CLIMATE CHANGE is a key component of Goal 7 of the MDGs to ensure environmental sustainability as a poverty reduction measure. Target 9 of MDG-7 in particular promotes measures that reduce carbon dioxide emissions, energy use, and the use of solid fuels. However, the achievement of each of the MDGs is directly or indirectly threatened by climate change. We cannot effectively address global poverty without accounting for the impact of climate change on agriculture, disease patterns, and violent weather events, all of which impact particularly the developing and the least developed countries.
Moreover, among developing countries the negative impact of climate change is first and worst for the poorest countries and the poorest people: there, the climate sensitive sectors (agriculture and fisheries) are the most important for their economy. Already, according to WHO estimates, over 96% of deaths related to disasters caused by extreme weather were in poor countries who had contributed least to the atmospheric buildup of greenhouse gases linked to the recent warming of the planet; these are the countries hardest hit by the negative impacts of climate change.
Presently GCAP Sub-regional Secretariat (GCAP-SARS) in Bangladesh has been closely monitoring the devastating effect of the recent cyclone SIDR which killed thousands of people overnight. The upcoming “Bali Conference” from 3 to 14 December 2008 would likely to establish the process to work on the key building blocks of a future climate change regime including adaptation, mitigation, technology cooperation and financing the response to climate change.
However, the South Asia (SA) GCAP secretariat plans one and half day South Asia level Civil Society Consultation with the environmental scientists, experts, civil society representatives, and those who are involved in environmental security related activities.
Half the world — nearly three billion people — live on less than two dollars a day.
The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of the poorest 48 nations (i.e. a quarter of the world’s countries) is less than the wealth of the world’s three richest people combined.
A mere 12 percent of the world’s population uses 85 percent of its water, and these 12 percent do not live in the Third World.
Close to half of all people in developing countries suffering at any given time from a health problem caused by water and sanitation deficits.
About 25,000 people die every day of hunger or hunger-related causes, according to the United Nations. This is one person every three and a half seconds, as you can see on this display. Unfortunately, it is children who die most often.
