews were held in Amman, Beirut, Damascus, Jerusalem, Ramallah and Tel Aviv. More than 100 experts, academics, donor representatives, environmental activists and political figures participated.
The project was funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, this report should in no way be
seen as a reflection of the position of the government of Denmark, the participants in the consultations or
the reviewers. All errors of commission or omission are the responsibility of the authors who welcome
comments and feedback (obrown@iisd.org; acrawford@iisd.org).
1See more of IISD’s work on climate change at http://www.iisd.org/climate and on environmental security at http://www.iisd.org/security/es
Progress and Pitfalls of the Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership. Made...Madeline Green
The Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership (KFCP) between Australia and Indonesia aimed to protect forests and rehabilitate peatlands in Kalimantan, Indonesia. However, it was shut down in 2013 due to a lack of progress. The document discusses what went wrong, noting that the KFCP lacked adequate financing and national-level strategy from the beginning. Specifically, the initial goals announced in 2007 were much larger than what was outlined as feasible in the 2009 Project Design Document, showing the project's scale and costs were underestimated without sufficient planning. This lack of proper planning around financing and strategy undermined key aspects of implementing REDD+ and ultimately led to the partnership's failure.
Footprint Nachhaltigkeit Studie Quelle: www.unep.org/geo/pdfs/Keeping_Track.pdfFlorian Hörantner
Here are some of the key things that are new or have changed significantly since the 1992 Rio Earth Summit:
- Recognition of climate change as a serious global threat: The science establishing human-caused climate change has become much stronger. The impacts are also being felt through more extreme weather, sea level rise, and other changes.
- Awareness of biodiversity loss: There is greater understanding of the biodiversity crisis, with about 1 million species now threatened with extinction. The interconnectedness of ecosystems is also more widely recognized.
- Growth of sustainability concepts: Ideas like sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, eco-labels, and the green economy have become mainstream. Renewable energy is now a significant industry.
(2012) UNDP The Future We Want: Biodiversity and Ecosystems— Driving Sustaina...Dr Lendy Spires
This document outlines UNDP's Biodiversity and Ecosystems Global Framework for 2012-2020 in response to the CBD Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. The framework establishes three signature programmes: 1) mainstreaming biodiversity into development planning and sectors, 2) unlocking the potential of protected areas for sustainable development, and 3) managing the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystems. The framework is designed to help countries achieve the Aichi biodiversity targets by 2020 and leverage UNDP's expertise in biodiversity, ecosystems, poverty reduction and sustainable development to support countries in reversing biodiversity loss.
This document is a report published by Conservation International (CI) that examines approaches to minimizing the environmental and social impacts of oil development in the tropics. It acknowledges that most new oil development over the next decade will occur in tropical regions, which are biodiversity hotspots, and that past oil projects have caused significant disruption. The report aims to outline best practices, tools, and policy mechanisms to help ensure oil extraction can coexist with biodiversity conservation and be responsive to local communities when carried out responsibly.
- The document discusses the impacts of climate change that have already been observed in Pacific Island Countries (PICs), such as changes in rainfall patterns and fish catches. It notes that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of natural hazards like floods, storms and droughts.
- The text then outlines several projections for future climate changes, such as increased warming, sea level rise, threats to mangroves and coral reefs in PICs. It notes that without emissions mitigation, global temperatures will exceed 2°C above pre-industrial levels by mid-21st century.
- Finally, it summarizes the positions of PICs at international climate negotiations in Cancun and Copenhagen, calling for stronger
042009 Climate Change: Third World Vulnerability, First World Accountability ...lisa.ito
Climate Change: Third World Vulnerability, First World Accountability
Ros B De Guzman
National Grassroots Conference on Climate Change
Balai Kalinaw, UP Diliman
20-21 April 2009
www.philclimatewatch.org
The World Bank assembled this long list of supporting quotes to accompany the release of the Potsdam Institute climate report it commissioned.
Here's the full report and related materials:
http://climatechange.worldbank.org/content/climate-change-report-warns-dramatically-warmer-world-century
Here are related Dot Earth posts:
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/climate/
This document discusses the connections between climate change and national security. It argues that climate change impacts like rising sea levels, extreme weather, and decreased agricultural productivity could exacerbate global tensions and conflicts by threatening water and food security. Climate change is a threat multiplier that makes existing security challenges even more difficult to manage. The document outlines implications for military roles, including increased humanitarian and disaster response missions both domestically and abroad. It also discusses impacts on infrastructure, supply lines, and the need for militaries to adapt operations and reduce their own emissions. Overall, the document advocates for serious consideration of how climate change could threaten global stability and shape future security environments.
This report examines climate and disaster resilience financing for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). It finds that while funding is increasingly available, SIDS face challenges in accessing and managing the multiple sources of finance due to limited human resources. The report provides an overview of recent financing trends, highlights the complexity of the global architecture from bilateral and multilateral sources, and calls for a more coordinated and tailored approach to better support SIDS in building resilience.
The document discusses the benefits of exercise for mental health. Regular physical activity can help reduce anxiety and depression and improve mood and cognitive functioning. Exercise causes chemical changes in the brain that may help boost feelings of calmness, happiness and focus.
The document discusses how climate change is already negatively impacting many people around the world, especially the poor and vulnerable. It provides examples of how Caritas organizations are witnessing increased extreme weather events like droughts, floods and cyclones causing problems. Climate change is exacerbating poverty, reducing agricultural productivity, and may displace hundreds of millions of people over the coming decades. It is a daily reality that is compromising livelihoods, food security and health for many.
The document summarizes key landmarks in Paris, France. It notes that Paris is about a 10 hour flight from Calgary, Canada and is a 25 minute drive from Saint Denis, France. It describes the Eiffel Tower, which was constructed in 1889 for a World's Fair and features over 18,000 iron pieces. It also mentions the Arc de Triomphe, the world's largest triumphal arch located in Paris, which was designed by Jean François Thérèse Chalgrin and completed in 1833. The presentation concludes with thanks from the author, Breanna Choma.
This document is a call from Catholic bishops around the world for climate justice and action on climate change. It expresses concern about how climate change disproportionately impacts poor communities in developing countries. The bishops call on world leaders to achieve a strong, binding global climate agreement to ensure survival and wellbeing for all people. Developed nations have a moral obligation to address climate change due to their greater consumption. Climate change is affecting millions through increased natural disasters, and developing countries need assistance to adapt.
This document summarizes the work of Cameron and Moira Thomson in establishing the SEER Centre Trust to advocate for the use of rockdust to regenerate soils and stabilize the climate. They transformed an infertile site in Scotland into fertile soil through the application of rockdust and compost. Rockdust replenishes deficient minerals in soils and increases crop yields. The authors believe spreading rockdust globally could boost soil fertility and allow soils to absorb excess carbon, mitigating climate change. Their experiments demonstrate rockdust's ability to rapidly improve soil quality and productivity.
This document outlines the gains and losses of imperialism for imperialists, colonists, and empires. Imperialists gained more land, power, and spread of ideas through colonization, but also spread disease. Colonists gained exposure to new ideas but lost freedoms, beliefs, land, homes, businesses, culture, and religion. Major empires that practiced imperialism included the Greek and Roman empires.
Organic Agriculture - a Guide to Climate Change and Food SecurityP8P
This document provides an overview of how organic agriculture can help address climate change and food security. Key points:
- Organic agriculture has higher rates of carbon sequestration in soil compared to conventional agriculture, estimated to be 200-2000kg of carbon per hectare per year. Globally converting agricultural lands to organic could sequester 5-32% of annual greenhouse gas emissions.
- Organic practices like avoiding chemical fertilizers, building soil carbon, and combining crops/livestock help both mitigate climate change by reducing emissions and help farms adapt by improving soil quality and resilience.
- Organic agriculture prioritizes local production and consumption, empowering small farms and communities while improving food security in the
The document discusses challenges and opportunities for renewable energy in developing nations in the context of climate change. It outlines how developing nations face significant impacts from climate change but have limited ability to mitigate impacts or transition to renewable energy due to financial and technical constraints. However, renewable energy represents an opportunity for inclusive sustainable growth. The document discusses policy, technological, financial, and management issues developing nations face in promoting renewable energy projects and calls for international support to address these challenges.
Adaptation Responses to Climate Change under the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol, D...Dr. William C.G. Burns
This document discusses adaptation responses to climate change for developing countries under the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol. It notes that while mitigation was initially the main focus, adaptation is now also a high priority given increasing impacts. However, financing for adaptation in developing countries has been extremely inadequate, estimated to be billions annually but only provided in the hundreds of millions. More funding sources and integrating adaptation into development projects and foreign direct investment are needed.
From 26–28 May 2009, Nobel Laureates from across the disciplines were joined by world experts in climate change to discuss the connections between global warming and other urgent environmental, economic and development challenges facing our world. The Symposium was hosted at The Royal Society and St. James’s Palace under the patronage of HRH The Prince of Wales.
It concluded with a Memorandum that was signed by Literature Laureate Wole Soyinka and Peace Laureate Wangari Maathai, as well as by Laureates in Chemistry, Physics and Economics
Climate Change Environmental Policy 2005, PakistanShakeel Ahmed
This document discusses climate change and global warming. It outlines the greenhouse effect and how human activities that produce greenhouse gases are the main cause of global warming. The document also summarizes Pakistan's environmental policy and action plan to address climate change through developing clean energy technologies, implementing emissions reduction programs, and raising public awareness. The conclusion calls for global cooperation to transition to renewable energy in order to cure the effects of climate change.
