Climate change could derail Africa poverty drive
If the world does not act to stop global warming, efforts to reduce poverty in Africa could be in vain.
The warning comes from environmental campaigning group WWF in a paper given at a climate change conference in Exeter.
The conference coincides with the UK holding both the presidencies of the G8 and EU in 2005. Tony Blair has promised to make both Africa and global warming the key issues of the presidencies.
Dr Anthony Nyong, who wrote the paper, argues that global warming will impact particularly on the poorest and will undermine attempts to eradicate poverty in Africa.
Dr Nyong, said: “Every record shows that climate change is happening, both past records and predictive models.
“What is less well discussed or studied is the potential devastating impact of climate change on poverty eradication. The reality is that they go hand in hand and can not be separated.”
His paper focuses on the affects global warming would have on human and economic development. With rising temperatures it is estimated that in South Africa the areas where malaria is a problem will double.
Dr Nyong calculated that by 2080 an extra 80-120 million people will be at risk of hunger, with up to 80 per cent of those living in Africa.
Head of climate change at WWF-UK, Dr Catarina Cardoso, said: “In Africa, studies have shown that a warming of up to two degrees Celsius would bring with it a set of impacts to the continent’s rich but fragile ecosystem,”
“If global warming is not tackled the viability of millions of people’s livelihoods in Africa will be undermined. Without significant new resources, millions of others won’t be able to adapt to changes that are already happening.”
