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Vulnerabilities of Developing Countries to Climate Change • Developing countries more vulnerable – Fewer resources to adapt • Socially, technologically, financially – Climate change impacts depend on: • Climate, geographical, social, cultural, economic and political situations – Common sectors impacted • Agriculture, water resources, coastal zone, biodiversity, terrestrial ecosystems. Adaptation • Process by which societies make themselves better able to cope with uncertain future Adaptation Options • • • • • • • • Technological –e.g. sea walls, houses on stilts Behavioral – less water use in droughts Mosquito netting Warning systems for extreme events Better water management Improved risk management Insurance Biodiversity conservation Regional Impacts of Climate Change--Africa • Feeling pressure from climate stresses • Some areas = most variable climate – Go from drought to floods in months to decades – Lead to famine, etc – 1/3 African people live in drought prone areas – 220 million exposed to drought each year Factors Compounding Impacts of Climate Variability in Africa • • • • • • • • • • Poverty Illiteracy Lack of skills Weak institutions Limited infrastructure Lack of technology and information Poor education Poor health care Lack of access to resources Armed conflicts Other issues in Africa • Desertification • Overexploitation of land resources e.g. forests • Population increases • With climate change, African climate more variable • Extreme weather more frequent & severe • Increased coastal flooding due to sea level rise • Increased water scarcity lead to conflicts – River basins transnational • Agriculture relies on rainfall • Climate change = agricultural land lost – Shorter growing seasons Diseases, climate change and Africa • Africa vulnerable to malaria, tuberculosis, diarrhea • Climate change = increased temperatures = migration of diseases to new areas and higher latitudes – E.g. Malaria mosquito migration to higher areas exposes more people in densely populated highlands • Increased diseases interact with existing diseases such as HIV/AIDS shortens life expectancy • Interaction of diseases with wars also decreases life spans—also leads to malnutrition Climate Change and African Ecosystems • Species migration and habitat reduction • Habitat reduction – Agriculture expansion & habitat destruction – Pollution – Poaching – Civil war – Population growth • Western lowland Gorilla is endangered and will decline Climate Change and Sea Level Rise -- Africa • 30% of coastal countries vulnerable • Impact urban center and ports e.g. Cape Town, Maputo, Dar Es-Salaam Climate Change Impacts and Asia • Asia is largest continent – Many different climate zones – Many environmental issues • Land/ecosystems degraded = decreased food security • Water and air quality degraded – Consumption and waste generated • Subject to many natural hazards – E.g. 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, 2005 Pakistan Earthquake, 2006 landslides in Philippines • Increase extreme weather – E.g. heat waves, cyclones, intense rainfall, dust storms – Lead to hunger & disease Climate Change, Rainfall, & Asia • Rainfall will increase over most of Asia – Increased flooding – Decreased food production; up to 30% decrease in crop yield. Climate Change, Glaciers & Asia • Increase melting in Himalayas – Lead to flooding, erosion, mudslides in Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, north India – Melting corresponds with monsoon season • Increase in flood disasters – Melting = loss of glaciers, change in snowline • Less water for rivers = less water for people • 1 billion people could face water shortage Climate Change, Health, & Asia • Epidemics of malaria, dengue & other vector diseases • SE Asia = greatest climate change related diarrhea & malnutrition – Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan = more diarrhea diseases = more illness and death – Cholera will increase illness and death • Increase heat waves and humidity compound issues – Old people and poor urban population susceptible – Heat and poor air quality = smog caused illnesses Climate Change, Ecosystems, & Asia • Coastal areas most impacted – Sea level rise, increased ocean temperatures, changes in salinity change fish breeding areas and fish supply – Coastal communities impacted Sea Level Rise & Asia • Rising sea level may flood millions of residences – SE and E Asia vulnerable • Viet Nam, Bangladesh, India, China • 30 coral reefs lost in next 10 years, maybe up to 88% in 30 years Climate Change and Latin America • Includes most of world’s biodiversity • Many different ecosystems, climate zones, topography, • Water, agriculture, health sectors, Andean glaciers, the Amazon • Area experiences El Ninos & flooding & disease; also hurricanes egg. Honduras & Nicaragua, economic losses • NE Brazil subject to drought Climate Change, Glaciers & Latin America • Glaciers will melt – Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru in Andes depend on seasonal melt water • For water supply and hydroenergy – E.g. Chacaltaya Glacier, Bolivia • Will disappear in 15 years Climate Change, Rainfall, & Latin America • Not sure how climate change will impact rainfall – But dry areas will receive less rain • Less food security, degraded agricultural land – Generally, agricultural yields expected to decrease Climate Change, Health, & Latin America • Major climate change risks are on health – Heat stress due to urban heat islands in megacities – Transmittable diseases • Malaria, dengue, cholera • Rodent-borne diseases could also increase after floods droughts e.g. hantavirus • Increased droughts due to warmer, drier climates = more fires= more pulmonary diseases Climate Change, Ecosystems & Latin America • Amazon basin = 40% of remaining tropical forest – Earth’s richest biodiversity • • • • 1000’s of plant species 700 fish species 1000 bird species Over 300 mammalian species – Increased loss of forests lead to loss of species – Loss of forests leads change in climate Climate Change, Sea level, & Latin America • Low-lying coastal areas in Argentina, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guyana, Mexico, Panama, El Salvador, Uruguay, Venezuela will be impacted • Will impact buildings and tourism, shape of coasts, drinking water supply (e.g. Costa Rica), coral reefs (Mexico, Belize, Panama), and fish stocks Climate Change and Small Islands • Include 51 states and territories in Pacific, Indian, Atlantic, Caribbean Sea • Very vulnerable to climate change – Large settlements near coast – Water resources, land use, & biodiversity are important issues related to sea level rise – Increase population and poor use of resources also issues – Cyclones and storm surges, tropical storms, coastal erosion impact infrastructure Climate Change, Water Supply, And SIDS • Increased salt water encroachment due to sea level rise – Leads to loss of fresh water • Less rainfall due to climate change – Leads to loss of fresh water Climate Change, Agriculture and SIDS • • • • May have increased droughts Shorter growing seasons Poor soils Lead to economic losses, less food security, • Agricultural land also threatened by sea level rise • Low-lying islands impacted the most Climate Change, Health, & SIDS • Higher temperatures & decreased water supply lead to increased diarrheal and infectious diseases • Droughts and flooding increase disease susceptibility Climate Change, Sea Level, & SIDS • Rise in sea level leads to – Increased coastal erosion – 1 meter rise will lead to disappearance of Maldives • Sea level rise, extreme events will lead to loss of tourism and economies will suffer. – Barbados – 70% of hotels located within 250 meters of water or in the inundation zone