Introduction
UNEP’s report, Towards a Green Economy, aims to debunk several myths and misconceptions about greening the global economy, and provides timely and practical guidance to policy makers on what reforms they need to unlock the productive and employment potential of a green economy
http://www.unep.org/greeneconomy/Portals/88/documents/ger/1.0_Introduction.pdf
Rapporto ‘Tackling the Climate Reality – Affrontare la realtà del clima’WWF ITALIA
COP 19, occorre affrontare la realtà del clima
Le organizzazioni ActionAid , CARE e il WWF hanno pubblicato da Varsavia il rapporto ‘Tackling the Climate Reality – Affrontare la realtà del clima’, in occasione della conferenza ONU sul clima COP19, che chiede la creazione di un meccanismo internazionale di ‘loss and damage’ ovvero ‘perdite e danni’, di cui le parti stanno discutendo proprio ora.http://bit.ly/178iTW6
This document discusses the challenges of addressing climate change while also promoting development and reducing inequality and poverty. It notes that [1] expanding access to energy for development will increase emissions, conflicting with climate policy, and [2] there is not enough remaining carbon budget for all poor countries to develop through high-emission paths as wealthy countries have. It proposes [3] quantifying an equitable framework for allocating emission reductions based on principles of responsibility and capability, with developed countries committing major domestic cuts and support for international climate efforts.
climate-change-and-its-challenges-for-agriculture-and-food-security---essc-pr...Anwaar Ahmed
The document summarizes a presentation on climate change challenges for agriculture and food security. It discusses how agriculture is both impacted by and contributes to climate change. While some deny the science, climate change is already harming Malawi where most depend on rain-fed agriculture. The international response includes UN climate conferences (COPs) and the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aimed to limit warming but did not explicitly mention agriculture. The implications for smallholders vary from hopeful to critical, depending on implementation of financing pledges. Overall, climate change threatens food production, and concerted global action is needed to support farmers' adaptation.
climate-change-and-its-challenges-for-agriculture-and-food-security---essc-pr...Anwaar Ahmed
This document summarizes a presentation on climate change challenges for agriculture and food security. It discusses how agriculture is both impacted by and contributes to climate change. While some deny the science, climate change is already affecting Malawi through shifting rainfall patterns and more extreme weather. The international response began with the UNFCCC and annual COP meetings. COP21 in Paris achieved the first universal climate agreement to limit warming to well below 2°C. However, the final agreement only indirectly referenced agriculture. The implications for smallholders vary from hopeful to critical, depending on implementation of financing for adaptation. In conclusion, climate change threatens food production and all should support mitigation and adaptation efforts to ensure sustainable and resilient agriculture.
The global monetary system is facing challenges due to global imbalances. The US and other developed nations have large current account and trade deficits, while emerging economies like China and South Korea have large surpluses. Loose monetary policy in the US after 2000 exacerbated these imbalances as capital flowed from emerging markets to developed countries. Some reforms are needed to the international monetary system to reduce distortions and risks to the global economy from these imbalances.
This document discusses a proposal for a "Global Green New Deal" (GGND) in response to the current economic crisis and long-term sustainability challenges. The GGND would invest 1% of global GDP over 2 years to stimulate the economy and transition to a greener future. It proposes targeting fiscal stimulus at green infrastructure, reforming policies to reduce subsidies and incentivize sustainability, and coordinating internationally on trade, technology and carbon markets. The objectives are reviving economies, creating jobs, promoting sustainable growth, and reducing carbon dependency and environmental degradation.
WWF: ADAPTATION EXPECTATIONS FOR COP 19, WARSAW WWF ITALIA
Il tifone nelle Filippine ha reso ancora più drammatico il vertice del clima. Restano meno di 50 giorni di negoziati ai leader mondiali per arrivare a un nuovo accordo globale sul clima nel 2015 e devono usare bene ogni singolo giorno, per contribuire a fermare il cambiamento climatico galoppante.
Il negoziato sul clima delle Nazioni Unite che si tiene in Polonia dall’11 al 22 novembre è importante per preparare il terreno per quello che ci sarà a Lima il prossimo anno e poi per Parigi nel 2015, quando sarà siglato il nuovo accordo globale. http://www.wwf.it/cop19.cfm
What are the challenges for the Paris agreement in meeting the needs of Afric...rac_marion
The next international climate negotiations (COP21) will be held from 30 November to 11 December 2015 in Paris, France. The Paris summit will be decisive as it has to come up with an international climate agreement that keeps alive the hopes of limiting global warming to less than 2°C by 2100. The Climate & Development Network considers that this summit needs to address the dual challenge of combating both climate change and poverty in the worst affected countries. The RC&D is calling for an agreement which:
- Protects and enhances human rights and gender equality
- Finances the fight against climate change in the poorest and most vulnerable countries
- Invests massively in access to sustainable energy services for all
- Enables the most vulnerable people to cope with the impacts of climate change
- Preserves food security and the climate by investing massively in family and agro-ecological farming.
Shwetal Shah presented on key points of the Paris Agreement and India's Nationally Determined Contributions. The Paris Agreement aims to limit global temperature rise well below 2°C through country commitments to reduce emissions and transition to renewable energy. India's NDCs include reducing emissions intensity by 33-35% from 2005 levels by 2030, achieving 40% electricity from non-fossil fuel sources, and creating a carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tons through additional forestry and tree cover. The Climate Change Department of Gujarat coordinates policy and encourages green technology to build a sustainable, climate-resilient future for the state.
The document provides emerging recommendations from stakeholders on actions needed to achieve a healthy planet and prosperity for all. It summarizes key messages from four leadership dialogues on: 1) the urgent need for action to achieve a healthy planet, 2) achieving a sustainable recovery from COVID-19, 3) financing nature and climate action, and 4) just transitions. For the first dialogue, stakeholders called for urgent global action on climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. This includes protecting rights and nature, transitioning to renewable energy, and supporting a just transition away from fossil fuels. Stakeholders also emphasized the need for fair multilateralism and recognizing the human right to a clean environment.
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerabilityipcc-media
The document summarizes key findings from the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group II on impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. It states that climate change poses a severe threat to human well-being and the planet, and urgent action is needed to limit global warming. If no action is taken, climate impacts will increase substantially over the next two decades, jeopardizing development goals. However, transformative change to more sustainable systems can reduce risks while improving lives. The report calls on all actors to take strong climate action now through adaptation and mitigation measures.
The document discusses climate change impacts and goals for sustainable development in South Asia. It notes that:
1) South Asia is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts like rising temperatures and more extreme weather. This threatens livelihoods, food security, and development progress in the region.
2) Both the Sustainable Development Goals and climate negotiations aim to promote climate-resilient development. However, more coordination is needed between these processes to prioritize climate action and channel financing to mitigation and adaptation.
3) South Asian countries want climate and development goals to include nationally-relevant targets and indicators, along with mechanisms for accountability and implementation support from both domestic and international resources.
Understanding the climate change and sustainable developmentRuwanNishanthaGamage
The document discusses climate change, sustainable development, and solutions. It provides background on climate science, impacts of climate change, key global agreements like the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement, and national commitments like Sri Lanka's NDC's. It emphasizes that climate change and sustainable development are interlinked, and achieving their shared goals will require urgent action, inequality reduction, and commitment from all parties given the challenges and limited time remaining. Overall solutions discussed include reducing emissions and waste, behavioral and policy changes, technology transfers, and drawdown projects targeting areas like refrigerants, renewable energy, and reforestation.
Climate Change and Development - Updates from COP18UNDP Eurasia
The document discusses several topics related to climate change including:
1. The need to cut global CO2 emissions in half by 2050 to keep warming below 2 degrees Celsius.
2. The challenges posed by a growing world population expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, which will place greater pressure on resource systems.
3. The importance of transitioning to a green economy through significant emissions mitigation and generating funding for climate actions.
Similar to Africa - Up in Smoke 2: Global Warming Vulnerability (20)
2007 Annual Report, Floresta - Healing the Land and Its PeopleP8P
Floresta is a Christian non-profit that addresses poverty and environmental degradation through community development programs. It teaches skills, promotes sustainable agriculture and forestry, provides microcredit, and shares the gospel. The director notes growing support for environmental restoration and sees Floresta as uniquely addressing poverty and environmental issues together. Program highlights describe reforestation efforts, loans granted, and community development in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Haiti and a new program in Tanzania.
Agroforestry practices can help sustain hill field cultivation and productivity for small upland farms. Contour hedgerows with nitrogen-fixing trees and food crops can conserve soils on steep slopes and improve soil fertility. Alley cropping with mixed plantings of crops like papaya, pineapple, and tea within hedgerows provides soil conservation while also producing edible and marketable products. However, maintaining hedgerows requires labor and limited land, so alternatives that integrate soil-improving legumes into hill field crops are also discussed to enhance soil fertility without consuming as much land. Overall, agroforestry approaches aim to support sustainable agriculture through soil conservation, improvement, and diversified production.
This document provides an "Environmental Stations of the Cross" liturgy intended to be held outdoors. It begins with an introduction explaining that the service will retrace Christ's steps to crucifixion through nine stations, with each station commemorating both a biblical event and a significant breaking of humanity's covenant with creation. Each station includes a theme related to environmental issues, a biblical passage, reflections, and a prayer. The document provides instructions for leading the service and the materials for each of the nine stations, focusing on topics like oppression, animal mistreatment, habitat destruction, and humanity's disconnection from nature.
Floresta Launches Plant With Purpose to Restore the Environment P8P
Floresta has launched Plant With Purpose, a new initiative to restore the environment and reduce poverty worldwide using new technology. Plant With Purpose allows donors to support rural villages for $30 per month through the "Grow a Village" program. Donors can view pictures and stories of villagers and see how their donations directly impact communities. The goal is to give people a tangible way to get involved and help the rural poor while restoring their land and providing economic opportunities. Floresta has already planted 4 million trees and made over 6,500 loans worldwide since 1984 across six countries.
