The facts are inescapable: The world’s richest countries have historically contributed the most to the atmospheric changes linked to global warming. Nearly two-thirds of the heat trapping gasses have come from the United States and Western Europe. The entire continent of Africa has contributed only 3%, yet, it is the world’s poorest inhabitants that will bear the brunt of the changes brought about by global warming.
A study, published in an August issue of Environmental Research Letters, has shown that climate change will have a disproportionate impact on the world’s poor, pushing them further into poverty. The study examined the potential economic impact of adverse climate events, such as heat waves, drought and heavy rains on households in developing countries.
“Extreme weather affects agricultural productivity and can raise the price of staple foods, such as grains, that are important to poor households in developing countries,” said Noah Diffenbaugh, the interim director of Purdue’s Climate Change Research Center who co-led the study. “Studies have shown global warming will likely increase the frequency and intensity of heat waves, drought and floods in many areas.”
While wealthy countries are not immune to flooding and drought, they have far greater resources to cope with such events. Poorer countries frequently do not have the ability to pay for expensive adaptation solutions. We must fight global warming and global poverty to give these communities a better shot at coping with a warmer world. Climate change is already happening. Every time we turn on the lights, take a flight or drive a car, we emit greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide that trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and contribute to the problem of climate change.
Live Climate supports impoverished communities through innovative carbon reduction projects that alleviate poverty. Live Climate offers donors quality offset projects that provide a unique focus on project co-benefits to communities. The projects featured on Live Climate are located in poorer countries and are using the power of carbon markets to reduce the carbon dioxide and improve local livelihoods.
Check out LiveClimate.org and learn how you can help in the fight against global warming and support impoverished communities at the same time!
