On the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty... 10 facts about climate change and its relationship to poverty

Weather of Arabia - On the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty , we once again find ourselves with the opportunity to reflect on the enormous challenges faced by millions of people around the world as a result of fragile economies and environmental degradation. Climate change and poverty are not just separate issues, but rather they are two parts of the same dilemma whose impacts are intertwined and exacerbated. In this article, we will look at ten facts that shed light on how climate change and poverty intersect and the efforts required to address them.

Climate change is not fair

According to a World Bank report, climate change is considered a major threat that could push up to 130 million people into an additional state of poverty over the next decade, and this is linked to many factors that can be summarized in several important points:

• Social Justice

Climate change is not fair. Low-income countries and poor individuals suffer more from its impacts and, due to their dependence on natural resources and their limited ability to cope with its impacts, are severely affected by environmental and climate disasters.

• Economic impact

Low-income countries become targets of natural and climate disasters, despite their small contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, and this affects their economic stability.

• Change resources

Individuals who depend on natural resources for a particular reason find that these resources decline due to climate change , worsening their situations.

• Environmental disasters

Disasters such as fires, droughts and hurricanes are becoming more frequent and devastating due to climate change.

• Fighting poverty

Achieving social justice can contribute to the fight against poverty, and this is not just a charitable act, but rather an act that reflects justice.

• Investing in children

Investments in improving the conditions of children and youth are an important part of the fight against poverty and climate change.

• International cooperation

Achieving change requires strong international cooperation to address the challenges of climate change.

• Popular participation

Popular participation and respect for the rights of children and youth must be strengthened to contribute to decision-making related to the environment and climate.

• Change policies and practices

Unfair policies and practices that negatively affect children and the poor must change.

• Awareness and awareness

Awareness of climate change and the need to take effective action to confront it must be enhanced and organizations such as World Vision play an important role in this context through their investment in the lives of children and youth, participation in efforts to combat poverty and confront the challenges of climate change on the international stage.

Climate change fuels hunger

According to the World Food Programme, an estimated 80% of people suffering from hunger around the world live in areas vulnerable to natural disasters and extreme weather conditions. Climate change is causing more frequent and severe droughts and floods, negatively impacting crop production both nationally and globally. This reduces food availability, leading to an increase in prices and again, low-income countries are most affected by these challenges.

Agriculture constitutes a large portion of the GDP in some low-income countries, and more than 65% of adults living in poverty rely on agriculture as a source of livelihood. When crop production declines, families go hungry, and according to the World Food Programme, competition Deprivation of food and resources leads to an increase in social conflicts, causing hunger to worsen.

Climate change is making water problems worse

Access to water already greatly affects the lives of people living in poverty, but climate change has made this problem worse. Climate change is making access to water more difficult by:

• Increased recurrent droughts
• And increase the evaporation rate
• and changes in rainfall patterns and surface water flow

These changes particularly affect water availability in subtropical regions, which already suffer from water scarcity. In addition, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts that water scarcity will increase from about 1.7 billion people to about 5 billion people by 2025.

On the other hand, while scarcity affects many poor people around the world, increased rainfall and floods will also increase vulnerability to the same extent. For communities that lack robust infrastructure, the impact of floods and rising sea levels can be dramatic.

Climate change makes it more difficult to be healthy

Climate change makes maintaining good health more complex , according to the World Health Organization, as it results in a direct increase in the incidence of diseases and health problems. These effects include malnutrition as a result of food shortages, an increase in deaths and injuries as a result of harsh weather conditions, worsening digestive problems due to excess or lack of water, and changes in temperature and humidity. In addition, rainfall can transport infectious diseases such as malaria and dengue fever to new geographic areas, exposing new populations to the risk of these deadly diseases. In countries that have difficulty providing adequate health care, climate change can be expected to have an impact. Great health response to the increase in cases of diseases and injuries.

Climate change makes it difficult to achieve livelihoods

Climate change is having catastrophic impacts, especially in places that rely heavily on agriculture as their main source of income. Prolonged drought or other extreme weather conditions such as floods can lead to the destruction of crops and livestock, leaving Takat unable to provide for their children and looking for alternatives to live.

According to the International Labor Organization , climate change is a factor that contributes to forcing 152 million children under the age of eighteen around the world to work and face difficulties. The impact of climate change also leads to an increase in the incidence of child marriage, as parents look for ways to reduce the burden on them, and it is expected that About 110 million more girls will become child brides by 2030. As an example, in Kenya, many communities are suffering from the impact of prolonged drought that has resulted in the loss of their main source of income.

The impact of climate change on forced migration

When water sources are lost, communities are hit by floods, or food supplies and livelihood options run out, families in need are left with no other options but to forcibly leave their homes; Due to climate change, which leads to an alarming increase in displacement and migration.

According to the World Food Programme , extreme weather conditions displaced about 30 million people in 2020, and this number is three times more than the number of displaced people. Due to violence and conflict and given expectations of increased climate emergencies, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC) expects that the numbers of internally displaced people and refugees will continue to increase and without homes or safety, children are particularly vulnerable to abuse, neglect and violence.

Climate change can make it harder for children to go to school

When families lose income, food sources, or become displaced from their homes, children's education usually becomes last or least important and as a result of not having income to fall back on, parents often find themselves unable to send their children to school, and instead, They are forced to keep them at home to help grow food, care for livestock, or even participate in making a living. When water becomes scarce, children - who are often tasked with collecting it - have to travel great distances to find a source of water, causing them to frequently miss school. , or reduce their available time to do schoolwork or even enjoy time and play. What makes matters more complicated is that losing this educational opportunity can ultimately lead to a continuation of the cycle of poverty for these children.

Adapting and recovering from climate change requires high costs

Low-income communities are the ones most affected by climate change, as it becomes more difficult to prevent and recover from climate change. Hurricanes, floods, and fires are all climate-related incidents that can cause widespread damage that erases years of hard-won development progress, such as infrastructure. Social infrastructure, housing, crops and livestock For families, communities and countries with limited resources, the recovery process can be very slow, putting families and children at increased risk of hunger and other difficulties, and can contribute to deepening poverty.

Climate change increases inequality

The impact of climate change is not limited to individuals living in extreme poverty , but it can further widen the gap between economic classes. Families who are already struggling to meet their needs and lack savings are more vulnerable to deprivation when their crops or livestock are exposed to the negative effects of drought, floods or storms. They can be forced to sell their possessions at all costs to meet their basic needs, while those with greater financial stability can retain their ability to generate profits in the face of financial challenges.

Climate change requires a collective effort to address it

Climate change is considered one of the biggest challenges facing the world at the present time, and it cannot be addressed by an individual, community, or country alone. However, through cooperation and joint efforts, every individual, every community, and every country can form part of the solution, and we will benefit. All of the change they contributed to.

Above all, countries can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to clean energy economies to prevent climate change from escalating in the future, and research shows that switching from fossil fuels to clean energy sources could add up to $26 trillion to the global economy by 2030.

In this context, organizations such as the Green Climate Fund, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and others around the world are working to prepare societies to face increasing climate risks and enable them to thrive in changing climates.

On this International Day , let us be aware that combating poverty and climate change requires thinking in an integrated manner and acting decisively. Achieving sustainable development depends on eliminating poverty and combating climate change simultaneously, and this requires joint efforts at the national and international levels.

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Sources:

wvi

globalcitizen