The document summarizes Floresta's Fifth International Meeting held in Jacmel, Haiti. It describes the beautiful location and positive interactions between delegates from different countries. It also highlights the challenges facing communities in Haiti after four hurricanes, but notes the resilience and courage of the Haitian people with Floresta's support. Additionally, it profiles the village of Loma Ardilla, Mexico and the positive changes occurring there through a church's initiative utilizing Floresta's curriculum.
The document provides an update on Floresta USA's trans-border project between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. It discusses the logistical challenges of traveling between the two villages due to border checkpoints, language barriers, and a history of violence and prejudice. However, Floresta staff in both countries are learning from each other and strengthening their collaboration. The director is proud of their commitment to working as a united team across the border to help improve lives.
The document provides an overview of Floresta's recent international meeting, where leadership from Floresta programs around the world gathered in San Diego to plan, strategize, and increase unity of vision. At the meeting, Floresta evaluated its impact measurement systems and discussed challenges related to local governing boards. The gathering allowed for strengthening of relationships among Floresta staff from different countries as they work to reverse deforestation and poverty through community development, reforestation, and other programs.
1. This document outlines the Church of England's 7-year plan on climate change and the environment from 2009-2016.
2. Some key goals of the plan are to reduce the Church's carbon footprint by 80% by 2050, establish annual carbon footprint measurement and reporting for all dioceses by 2016, and reduce the ecological footprint to a "one planet" level by 2050.
3. The plan highlights the Church of England's long history of environmental action and outlines ongoing and planned initiatives through its Shrinking the Footprint campaign to cut emissions from church buildings and operations.
Churches Caring for Creation and Climate JusticeP8P
This document provides information on resources from the World Council of Churches (WCC) related to care for creation and climate change issues. It lists several publications produced by the WCC on topics like ecotheology, earth ethics, and spiritual values for the earth community. It also provides links to statements and documents on the WCC's website, including a dossier on climate change and the WCC. The document encourages actions like engaging with local churches, praying for climate vulnerable communities, learning more about the WCC's work, and supporting advocacy campaigns calling for an ambitious agreement on climate change.
This document provides a list of websites and statements from various Christian denominations and organizations related to environmental stewardship and creation care. It includes over 30 listings of general Christian environmental sites, denomination-specific sites, colleges/universities, and government resources. The sites cover topics such as environmental justice, ecology, sustainability, and statements on caring for God's creation from denominations like Catholic, Episcopal, Baptist, Methodist and more.
This document provides worship aids related to the environment and creation care, including:
1) Scripture passages that reference God as Creator and humanity's relationship to the natural world.
2) Hymns, praise songs, and original music focused on themes of creation.
3) Prayers, litanies, and other worship elements praising God for creation and asking for protection of the environment.
4) Ideas for children's messages and sermon starters exploring biblical perspectives on caring for the Earth.
The resources are intended to help faith communities integrate environmental themes into worship and reflect on their moral responsibility as stewards of creation.
This document provides resources and information for organic lawn care, including:
- Introducing organic land care principles like minimizing inputs, emulating ecosystems, and avoiding toxic materials.
- Recommendations like using non-toxic pesticides and fertilizers, reducing water use, removing invasives, and planting natives.
- Additional resources on soil testing, composting, increasing biodiversity, mowing high, and the NOFA organic land care standards.
Industrial food processing has largely replaced traditional and artisanal methods with factory processes that destroy nutrients and create toxic compounds. Extruded cereals are highly processed using high temperatures and pressures that denature proteins, destroying nutrients and transforming them into neurotoxins. Experiments on rats showed extruded cereals were more toxic than no food at all. Similarly, other common breakfast items like milk and orange juice undergo intensive industrial processing using chemicals, enzymes, and high heat that oxidizes fats and creates mutagens. Homemade foods using traditional methods are healthier alternatives.
Global warming poses a serious threat to California's wine industry. A study found that suitable areas for premium wine grapes could be reduced by 50-81% by 2100 due to increasing hot days. Grapes need consistent temperatures below 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Warmer conditions could reduce yields and quality of grapes in California regions like Napa Valley. The multi-billion dollar wine industry, concentrated in California, may need to adapt crops or relocate to cooler regions to survive climate change impacts.
This document discusses the environmental benefits of becoming a vegetarian. It notes that cutting meat from your diet significantly lowers your carbon footprint and reduces the environmental impacts of industrial animal agriculture, including water and resource usage. Adopting a vegetarian lifestyle can help alleviate problems like pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change. The document encourages readers to consider becoming vegetarian to help the planet.
Debunking the Myth - only Industrial Agriculture can Feed the World P8P
The document discusses debates around industrial agriculture versus organic agriculture. It summarizes reports from UN organizations and other groups that argue organic agriculture can improve food security and resilience to climate change. While industrial agriculture relies on fossil fuels and external inputs, organic practices use locally available resources and knowledge to boost yields. The document argues an emerging consensus favors "green agriculture" over industrial methods to sustainably feed the world's population.
Climate Change Impacts: Destruction of Africa Forest-Dependent Rural Liveliho...P8P
This document reviews the impacts of climate change on forests and rural livelihoods in Africa. It discusses how over half of Africa's population relies on forests for livelihoods and that climate impacts like changes in temperature and rainfall patterns can significantly affect forest ecosystems and the goods and services they provide which rural communities depend on. The review examines cases of climate impacts, vulnerabilities, and adaptation strategies identified in African countries' reports to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The document summarizes a meeting organized by Volans and UNEP-FI that brought together representatives from financial institutions, NGOs, and intergovernmental organizations to discuss catalyzing innovation in the finance sector regarding natural capital. The meeting explored how to scale up existing solutions and identified three key innovation agendas: 1) business education on natural assets, 2) corporate valuation and transparency, and 3) new risk models. Next steps discussed include collaborating on proposed actions, mapping relevant initiatives, and convening a follow up meeting in early 2011.
Africa - Up in Smoke 2: Global Warming Vulnerability
1. Africa – Up in smoke 2
The second report on Africa and global warming from the
Working Group on Climate Change and Development
2.
3. “Africa of course is… seen by experts as particularly vulnerable to
climate change. The size of its land mass means that in the middle of the
continent, overall rises in temperature will be up to double the global rise,
with increased risk of extreme droughts, floods and outbreaks of disease.”1
Tony Blair, January 2005
Contents
Summary and recommendations 2 El Niño impacts 9
Cut rich country greenhouse gas emissions 2 An interview from Ethiopia 9
Build on Kyoto to toughen up international efforts post-2012 2 Climate change and desertification 9
Support essential adaptation 2 Three case studies from Kenya 10
Empower poor communities to be part of the climate change solution 3 Promoting sustainable agriculture 12
Strengthen disaster risk reduction 3 Conservation farming raises yields ten fold in Zambia 12
Reform emergency responses 3
Climate change and HIV/AIDS: the insidious links 13
Tackle poverty – rural livelihoods for the most vulnerable and boosting
small-scale agriculture 3 The threat to health 13
Drought, climatic variability and climate change in Africa 5 Farming food or biofuel? 14
Why is Africa vulnerable to climate change? 6 Urban perspectives on climate change 14
Niger – new approaches to poverty and climate change 6 Better bricks need less fuel 14
Sahelian drought – past, present and future 8 Endnotes 15
Photo: Chris Young, Oxfam
4. Summary and recommendations
Too much or too little rain can be a matter of life or death in Africa. At different times emissions must ultimately be cut by between 60 and 90 per cent. We have less
and in different places across the continent, climate change threatens both. This than 10 years before global emissions must start to decline – instead they are
briefing brings up to date the original report from the Working Group on Climate rising remorselessly. This means there is not a moment to lose.
Change and Development, Africa – Up in smoke?, released in 2005. Our overarching
conclusion then, which is even more pressing now, was that: The negotiations under way in the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol must deliver a fair, effective and
‘A new model of development is called for, one in which strategies to increase
equitable Protocol beyond 2012 that deepens the GHG reduction targets in the
human resilience in the face of climate change and the stability of ecosystems
industrialised countries and allows greater mitigation contributions from some of
are central. It calls for a new test for every policy and project, in which the key
the larger developing countries. These negotiations must be completed by 2008
question will be, “Are you increasing or decreasing people’s vulnerability to
to ensure that there is no gap between the first commitment period of the Kyoto
the climate?” Above all, the challenge calls for a new flexibility and not a one-
Protocol, which ends in 2012, and the second commitment period. The expanded
size-fits-all, neoliberal-driven approach to development. Just as an investment
framework needs to revive the original intent of the UNFCCC for developed
portfolio spreads risk by including a variety of stocks and shares, so an
countries to take leadership by reducing emissions at home. It must also provide
agricultural system geared to manage the risks of changing climate requires a
the opportunity for poor countries to escape poverty through massive investments
rich diversity of approaches in terms of what is grown, and how it is grown.’ 2
in adaptation and renewable energy and support their sustainable development.
Today, new scientific research and evidence from our coalition’s work in the field find that
P Support essential adaptation
the climate change threat to human development in Africa is even greater. To combat the
The legacy of higher historical emissions places the onus on industrialised
threat, we make these urgent recommendations to the international community:
countries to take the lead in significant cuts in greenhouse gases. It also reinforces
the need to support adaptation in developing countries, particularly in the poorest
P Cut rich-country greenhouse gas emissions
countries that have contributed least to causing global warming.
