Climate change: World’s poor are suffering most

AN IMAGE of a drought-hit Dublin was yesterday used to highlight the impact of climate change on the world’s poor.

Trocaire has pictured a dried-up riverbed in place of the famous Liffey waterway to ask how Ireland would cope with the harsh weather hitting poor countries.

Research by the aid agency shows under-developed regions are bearing the brunt of global warming and it is urging wealthy nations to do more to help.

“Rich countries must take responsibility for the devastating effects climate change is having on communities and families in the developing world” said Bishop John Kirby, chairman of Trocaire.

He was speaking yesterday as the agency launched its Lenten campaign.

As part of its annual funding appeal it is calling on government to use the cash raised by new “green” taxes to increase aid to poorer countries.

“I strongly believe that the Irish public would agree with this because the poorest people face the biggest impact from climate change and they have done little to cause it,” he said.

“It’s time the world’s poorest people got the support they need to help them cope with global warming.

“Climate change is undermining the fight against poverty.

“Developing countries haven’t caused global warming,” said the bishop.

“But the world’s poorest people are left to cope with the consequences for three reasons: they live in areas that are seeing the biggest impact of global warming; they depend heavily on the weather for their livelihoods; they are already living in poverty, therefore they are less able to cope with the impacts of these climate changes.”

An internal Trocaire survey among its partners across a variety of countries including India, Malawi, Kenya and El Salvador found:

* 86% said harsh weather conditions are having a negative effect on poor communities’ food supplies.

* 90% said climate changes are badly affecting people’s water supply.

* 43% said water supply is a source of tension and conflict in their region.

“According to institutions such as the UN and the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change, almost three times more disasters have been recorded in the last decade compared to the 1970s,” said Bishop Kirby. “These institutions also predict that in Africa, for example, if greenhouse emissions continue at their current rate, by 2020 between 75 and 250 million people won’t have enough water.

“Similarly, crop production in Africa is predicted to fall by 50% by 2020, while in southern Africa crop failure is predicted to be as high as 80%,” he said.

“Impacts like these would devastate Africa and completely destroy the progress that is being made in various countries,” said the bishop.

Trocaire is currently helping vulnerable communities to adapt to the effects of climate change.

Their work includes water storage and irrigation projects, agricultural projects, community emergency planning programmes and supporting local “green” technologies.

* Trocaire is placing further information on its campaign on the websitewww.trocaire.org/lent.