🌍 The Looming Climate-Poverty Crisis: How Unchecked Global Warming Threatens to Undo Decades of Progress Against Extreme Poverty 🚨Author: ...
Published on by Hossein Ataei Far, Deputy Manager of the Research, Technology Development, and Industry Relations Center at NWWEC
Author: Dr. Hossein Ataei Far
Introduction 🌎
The looming climate-poverty crisis threatens global stability. 🤝 Unchecked global warming jeopardizes decades of progress against extreme poverty. 🌡️
Main Points
Impact of Climate Change on Poverty 💧 🌾
Climate change worsens access to food, water, and healthcare. 🏥 It disrupts livelihoods, increases food insecurity, and destroys homes. 🏠 🌾 Droughts, floods, and storms devastate subsistence farmers and vulnerable communities. 🌪️ 🌊 🌾
Health Impacts 🔥 🦠 🌫️
Heat waves, infectious diseases, and air pollution intensify. 🌡️ This strains weaker health systems disproportionately, and treating climate-related illnesses strains household finances. 🏥 💰
Global Inequalities 🌎 💨 🤝
Developing countries, despite low emissions, face heightened vulnerability. 🌎 💨 Limited capacity to adapt exacerbates inequalities within and between nations. 🤝
Path Forward 🌱 ♻️ 🏥 ⛑️
We must urgently reduce emissions through renewables and sustainable practices. 🌱 ♻️ We also need to invest in healthcare, disaster preparedness, and resilience-building measures. 🏥 ⛑️
Baseline and Threat 📈 😥 📉
Poverty declined from 36% in 1990 to 10% in 2015. 📈 However, approximately 700 million people remained in extreme poverty as of 2020. 😥 Projected climate impact could push 132 million more into extreme poverty by 2030, potentially reversing progress. 📉
Disproportionate Impacts 🌍 😥
Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia face the brunt of the impact. 🌍 The poorest and marginalized within countries suffer most. 😥
Urgency of Action 🤝 🌱 🌎 🏗️
Global cooperation is urgently needed. 🤝 We must adopt clean energy, protect ecosystems, build resilient infrastructure, and expand social protections. 🌱 🌎 🏗️ Failure to act risks perpetuating poverty and inequality, particularly affecting the world's most vulnerable populations. 😥
Climate Vulnerability: Regions, Populations, and Key Challenges
1-Sub-Saharan Africa 🌍
Challenges: Reliance on rain-fed agriculture, high poverty levels, and limited resources.
Impacts: Increasing droughts, floods, and extreme weather leading to food insecurity, displacement, and conflict.
2-South Asia 🌏
Similar Challenges: Reliance on agriculture, vulnerability to climate impacts.
Coastal Vulnerability: Risks from rising sea levels and storm surges affecting large coastal populations.
3- Small Island Developing States (SIDS) 🏝️
Unique Threats: Facing existential risks from rising sea levels, ocean acidification, and extreme weather.
Dependence on Natural Resources: Economies heavily reliant on natural resources exacerbate susceptibility to climate impacts.
4-The Arctic ❄️
Rapid Warming: Melting glaciers, permafrost thaw, and changes in wildlife affect indigenous communities.
Cultural Impacts: Disruption of traditional practices like hunting and fishing, integral to cultural identity.
Vulnerable Populations 🚸
1- Rural Populations
2-High Vulnerability: Dependence on agriculture, lack of resources and infrastructure.
3-Susceptibility: More exposed to shocks like droughts and floods.
Indigenous Peoples
4- Reliance on Traditional Knowledge: Disrupted by climate change, leading to food insecurity and displacement.
5- Cultural Loss: Impact on cultural practices integral to their identity.
Women and Children
6- Disproportionate Impact: Vulnerability to water scarcity and food insecurity.
7- Health Risks: Children are more susceptible to malnutrition and disease.
Urban Poor
8-Overlooked Vulnerability: Impacted by extreme heat, flooding, and water scarcity.
9-Informal Settlements: Lack of access to basic services exacerbates risks.
Key Factors Contributing to Vulnerability 📊
1-Poverty: Lack of resources to cope with climate impacts.
2-Limited Access to Resources: Clean water, sanitation, healthcare, and education.
3-Dependence on Natural Resources: Vulnerability to changes in agriculture, fishing, and forestry.
4-Capacity to Adapt: Developing countries face financial resources, technology, and infrastructure challenges.
According to the World Bank, climate change could push 132 million people into extreme poverty, as shown in Picture 1.
References:
[1] World Bank: http://wrld.bg/zbMf50Sh9xR
[2] Twitter: https://lnkd.in/dMJQEnx4
[3] United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
[4] Change (UNFCCC): https://unfccc.int/
[5] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): https://www.ipcc.ch/
[6] United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): https://www.undp.org/
[7] Climate Action Tracker: https://lnkd.in/dAEMVrWs