The first priority must be to cut global greenhouse gas emissions, so that average
temperatures do not rise more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels – a goal of the
Industrialised countries have committed to providing financial and technical
������������������������
European Union since 1996. Scientists say that the threat of major and irreversible
resources to developing countries under the UNFCCC, as well as through other
climate change, with potentially enormously damaging impacts, becomes
political declarations. This support may come in a range of ways, including
far greater as temperatures increase. Africa’s contribution to greenhouse gas
increased bilateral and multilateral funding related to adaptation, assistance with
emissions is negligible so to address this injustice the onus falls fairly and squarely
research and climate monitoring, contributions to the Global Environment Facility,
on the rich nations whose historical and continued profligate use of carbon is
as well as contributions to the various adaptation funds established under the
to blame for most of the current warming trends. In Britain and Ireland the new
UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol.
environment and development campaigning network Stop Climate Chaos is calling
for those governments to do their fair share by setting a legally binding, annual,
Although spending on adaptation may be difficult to define and calculate precisely,
constantly contracting ‘carbon budget’, which plots a course, year on year, towards
the level of support for adaptation remains limited. Its integration within aid budgets
a two-thirds reduction in emissions on 1990 levels by 2050. This would create cuts
is weak at best. According to the latest report on the status of the two UNFCCC
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of between 60 and 80 per cent.3
funds (the Least Developed Countries Fund and Special Climate Change Fund),
�����������������������������������������������������������������
contributions amounted to just �����������������������������������������������
����������������� $43 million in 2005–2006 of which the first UK
P Build on Kyoto to toughen up international efforts post-2012
annual contribution was $12 million (£6.6 million) in total for both funds.5
Above all, the growing global climate crisis, manifested not only in Africa but also
by extraordinary events from droughts in the Amazon to catastrophic floods in the
To put all these numbers into perspective, it has been estimated that the overall
deserts of Rajastan, shows the absolute urgency for action on a global scale.4
annual costs to adapt to projected climate change (i.e. climate-proof development)
To avoid possibly cataclysmic climate change, global greenhouse gas (GHG)
Africa – Up in smoke 2
5. are likely to be between $10 billion and $40 billion per year.6 Such sums can be The emergency, or ‘humanitarian’, system must be overhauled, so that it is truly
quietly found: following the lethal European heatwave in the summer of 2003, able to deliver prompt, effective assistance on the basis of need. It must support
when an estimated 11,435 people died in France, $748 million in extra funding was people’s livelihoods as well as meeting the immediate needs of the hungry. The
announced for hospital emergency services in that country alone. Furthermore, it stop-start approach must give way to longer-term support to address the underlying
has been estimated that rich-country subsidies to fossil fuel industries come to $75 causes of food insecurity, including through social protection programmes through
billion per year, and globally fossil fuel industries are subsidised to the tune of over governments, backed by reliable funding. Moreover, the type of aid is still often
$235 billion per year. inappropriate. It is not right that 70 per cent of food aid distributed by the UN is still
the produce of the developed world: food aid should not be a means of supporting
P Empower poor communities to be part of the climate change solution farmers in developed countries. When hunger is caused by lack of access to food
Recently donor governments have emphasised����������������������������
��������������������������������������
the role of new technology as a result of poverty rather than food shortages, providing cash can be a more
– in particular, how to improve weather forecasting in Africa. Development appropriate, faster, and less expensive option.
groups, however, believe adaptation must be more than this: it has to be about
strengthening communities from the bottom up, building on their own coping P Tackle poverty – provide rural livelihoods for the most vulnerable and boost
strategies to live with climate change and empowering them to participate in the small-scale agriculture
development of climate change policies. Identifying what communities are already
����������������������������������������� More fundamentally, if food crises are to be averted, much more must be done
doing to adapt is an important step towards discovering what people’s priorities to tackle the root causes of hunger. That means tackling poverty and the power
are and sharing their experiences, obstacles and positive initiatives with other imbalances that underpin it. The number of people in sub-Saharan Africa who
communities and development policy-makers. Giving a voice to people in this subsist on less than one dollar a day has almost doubled since 1981, to 313 million
way can help to grow confidence, as can valuing their knowledge and placing it people in 2001, representing 46 per cent of the population. Even allowing for the
alongside science-based knowledge. extraordinary pace of urbanisation in Africa, the majority of the continent’s poorest
and most undernourished people live in rural areas – especially smallholders,
P Strengthen disaster risk reduction nomadic pastoralists, and women. The joint effort to eradicate poverty promised by
When dealing with the uncertainties of climate change, reducing vulnerability African governments and donor governments must therefore deliver rural policies
to today’s climate through disaster risk reduction (DRR) is an excellent method that involve and prioritise these vulnerable groups. Even small improvements in
of building adaptive capacity for the future. Communities can be protected from what they produce and earn, in access to health, education and clean water, will
disasters relatively cheaply and simply – tools and methodologies are well have major impacts in reducing hunger, as well as driving equitable growth. The ����
developed and can be employed immediately in communities. Thousands of lives need to give much more support to small-scale farming comes up again and
could be saved and economic losses prevented each year if more emphasis was again from the field experience of development groups, and yet aid for agricultural
���������������������
placed on this. The climate change community therefore needs to recognise that production in sub-Saharan Africa dropped by 43 per cent between 1990–92 and
DRR is a vital component of climate change adaptation. It should work with the 2000–02.
disaster management community to advance both fields and avoid duplicating
activities. Governments must also fulfill their previous commitments to DRR. As Klaus Toepfer, Director of the UN Environment Programme from 1998 until 2006,
said in March 2006:
P Reform emergency responses
‘Drought is a natural climatic phenomenon, but what has dramatically
While conditions vary greatly, across sub-Saharan Africa as a whole, 33 per cent of
changed in recent decades is the ability of nature to supply essential
people are under-nourished, compared with 17 per cent of people in all developing
services like water and moisture during hard times… This is because so
countries. The proportion rises to 55 per cent in Central Africa.7 The average
much of nature’s water and rain-supplying services have been damaged,
number of food emergencies in Africa per year almost tripled since the mid 1980s.8
destroyed or cleared. We have got to fight climate change by realising
Climate change is a new and unprecedented threat to food security.
meaningful and ultimately substantial reductions in greenhouse gases, and
we must help vulnerable communities adapt to the climate change which is
These failures stem in part from the fact that for over 40 years emergency aid, and
already here and that which is to come.’ 9
food aid in particular, has remained the chief instrument to address food crises.
Food aid does save lives, but it does not offer long-term solutions, and at worst it
may exacerbate food insecurity.
Africa – Up in smoke 2
6. Up in smoke? – the first report from the Working Group on Climate Change and Development – joined the environment and development communities in a united view on the
minimum action necessary to deal with the threat of global warming to human development. The proposals we called for in October 2004 are now more pressing than ever
before.
Three overarching challenges include:
1. How to stop and reverse further global warming.
2. How to live with the degree of global warming that cannot be stopped.
3. How to design a new model for human progress and development that is climate proof and climate friendly and gives everyone a fair share of the natural resources on which
we all depend.
In that light, our urgent priorities include:
P A global risk assessment of the likely costs of adaptation to climate change in poor countries.
P Commensurate new funds and other resources made available by industrialized countries for poor country adaptation, bearing in mind that rich-country subsidies to their
domestic, fossil-fuel industries stood at US$7 billion per year in the late 1990s.
P Effective and efficient arrangements to respond to the increasing burden of climate-related disaster relief.
P Development models based on risk reduction, incorporating community-driven coping strategies in adaptation and disaster preparedness.
P Disaster awareness campaigns with materials produced at community level and made available in local languages.
P Co-ordinated plans, from local to international levels, for relocating threatened communities with appropriate political, legal and financial resources.
In addition to these, as organisations striving to improve human well-being in the face of enormous challenges, we will:
P Work towards a collective understanding of the threat.
P Share the best of our knowledge about how to build human and ecosystem resilience and live with the degree of global warming that is now unstoppable.
P Do everything in our power to stop dangerous climate change and help bring about a global solution that is fair and rooted in human equality.
Africa – Up in smoke 2
7. Drought, climatic variability and climate change in Africa
The severe drought that hit the Horn and East Africa in 2005–06 was eased by fairly
good rains in April–May of 2006 but as this briefing is published, upwards of eight
million people across East Africa are still experiencing a food crisis and in need of Modelling the recent evolution of global drought and
various forms of assistance. It will take herders years to recover from the deaths of so projections for the twenty-first century13
many of their livestock, their main means of living. Furthermore, the rains were by no
means good everywhere. Distribution was uneven and parts of north west Kenya and New research modelling the future global of drought patterns has terrifying
Somalia, which had only just emerged from a prolonged four-year drought, had patchy implications for human survival. The UK’s Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction
and erratic rain. For millions of people, the success or failure of the ‘short rains’ in and Research looked at the share of the Earth’s land surface prone to extreme,
October–December are crucial. Will 2007 offer the prospect of recovery, or be another severe and moderate drought. It’s research concludes that the percentage of the
year of desperate struggle to survive? Earth’s land surface that suffers from extreme drought has trebled from just one
per cent to three per cent, in less than a decade at the start of the twenty-first
Africa’s climate – especially in the semi-arid regions – has always been very erratic, century. But the centre’s climate model projects that this trend will continue until
from year to year and over longer periods. The success or failure of one rainy season, extreme drought conditions prevail over some eight per cent of the land surface
or even several, cannot be attributed to global warming. But, Africa is steadily warming, by 2020 – and then accelerate until extreme drought affects no less than 30 per
climate is changing, and models predict further warming and further changes in rainfall cent of the globe by 2090. Historically a total of 20 per cent of the Earth’s land
patterns. The continent as a whole is warmer by 0.5°C than it was 100 years ago,10 surface has been in drought at any one time, be it extreme, severe or moderate.
putting extra strain on water resources. The six warmest years in Africa have all been This has now risen to 28 per cent and is predicted to be 35 per cent by 2020
since 1987 and globally, 2005 was the hottest year on record. But temperatures have and cover 50 per cent – half the Earth’s land surface and still rising – by 2090.
increased more in the interiors, as Tony Blair pointed out. The maximum temperature in
��������������������������� Droughts will also be much longer in duration.
