The Human Face of Climate Change
Photo: Tine Harden
- I have contributed the least to it, yet I am paying the highest price
The Human Face of Climate Change
Photo: Brendan Bannon
- Our crops are failing
M o s t o f t h e w o r l d ’s p o o r e s t p e o p l e a r e f a r m e r s . H i g h e r temperatures and changing rainf all pat ter ns, as well as worsening f loods and drought s, are k illing their crops. Rainf all in some Sub-Saharan countr ies has declined by 25 percent in the l ast 30 years, and the number of food emergenc ies has tr ipled since the mid-1980s. In some of the poorest Af r ican countr ies, climate change may reduce har vest s by as much as 50 % by 2020.
The Human Face of Climate Change
Photo: Tine Harden
- We must walk even further for water
Wa t e r i s l i f e. Pe a s a nt fa r me r s de p e nd o n ra i n - f e d agriculture and w a t e r ho l e s fo r t he ms e l v e s a nd t he i r l i v e s t o c k . The number of A f r ic a ns l i v i ng w i t h w a t e r s c a rc i t y i s p ro j e c t e d to double from 3 0 0 m i l l io n i n 1 9 9 0 t o 6 0 0 m i l l io n b y 2 0 2 5 . Climate change w i l l b e re s p o ns i b l e fo r u p t o 2 5 0 m i l l io n of t h is total.
The Human Face of Climate Change
Photo: Tine Harden
- I only get one meal a day
Climate change threatens to ravage both nat ional and household e c o n o m i e s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d . It c o u l d k n o c k a s m u c h a s 2 0 percent of f the global GDP, w ith average consumpt ion level s dr opp ing an e q ual amo un t . Whil e t his wo ul d hur t e v er y one, i t would hur t poor people the most. Climate change could make it impossible for hundreds of millions of parent s to meet their children’s basic nutr it ional needs.
The Human Face of Climate Change
Photo: Ami Vitale
- Our health will decline
C l i ma t e c h a nge i s i nc re a s i ng t he na t u ra l ra nge and virulence of i ns e c t - t ra ns m i t t e d d i s e a s e s l i ke ma l a r ia . It i s also triggering d i s e a s e s a s s o c ia t e d w i t h dro u g ht s a nd f l o o d s, such as typhoid a nd c ho l e ra . T h i s t h re a t e ns t o o v e r w he l m ex i s ting health care fa c i l i t ie s. Wo r s e n i ng hu r r ic a ne s a nd c y c l o ne s a re also damaging he a l t h c a re fac i l i t ie s i n ma ny p o o r c o u nt r ie s t h at cannot afford t o re b u i l d t he m .
The Human Face of Climate Change
Photo: Evelyn Hockstein
- We fled from a conflict
C l i ma t e c h a nge i s t r ig ge r i ng s ma l l - s c a l e c o n flicts in Africa, As ia a nd L a t in A me r ic a – mo s t l y a s a re s u l t of greater water s c a rc i t y. C l i ma t e c h a nge i s a p p a re nt l y p l a y i ng a n important role i n l a rge r c o n fl ic t s a s w e l l , i nc l ud i ng t he hu ma nitarian disaster i n D a r f u r t h a t h a s c a u s e d a p p rox i ma t e l y 2 0 0 , 000 deaths and l e d 2 . 5 m i l l io n p e o p l e t o f l e e t he i r ho me s.
The Human Face of Climate Change
Photo: Tine Harden
- We had to leave our homes
Pa c k u p o r p e r i s h . F o rc e d m ig ra t io n i s t he h a r s h reality awaiting m a n y p e o p l e a f f e c t e d b y c l i m a t e c h a n g e. R e d u c e d r a i n f a l l , l e ng t he n i ng dro u g ht s, r i s i ng s e a - l e v e l s a nd re l ated phenomena a re ex p e c t e d t o c a u s e b e t w e e n 2 0 0 m i l l io n and one billion p e o p l e – mo s t of w ho m a re p o o r, u ne duc a t e d and unwelcome e l s e w he re – t o e v a c ua t e t he i r ho me s b y 2 0 5 0 .
The Human Face of Climate Change
Photo: Tine Harden
- You need to care The c it izens and gover nment s of industr ialized countr ies have to lead the way in reduc ing global greenhouse gas emissions. Only t hen w il l ot her s do t heir par t . At t he s ame t ime, we have to dramat ically e xpand access to f inanc ial resources, infor mat ion and technical suppor t that f ac ilit ates poor nat ion’s adapt at ion to a more rough and changing climate.