Kericho, a highland area in the Rift Valley province where most of Kenya’s tea exports
are grown, has increased by 3.5°C during the past 20 years. In Lamu, on Kenya’s north Drought is projected to affect the great grain-growing areas of Europe, North
east coast near Somalia, the maximum temperature has increased by more than 3°C America and Russia, as well as the Middle East and Central Asia, North Africa
since the 1940s.11 T�����������������������������������������������������������
he UK’s Hadley Centre says temperature increases over many and Southern Africa, Amazonia/Brazil, and Central America. Yet although the
areas of Africa will be double the global average. models forecast a severe, overall drying pattern over our surface, certain areas
will get much wetter. A wetter future is forecast for Central Africa, the Horn and
The tendency is also towards greater extremes. Arid or semi-arid areas in northern, East Africa and parts of coastal West Africa, China and Eastern Asia, and high
western, eastern and parts of southern Africa are becoming steadily drier. Equatorial Northern latitudes. Although higher rainfall could come equally in the destructive
Africa and other parts of southern Africa are wetter. Although drought is often seen as form of heavy inundations as well as beneficial rain, it raises the intriguing
the problem in African agriculture, in fact it may not be drought per se that causes the possibility of environmental refugees from a dehydrated Europe flooding into
problems. Farmers are as much or more concerned about confusing changes in the Africa by the mid-century.
seasons and violent, erratic and unpredictable weather. It becomes ever more difficult
to know when and where to invest precious time, energy and inputs into planting and
other activities. It is becoming clear that in many places, dangerous climate change is
already happening.12
Africa – Up in smoke 2
8. “The weather is changing. We used to
Why is Africa vulnerable to climate change? get heavy rains when the winds came
Africa – site of the UN climate change conference in Nairobi in November 2006 (COP from the west and then came back
12/MOP 2) – is the continent probably most vulnerable of all to the negative effects 2–3 days later with rain. Now the wind
of climate change and the one that faces the greatest challenges to adapt. Poverty, comes from the east so it brings little
conflict, disease, governance problems, an unjust international trading system, or no rain… these are dry winds. I don’t
and the burden of unpayable debt – these and other factors hinder the ability of know what is causing this. Maybe all this
communities and nations to handle shocks. fighting in Iraq and Iran, all this bombing
and pollution, bombing the oil fields and
This dual jeopardy was a key theme of Africa – Up in smoke?, the second report of all those fumes going into the air… and
a unique coalition of environment and development agencies that came together to we’re not very far from that.” 14
express their shared concerns about the threat that climate change poses to human Paul Mayan Mariao (left). Photo: Jane Beesley, Oxfam. Paul Mayan Mariao, Chief Kaikor, Turkana
development and to the Earth’s ecosystems upon which all life depends.
In this 2006 report, agencies pointed out that in Africa, these natural systems form
the foundation of the economy of most countries, from which the majority of the
Niger – new approaches to poverty and climate change
population derives their livelihood.
Drought hit Niger hard in 2004/2005. Given that it can take decades for livestock
Africa contains about one-fifth of all known species of plants, mammals, and birds, as herds to recover to previous levels of size and health, many pastoralist communities
well as one-sixth of amphibians and reptiles. Biodiversity in Africa, which principally have never fully recovered from the disasters of the early 1970s and mid-1980s. By
occurs outside formally conserved areas, is under threat from climate change and December 2005 over 326,000 malnourished children were being given special feeding
other stresses. Savannahs, tropical forests, coral reef marine and freshwater habitats, in Niger, and thousands more in neighbouring countries.
wetlands and East Africa montane ecosystems are all at risk.
Increasing aridity is a terrible problem, but people’s problems in coping with it are due
Poor people, especially those living in marginal environments and in areas with low as much or more to social and political factors. Ongoing poverty, low literacy rates,
agricultural productivity in Africa, depend directly on genetic, species and ecosystem and little access to basic health services combine to weaken people and are reflected
diversity to support their way of life. As a result of this dependency, any impact that in shockingly high child-mortality and malnutrition rates, even in normal times. In the
climate change has on natural systems will threaten the livelihoods, food intake and Sahel, one child in five will die before reaching the age of five. Grain markets are
health of the population. unstable and function badly. During the 2005 famine, grain was often available in
markets, but few could afford to buy it.
The International Panel on Climate Change (2001) explains that there are six situations,
which make Africa particularly vulnerable to climate change: Another factor is the developed world’s
failure to deliver aid predictably and in
1. Water resources, especially in international shared basins where there is a
accordance with its commitments. Sahelian
potential for conflict and a need for regional co-ordination in water management.
countries receive far less aid than other
2. Food security at risk from declines in agricultural production. African countries affected by food crises.
3. Natural resources productivity and biodiversity at risk. Annual aid to Niger, one of the world’s
poorest countries, actually fell from $60
4. Vector- and water-borne diseases, especially in areas with inadequate health per person in 1984, to $44.2 per person
infrastructure. in 1992, $28.7 in 1998 and finally to a
5. Coastal zones vulnerable to sea-level rise, particularly roads, bridges, buildings, mere $12 per person in 2004. The UN has
and other infrastructure that is exposed to flooding. recommended that countries get $45 per
head in order to have a chance of reaching Emergency feeding, Niger, 2005.
6. Exacerbation of desertification by changes in rainfall and intensified land use. the UN Millennium Goals by 2015.15 Photo: Glenn Edwards, Oxfam.
Africa – Up in smoke 2
9. Aid agencies, like Oxfam, working in Niger, have pioneered new responses to drought
– such as calls for less foreign food aid and more direct transfers of cash vouchers
into people’s hands to enable them to buy the local food that is available on the
markets. To help in the long term agencies are working with local non-governmental
organisations like JEMED, a partner of Tearfund, to trap rainfall and boost agriculture.
Simple structures that capture rainwater – stone lines or earthen half-moon crescents,
mini-dams and dykes – can give communities an extra three months worth of water
per year.
Jeff Woodke of JEMED (Youth with a Mission) said:
‘The changed rainfall patterns contribute to increased desertification. The
decreased production of grass means that it can sustain fewer animals. Drought
causes massive loss of livestock. This has a devastating effect on the pastoral
people, both Tuareg and Wodaabe, who rely on livestock for their livelihood. It
creates chronic food security problems, and great social ones as well.
At one site called Abrik, a valley that runs east-west serves as a dividing line
between the “dead” land to the north, and the “living” land to the south. The
northern land is “dead” because of desertification, which has climatic as well
as human causes. The valley itself was dying as well. We were able to reverse
Vouchers for food in Niger, a new approach to relief. Photo: Glenn Edwards, Oxfam. this process and help the people to adapt to the changing rainfall patterns,
for example through building dykes. But then drought struck. For two years
the men had to be away from their families, struggling to keep their animals
alive. Some men did not see their families for six months at a time. However in
spite of all this, the improvements they made in the valley allowed some grass
to grow and they could feed a few animals. The women stayed put, and the
children stayed in school. The school was one of the most successful in Niger
that year.’
Half-moons, Niger. Photo: Dieudonne Bira.
Africa – Up in smoke 2
10. Figure 1: Standardised JJASO-mean Sahel rainfall 1898-2004.
3
2
1
0
-1
-2 Standardised with respect to 1893–1993
-3
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Source: Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean17
���������������������������������������������������������
Photo: Jane Beesley, Oxfam
Sahelian drought – past, present and future SSTs are rising all over the world. The warming is well beyond the range expected from
There were three major droughts in the Sahel – the semi-arid belt just south of the natural processes, which strengthens the case that greenhouse gases are involved.
Sahara Desert – in the twentieth century: 1910–11, 1941–45 and 1983–84. The 1950s
were unusually very wet, and then a severe drying trend began in the late 1960s and Climate models have generally forecast a wetter Sahel in the future, which should be
continued into the 1980s. The big downswing in rainfall in the 1970s struck many good news. But in October 2005 Dr Isaac Held from the�������������������������
US National Oceanic and
Sahelian farmers and pastoralists particularly hard and there were an estimated 100,000 Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other scientists published dramatic new
��������������������������������������������
human drought deaths. Then the great drought in the mid-1980s triggered the famine research findings that challenge this. Their model, which maps the Sahel’s actual
in Ethiopia that shocked the world. From the high of 1950s to the low of 1980s, rainfall previous climate changes more closely than others, predicts that the ‘more recent
declined by 40 per cent – “the most substantial and sustained change for any region of ameliorating trend’ may continue for the first few decades of this century but will be
the world within the period of instrumental measurements”.16 In recent years Sahelian
������������������������� followed by dramatic drying – a 30 per cent reduction in rainfall from the average for
rainfall has been more stable and has recovered to near the century-long mean. the last century and ‘due primarily to increasing greenhouse gases’.18,19
There are many gaps and deficiencies in climate records in Africa. Computer models Drought in southern Africa is related more to warming in the Indian Ocean, which has
struggle to account for all the influences on the climate. There have been conflicting warmed more than 1°C since 1950. Rather than falling over the land, rain develops in
scenarios and the models do not go down to local levels. But the understanding of the rising air above the warm ocean. Between 1950 and 1999 there was about a 20
climate change and the models themselves are getting better all the time. per cent decline in summer rainfall.20 It also tended to come in the form of torrential
rain.21 Even a�����������������������������������������������������������������������
10 per cent drop in rainfall can reduce river flows by 50 per cent or
Scientists concur that sea-surface temperatures (SST) control many aspects of Sahel more.22 Other studies project a much drier future for southern Africa. According to Dr
�������������������������������������������������������������������������������
rainfall variability. If the waters of the southern Atlantic warm up, while the northern James W Hurrell: ‘In our models, the Indian Ocean shows very clear and dramatic
Atlantic cools, then the rain belt, whose northern limit is the Sahel, is attracted further warming into the future, which means more and more drought for southern Africa. It is
south and so does not reach the Sahel. Instead, rainfall in parts of equatorial Africa consistent with what we would expect from an increase in greenhouse gases.’ Rural ������
increases, as it did in the twentieth century, by 10 per cent or more in places. areas, where people rely on streams and small rivers, will be particularly hit; women,
the water-carriers, will be far more affected than men.
Africa – Up in smoke 2
11. El Niño impacts
Perhaps the biggest influence on global climate is the SST fluctuation known as almost halved. Hailstorms also damage crops sporadically. Villagers report increased
El Niño, when a large area of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific becomes malaria, typhus and Trypanosomiasis, which claimed the lives of six oxen and several
warmer than normal. cows belonging to Mrs Suufee. In her view, the weather has not got back to normal since
the severe drought of 1984/85.
One of the biggest El Niños recorded –1982/83 – was linked to the devastating
drought in the Horn of Africa. Another El Niño caused massive floods in some parts of Climate change and desertification
eastern Africa in 1997/98 (in Kenya alone, damage to roads came to US$17 billion); its There has been debate around the relative contributions of human mismanagement
counterpart, La Niña, which followed, brought a long drought to the sub-region lasting of natural resources and that of global climate change as causes of drought. The
from 1998 until 2000. pendulum of scientific opinion now seems to have swung towards the view that
external and global factors are relatively more important influences on African climates,
The relationship between greenhouse gas concentrations and El Niño/La Nina especially via SSTs.
specifically is little understood but if, as has been suggested, El Niño is a ‘release
valve’ for tropical heat then global warming may well intensify it. Recent research According to Held: ‘An externally forced drying trend… attributable to anthropogenic
indicates that El Niños have been more intense since 1900 than at any time in the last [i.e. man-made] forcing’ has been superimposed onto internal variability. But the
130,000 years.23 More “Super” El Niños24 like 1982/3 and 1997/8 would furthermore two are related. Klaus Toepfer points out that 62 per cent of precipitation occurs over
�����������������������������������������������������������������������
come on top of the general warming which, given Africa’s vulnerability, is steadily land as a result of evapotranspiration from lakes, wetlands and dense vegetation, in
eroding people’s capacities to cope. 2005, the hottest year on record and a year of particular forests. Drying causes people to adopt more desperate strategies to survive.
��������������������������������������������������������������������
�������������������������������������������������������������
severe drought in both East and West Africa, was not an El Niño year. Deforestation, causing land degradation and desertification, leads to a spiral: �����
less
moisture in soils and in greenery means less rainfall, which means less vegetation
An interview from Ethiopia and so on. It has been argued that the effects are not simply local, and that tree
������������������������������������������������������������������������
felling as far afield as the Congo affects rainfall in the Sahel, hundreds of miles to
Mrs Suufee, aged 62, is a widow living with her
the north. Deforestation accounts for between 20 and 30 per cent of all greenhouse
������������������������������������������������������������������������
31-year-old son who has five children in Sire Baabo
gas emissions worldwide and has devastating effects on both biodiversity and local
village, Ethiopia. Her husband died recently. Her
communities.26
elder son also lives nearby and has eleven children.
The family cultivates three hectares on which they
Habiba Hassan, from central Somalia, says:
grow sorghum, maize, teff, and wheat.
‘No-one is going to survive out here, unless they bring water. I am 70 years old
Mrs Suufee has noticed definite changes in the now, and the temperatures are getting hotter and hotter as the years pass by.
local climate. The amount of rainfall has been We cut down trees so we can make some money from charcoal, but those
reduced and it tends to be erratic. In particular, the areas that we cut are turning to desert.’
sorghum-growing season has been getting shorter
and shorter. Ideally, sorghum does best when rainfall The Boston Globe reports that everyone in her village knew the reason for the drought.
starts in early February and continues until October. ‘It’s global warming’ she said, adding that villagers had learned much about the
Nowadays, the earliest rain may not start until April. potential effects from climate change from radio programmes aired on the BBC’s daily
In her experience, they get two or three good years Somali Service. ‘In the past, this season was very hot during the day and cold at night.
followed by one or two bad years. For the most part Now the temperature seems to be equal day and night. At night, we have to sleep
the rainfall is adequate for the vegetative growth outside, it’s so hot.’27
Mrs Suufee Mulata, Sire Baabo Village, stage but stops early at the heading and flowering
Ethiopia25 stages in September. During those years, yields are
Africa – Up in smoke 2
12. large-scale charcoal production that intensifies deforestation, fighting over water and
pastures, selling livestock, and dropping out of school.
And yet, even though droughts are becoming more intense and more frequent, it is
primarily politics that explains the increasing inability of many pastoralists to cope with
what the climate throws at them.�
The arid and semi-arid lands of Kenya make up more than 80 per cent of the country
and are home to over 30 per cent of its population and more than half of its livestock.
Yet nomadic pastoralists are some of the most under-provided-for and politically
under-represented people in East Africa. Lacking education and health care for
��������������������������������������
themselves and their children, water provision and veterinary care for their animals, or
help in marketing skins and animal products, means that they lack alternative income
opportunities and place increased pressure on the environment�� .
Oxfam and others argue that if the Kenyan Government makes good on its promises
People bringing their weakened animals to an Oxfam destocking programme. Photo: Jane Beesley, Oxfam. to promote sustainable development in the arid and semi-arid lands, and also creates
a national drought contingency fund, pastoralism could still, despite climate change,
Three case studies from Kenya be not only a viable way of life, but a profitable one, too.28
Turkana: new approaches to relief
Aid agencies like Oxfam and Practical Action are also calling for new, creative and
In 2005/06 some 25 million people faced a serious food crisis across sub-Saharan
dignified approaches to emergency relief, including less food aid from abroad.
Africa, 11 million of them in East Africa. Cows and goats, even camels, died in vast
One new approach used by both agencies is a ’meat aid safety net‘ or ’off-take‘. In
numbers. In East Africa, Oxfam alone provided food and water to over 700,000 people
this, people sell their weakest animals – usually goats that would die in the drought
in one of its biggest humanitarian operations. The crisis in Turkana district in north
– to the agency for a fair, fixed price. The animals are slaughtered and the sellers
west Kenya, and the stories of some of the people involved, appeared in the first Up in
receive both the meat and the hide, which they can sell on. These schemes have been
smoke? report in 2004 and in Africa – Up in smoke? in 2005.
very successful. People receive a good price for what would otherwise be an almost
The Turkana have names for the increasingly frequent droughts. The latest has been worthless animal, money they can use to buy food, to pay off debts or to restock.
called Atiaktiak ng’awiyei or ’the one that divided homes‘ because so many families The money stays in the local economy. Women often use the money to buy school
split up to survive, migrating in all directions to the borders, towns and relief camps. uniforms, which means their children can then go to school, not only enabling them to
They say that there has been, in effect, an almost continuous drought problem since resume their education, but providing them with school meals. People’s main diet is
1999 when the Kichutanak drought. Kichutanak means ’it has swept away everything, meat, so the system ensures people receive their preferred food, rather than maize and
even animals’. Hassan Mahmood, one pastoralist, said: ‘ beans that require lengthy cooking using a lot of fuel wood. Finally, destocking reduces
grazing pressure on the dry land. Other interventions include cash for work, direct cash
This drought has no comparison. No other drought has been like this. It’s relief to the most vulnerable, provision of veterinary services, and seed distributions.
all encompassing. All regions are affected; there is no place to escape,
everywhere is dried out.’ Sesophio, a Maasai pastoralist from Ololosokwan village, Ngorongoro, Tanzania
Previous droughts happened in 1992–95 (Longuensil or ‘when the man with no legs (pictured), said:
from Oxfam came’, a reference to an Oxfam member of staff with a disability), 1979- “It is this development, like cars, that is bringing stress to the land, and plastics
80 (Lopiar or ’sweeping everything away’), 1970 (Kimududu or ’the plague that killed are being burnt and are filling the air. We think there is a lot of connection
humans and livestock‘) and 1960 (Namotor or ’bones exposed‘). between that and what is happening now with the droughts. If you bring oil and
petrol and throw it onto the grass it doesn’t grow, so what are all these cars and
To survive the droughts, people have had to resort to practices that damage their new innovations doing to a bigger area? Every day diseases are increasing…
dignity and security, their long-term livelihoods, and their environment, including diseases we haven’t seen before.”29
Africa – Up in smoke 2 10
13. Isiolo: Conflict over water
In Kenya’s Isiolo District, Sambarwawa
is a place where groups of pastoralists
congregate in times of drought. Each
group is allocated a space on the dry
riverbed to dig a shallow well for water.
They are allowed to bring their animals
to drink here once every four days. ‘It’s
a sort of cafeteria system to ensure
everybody has a chance to get water
for their animals,’ says local leader Wako
Liba. But the system has been under
extraordinary strain because of almost
a decade of drought. By December
2005, some 10,000 herders with
200,000 animals had descended on tiny
Sesophio, youth chief, Ololosokwan, Ngorongoro, Dry waterhole, Turkana. Photo: Jane Beesley, Oxfam.
Sambarwawa, many trekking 400km from
Tanzania. Photo: Jane Beesley, Oxfam.
the epicentre of the drought in the east
in Turkana and Wajir. Although the village had not seen rain for a year, they knew they The 36-year-old, who grows chilli, egg plants, green peppers and other crops for the
could still find water under the riverbed. But then the shallow wells began to dry up. local and export market, remembers when the land around his plot in Mtitoandei in
Tharaka District in central-south Kenya was an oasis of green. Now that has changed.
‘As the water level dropped, I foresaw conflict,’ says Liba. ‘Some herders started
encroaching on boreholes owned by different communities. As one group pushed The farms were irrigated from a nearby canal, which in 1982 flowed for 7km. But now
to water its livestock, another moved to restrict access to the few boreholes that had the levels of rainfall have dropped and the water only travels half a kilometre, forcing
enough water.’ As the drought intensified, the pressure finally led to killings. hundreds of farmers to abandon their farms and livelihoods.
‘Gunshots reverberated the whole night,’ Liba recalls. ‘By the time I came down, seven ‘I would estimate we now get 40 per cent less rain than we used to,’ says Joshua.
people had died. There were dozens of injuries. Animal carcasses littered almost a ‘Many farmers have left, mainly because the water no longer runs along the canal
kilometer stretch of the valley.’ David Kheyle, 37, was queuing for water when fighting broke like it used to. These people now have nothing. They are destitute. Therefore, climate
out. ‘There was grumbling that evening. A good number of boreholes didn’t have water change is increasing poverty.’
so the queues were relentless,’ he says. ‘People were becoming impatient. Suddenly
there was a scramble at the northern end of the valley… it was a free-for-all. But it later However Joshua says the government and international community could help him
took on an ethnic dimension when people aligned with their kind to defend themselves.’ and other farmers get back on their feet with irrigation systems and advice on water
management. But, he adds, basic work on the current canal could also be a lifeline for
Edwin Rutto of the Africa Peace Forum, says that there is an ‘established correlation fellow farmers.
between drought and violent conflict’. With recurring droughts associated with climate
change, poor pastoralists are stuck in an ever-tightening poverty-trap. ‘After people go ‘In the past there was enough water to compensate for what leaked out of the canal,’
through a period of relative recovery, then another drought hits. People are living in a he explains. ‘That is no longer so, now every drop is very important. Making the canal
state of perpetual suffering,’ says Rutto.30 watertight and improving the dam which serves it could dramatically improve the
distance the water flows. With water people could work to get themselves on their feet
Tharaka: The canal that ran dry again. Without it, they can do nothing.’ 31
Joshua Musyoki-Mutua has every right to be worried about his future. Out of 300
farmers who grew crops around him a decade ago, he is now one of only two who
remain – a fact he blames on global warming.
Africa – Up in smoke 2 11
14. Promoting sustainable agriculture
While some agricultural areas may benefit from increased rainfall and carbon have been sufficiently large that farmers are creating community grain stores to
dioxide fertilisation, estimates suggest climate change will reduce crop yields by provide for the most vulnerable members of communities.
10 per cent over the whole of Africa and even more in localised regions: a 33 per
cent reduction in maize in Tanzania; millet down between 20 and 76 per cent and Reversing desertification in Senegal
sorghum down between 13 and 82 per cent in Sudan.32 In Africa, 70 per cent of the
������������������������������ Another impressive project with big implications for African agriculture has been
working population relies on agriculture to make a living, the majority of them women taking place in the Sebikotane area of Senegal. Since the 1970s Senegal has suffered
farmers and cultivators. Due to their efforts, agriculture contributes 40 per cent of the successive droughts, a progressive southwards shift and reduction in rainfall (by
continent’s collective Gross Domestic Product. At the same time, external development 30–40 per cent), falling groundwater tables, and soil degradation. In addition, the
aid to agricultural production in sub-Saharan Africa declined by 43 per cent between Sebikotane area is near the coast and exposed to strong winds that blow away the
1990–92 and 2000–02, from an average of $1.7 billion to an average of $975 billion, soil.
although it has shown a slight recovery since.33
A pilot farm there has shown, however, that it is possible to ’produce the environment‘
Conservation farming raises yields ten-fold in Zambia – to create a new environment, even reversing desertification, and to increase
The Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) a Tearfund partner, is training people to production and earnings as a result. One way in which the farm does this is through
use a technique known as ‘conservation farming’, which has helped communities in agroforestry. Trees planted in dense perennial hedges act as windbreaks, protecting
the Monze East area deal with changing rainfall patterns and boost self-sufficiency soils and creating microclimates suitable for a variety of crops. Drip-i����������������
rrigation-based
in the face of drought. This is vital in an area that has recorded the lowest river water commercial crops have replaced traditional predominantly rain-fed forms of agriculture
levels in 12 years and in a country where 17 per cent of the population is HIV+ (and earning growers more money. The windbreaks also provide valuable fuel wood for
thus often forced to spend what scant resources they possess on medicines, or are cooking, lessening the burden on girls and women to collect wood. Many farmers
�������������
too ill to work) and which has more than 1.5 million orphans. who have passed through the Sebikotane pilot farm have gone home to replicate the
techniques learned on their own land.
Conservation farming is a minimum-tillage method that traps moisture, improves the
quality of the soil, minimises soil erosion and creates growing conditions that exhibit a According to Moussa Seck of the Senegalese NGO Environement et Developpement
high drought tolerance. There is typically a ten-fold yield increase associated with this du Tiers-Monde (ENDA-TM), it is vital to think longer-term. Current cycles of adaptation
method. Conservation farming lessens the farmers’ reliance on rain as crops can utilise programmes, typically three to five years, are not long enough. Learning to use the
the moisture trapped in the soil. Sebikotane system takes a long time and similar adaptation programmes must be
given long-term commitments.34
It is different from traditional farming patterns because it requires sustained periods of
moderate activity on the farmers’ part rather than short periods of intense activity. This
has enabled many to continue to farm (and so feed their families), many who would
otherwise be too frail to cope with the traditional ways of working the land. This is
particularly beneficial for women who are increasingly responsible for agriculture.
By encouraging farmers to diversify, EFZ helps to ensure that yields remain high
even in times of low rainfall. In some years, Conservation farming of maize alone isn’t
enough to ensure adequate food for people. When this happens, diversification acts
as a vital coping mechanism. For example, cash crops can be grown and then sold
to purchase food. Herb cultivation is also being actively encouraged as herbs can be
used to make home remedies to boost sufferers’ immune systems. The yield increases
Africa – Up in smoke 2 12
15. Climate change and HIV/AIDS: the insidious links
The association between climate change and HIV/AIDS is by no means direct, but it Table 1: Burden of climate change attributable disease in sub-Saharan Africa
is insidiously real. AIDS has led to lowered productivity as more and more farmers are
infected and affected. Many survivors have to spend time attending funerals, looking Cause of climate change Disease burden (measured in disability-
after orphans, or managing the estates of the deceased. Absenteeism from school attributable disease adjusted life years attributable to climate
and work is common. At the same time, unreliable rain patterns, which are becoming change in 2000)
a permanent feature in many parts of the country, have led to massive crop failures
of such magnitude as to lead to severe malnutrition, which accelerates the negative Diarrhoea 260,000
effects of the disease and poverty. Girls suffer disproportionately; to survive girls may
be forced into early marriage or prostitution. Many rural folk migrate to towns where Malaria 682,000
they are more likely to get infected. In Monze District of Zambia a new research
project aims to better understand the links between climate change, drought, and Floods 3,000
HIV/AIDS. Energy and Environmental Concerns for Zambia is conducting the research
with Dutch funding, in collaboration with the World Bank Development Economics Malnutrition 323,000
Research Group.35
All causes 1,267,000
The threat to health
The strong association between climate change and increased disease was outlined
in a seminal paper in the magazine Nature (November 2005). American academic
Professor Jonathan Patz and others showed how diseases associated with climate
change hit poor people, with sub-Saharan Africa being the worst affected.
Christian Aid has taken this work further to project how many people might die from
disease associated with climate change by the end of the century in sub-Saharan
Africa – an estimated 182 million people.36
Africa – Up in smoke 2 13
16. Farming food or biofuel?
As regional instabilities and dwindling oil supplies send fuel prices higher, political consisting of rudimentary shacks built on stilts above the water. Massive influxes of
leaders and businesses are scrambling to secure energy supplies. Attention is turning new residents are largely uncontrolled and completely exceed the capacity of existing
to biological sources, such as crops and trees, and climate change is adding extra infrastructures. Seventy-two per cent of the citizens in the cities of sub-Saharan Africa
impetus. Plants absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis. When burnt they live in slums.38
simply emit what they have already absorbed and – in theory – no additional carbon
dioxide enters the atmosphere. The major danger to people in cities like Lagos will probably be from extreme
events, such as increased storm surges (related to increasing average sea-levels)
For developing countries, shifting towards large-scale export-led biofuel crop and temperature extremes (related to increasing average temperatures). Increasing
production will have big impacts. Some could be positive – increased earnings for temperatures will also compound the problems associated with local air pollution and
farmers, farm labourers and exporters. But who benefits depends, like any commodity, increase the risk of heat-stress related deaths. Water supplies – precarious in urban
on who has power in the markets. Malawi is cultivating Jatropha trees for biodiesel, slums at the best of times – may be disrupted. The impacts of climate change on rural
often in areas previously under tobacco cultivation. It is early days yet; too early to areas may further increase the pressures already causing the rural poor to migrate to
see whether the new trees will maintain similar employment levels; many poor people the cities.
depend on tobacco picking for wage labour.
Ultimately, the process of tackling climate change for a city such as Lagos cannot be
South Africa has a string of biofuel initiatives, and other countries are rapidly getting viewed as a separate issue in itself; there are simply too many other priorities. Climate
involved, too. Nigeria, Africa’s largest crude-oil producer, has projects with the change will need to be framed in the context of achieving a sustainable development
Renewable Energy Efficiency Partnership to cultivate cassava and sugarcane for pathway that includes poverty reduction and environmental protection. A transition to
biodiesel and Ghana has a biodiesel refinery for its 20,000 hectares of biodiesel a low-carbon economy is desirable – developing new industries supplying renewable
plantation. energy technologies or low-carbon transport systems.39
One big problem is that, in practice, many sources of biofuels offer negligible or Better bricks need less fuel
negative carbon savings because the growing and conversion process from crop to One example of the many innovative, home-grown technologies that are being
fuel is itself energy-intensive and cancels out the carbon gains of plant growth. employed by Africans to solve environmental problems comes from Uganda. There
the Appropriate Technology Centre in Mbale, in conjunction with Makere University,
But a bigger issue is that a proponent of biodiesel like Jeff Schafer estimates that Kampala, has been disseminating the use of interlocking stabilised soil blocks across
even if high-yield biofuel crops replaced food crops entirely and were grown on all the country and further afield.
the farmland on Earth, they would only meet 20 per cent of current crude-oil energy
demands. Car ownership is soaring and now contributes about 20 per cent of The bricks are made primarily from ordinary soil with a small portion of cement and
global carbon dioxide emissions. It seems the world has a choice: reduce car use or compressed in a manually operated pressing machine. The bricks are then dried in the
dramatically expand the area cultivated for biofuels – mainly to grow fuel for affluent sun before use. This totally removes the need to fire them, which uses great quantities
countries – with all that could imply for food production.37 of wood.
Urban perspectives on climate change Furthermore, the bricks interlock so that structures can be built using only a small
The population of Lagos, Nigeria, is likely to grow to 16 million by 2015, making it amount of cement to hold them firmly and safely together. The pressing machines
the world’s eleventh-largest urban system. One of the first sights that greet the visitor can make bricks that are straight or curved; straight for construction of houses and
arriving after dark is the fumes and smoke swirling around the headlights of gridlocked other buildings and curved for the construction of cheap, easy-to-build water-storage
traffic on the miles-long Third Mainland Bridge. The acrid smell of exhaust fumes containers.40
stings the nose and mingles with the overpowering smells from the city’s largest slum,
Africa – Up in smoke 2 14
17. Endnotes
1 The Economist 1 January 2005.
2 Simms A (2005) Africa – Up in smoke? (London: nef and IIED) www.neweconomics.org or www.iied.org [4 October 2006].
3 Stop Climate Chaos www.stopclimatechaos.org
4 Simms A (2006) Up in smoke? – Latin America and the Caribbean (London: nef and IIED).
5 �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council, (June 6-9, 2006), Agenda Item 13, Status Report on the Climate Change Funds.
6 Clean eergy and dvelopment: twards an ivestment famework, April 5, 2006 draft, p. 33. World Bank/IMF: New York.
7 Mayne R (2006) Causing Hunger: an overview of the food crisis in Africa, Oxfam Briefing Paper 91, July 2006. (Oxford: Oxfam International).
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_we_do/issues/conflict_disasters/bp91_hunger.htm [4 October 2006].
8 Ibid.
9 www.irinnews.org interview with Klaus Toepfer, Nairobi, 14 March 2006.
10 IPCC, 2001.
11 Christian Aid (2006) The climate of poverty: facts, fears and hope. (London: Christian Aid). www.christian-aid.org.uk/indepth/605caweek/index.htm [4 October 2006].
12 See for example the findings of the ADAPTIVE project featured in Africa – Up in smoke? op. cit.
13 Source: Modelling the recent evolution of global drought and projections for the twenty-first century with the Hadley Centre climate model. Burke, Brown and Christidis, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research.
Contact eleanor.burke@metoffice.gov.uk
14 Source: Oxfam.
15 Berton H ‘Food security interventions in West African Sahel’., Presentation to Oxfam (Niger: Oxfam).
16 Kelly M and Hulme M (1993) ‘������������������������������������ Tiempo Issue 9. www.tiempocyberclimate.org/floor0/archive/issueo09/t9art1.htm [4 October 2006].
Desertification and climate change’
17 Source: http://jisao.washington.edu/data/sahel/ [4 October 2006].
18 Held IM, Delworth TM, Lu J, Findell KL and Knutson TR (2005) ‘������������������������������������������������������������������������� Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), 13 December 2005, 102:
Simulation of Sahel drought in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries’
50. www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.0509057102 [4 October 2006].
19 Black R (2005) ‘����������������������������������������������������������������������������
Climate change will dry Africa’ BBC News (Science/Nature), 29 November 2005.
20 NCAR (2005) ‘������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
A continent split by climate change: new study projects stronger drought in southern Africa, more rain in Sahel’, 24 May 2005, citing Hurrell and Hoerling, National Center for Atmospheric Research.
www.ucar.edu/news/releases/2005/hurrell.shtml [4 October 2006].
21 Ambenje PG (2001) ‘������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Climate change and extreme weather/climate events: data needs for monitoring of land and atmospheric extremes’. GCOS Regional Workshop 3–5 October 2001, Kisumu, Kenya.
22 de Wit M and Stankiewicz J (2006) University of Cape Town, Science Express, March 2006, cited in IRIN News, 14 March 2006, ‘Environmental Health key to decreasing incidence of drought’.
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=52190SelectRegion=East_Africa,%20Horn_of_Africa [4 October 2006].
23 Kirby A (2001) ‘�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� �����
Coral shows El Niño’s rise’ BBC News (Science/Technology), 25 January 2001, citing research by Dr Sandy Tudhope and Prof. David Lea.
24 Hansen, Sato, Runedy, Lo, Lea, Medina-Elizade, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, September 26, 2006.
25 Source: Tearfund.
Africa – Up in smoke 2 15
18. 26 ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
The immense ability of humans to influence the climate is illustrated by the reasons for the cooling of the North Atlantic. SSTs were altered partly by greenhouse gases and partly by pollutants – particularly sulphate
particles – in the atmosphere in Northern latitudes that reflected sunlight. These cooled the Northern hemisphere, and rains were drawn southwards away from the Sahel. Since clean air legislation the North Atlantic has
warmed up and rainfall has moved in response and recovered somewhat. If greenhouse gases warm the Northern hemisphere more in the future, it might be expected that this wetting will continue, but Held’s model
predicts that increasing greenhouse gases will cause a general heating that overrides this and leads to dramatic drying in the twenty-first century.
27 The Boston Globe 20 February 2006.
28 Kirkbide M (2006) Delivering the agenda: addressing chronic under-development in Kenya’s arid lands Oxfam Briefing Paper 88 (Oxford: Oxfam International).
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_we_do/issues/livelihoods/downloads/bp88_kenya.pdf [4 October 2006].
Huser K and Kirkbride M (2006) Making the case: a national drought contingency fund for Kenya, 2006 Oxfam briefing paper 89.
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_we_do/issues/conflict_disasters/downloads/bp89_kenya.pdf [4 October 2006].
29 Source: Oxfam.
30 Christian Aid, ibid.
31 Source: Practical Action.
32 Tanzanian submission to the IPCC quoted in: Murray L and Orindi V (2005) Adapting to climate change in East Africa: a strategic approach. Gatekeeper Series 117 (London: IIED).
33 Source: OECD, quoted in Mayne (2006) op. cit.
34 Seck M, Mamouda MNA and Wade S (2005) ‘Adaptation and Mitigation through produced environments: the case for agricultural intensification in Senegal’ in Yamin F and Huq S eds (2005) Vulnerability, adaptation and
climate disasters , p71–86, IDS Bulletin, 36(4 (Brighton: Institute for Development Studies) http://www.ids.ac.uk/ids/bookshop/bulletin/bull364.html
See also id21News Number 210, ‘Changing farming systems to adapt to climate change in Senegal’, September 2006: www.id21.org/society/s3ms1g1.html [4 October 2006].
35 Pablo Suarez, Department of Geography, Boston University, suarez@bu.edu
36 Patz et al. 2005, cited by Christian Aid, ibid.
37 Source: Panos.
38 www.kutokanet.org
39 Source: Columban Faith and Justice.
40 ��������������� www.ashdenawards.org
Ashden Awards,
Photo: Ami Vitale, Oxfam
Africa – Up in smoke 2 16
19.
20. Supporting organisations (The Working Group on Climate Change and Development)
Formerly CIIR
new economics foundation, 3 Jonathan Street, London SE11 5NH, United Kingdom
Written and compiled by: John Magrath, Programme Researcher, Oxfam, with the
assistance of Andrew Simms, policy director of nef (the new economics foundation) and Telephone: +44 (0)20 7820 6300 Facsimile: +44 (0)20 7820 6301
the support of and material supplied by fellow members of the Working Group on Climate E-mail: info@neweconomics.org Website: www.neweconomics.org
Change and Development. International Institute for Environment and Development
Thanks are also due to: all the active members of the Working Group on Climate Change 3 Endsleigh Street, London WC1H 0DD, United Kingdom
and Development, Saleemul Huq, Beth Hughes, Petra Kjell, Ruth Potts and the Ashden Trust Tel: +44 (0)20 7388 2117 Fax: +44 (0)20 7388 2826
for ongoing support and encouragement. E-mail: info@iied.org Website: www.iied.org
Cover photo: Crispin Hughes, Oxfam
Edited by: Mary Murphy Design by: the Argument by Design – www.tabd.co.uk Published by nef, October 2006
Registered charity number 1055254 ISBN 1 904882 17 X