Addressing climate change is an issue of justice, not charity
By Irfan Mufti, Global Call to Action against Poverty Campaign Manager

The current climate crisis has reached to an alarming scale. The magnitude of its catastrophic effects on people, natural life, land, water and forest resources are enormous and in many cases irreversible. The current drastic changes and radicalization of climate patterns have proved the point that not all these changes are minimal or manageable anymore. Enough scientific data, empirical evidence and clear indicators are available now to support this argument. It is now an obvious phenomenon that the climate is constantly changing and scientists are concerned that global warming caused by humans has overtaken natural fluctuations in climate and that this is having serious consequences for people and the planet. This current state of affairs clearly demand urgent, collective and focused interventions from all sides…. be it international forces, global institutions, national governments, regional bodies, civil society and corporate forces or any other concerned citizen.

Besides many damaging and direct effects of these changes and fluctuations on climate they also have detrimental effects on economic and social conditions of the millions of people. It is proven that clime change is intrinsically linked with poverty conditions and one cannot be tackled without addressing the other. It is clear that the poor are increasingly most directly affected by the catastrophic impacts of climate change.

People living in the poorest countries of the world such as Bangladesh and Niger will be, and already are, most affected by flooding, cyclones, deforestation, land losses and desertification causing destruction to human, animal and plant lives, famines, displacements, reduction in food production, losses of human and animal habitats and multiple other serious threats to the life and livelihood of millions on this planet.

It is also clear that if a third of the planet’s population continues to live in poverty and cannot afford clean energy sources and sustainable livelihood resources, this will increase the pressure on land, water, forests and other natural resources, exacerbating climate change.

Climate change will affect the income-generating capacity of vulnerable populations potentially increasing the number of people experiencing hunger. 

Though the effects of climate changes and its related systems have reached to almost everyone on this planet however given the lack of capacity, resources, and lack of support systems and coping mechanisms in southern countries the effects have reached to millions in these poor countries without remedy. Irony is that these people have little role in creating factors and conditions that cause catastrophic damages to their lives and livelihood.

Noting some alarming effects of these changes we see melting of glaciers increases the risk of flooding.  The rise in sea levels could oblige the forced displacement of over 200 million people. Harvests will continue to decrease particularly in Africa . By 2100 Chad , Niger and Zambia risk losing their entire agricultural sector.

The health impact of climate change on the poor is extreme.  The health impact of decreased access to clean water alone will be catastrophic. Diarrhea caused by lack of access to clean water is already responsible for the deaths of 5 million people (90% children).

At current rates, by 2015 around 2.170 million people around the world will still lack basic health services and 650 million will not have access to drinking water. Climatic changes risk exacerbating these problems, as resources are devoted elsewhere and drinking water supplies are affected.

The lives and livelihoods of millions are being steadily destroyed by denying them rights over land, water, forest, natural resources and energy. Climate Change is exacerbating this. Floods, droughts, famine and conflicts resulting from climate change also threaten the development goals for billions of the world's poorest people. 

While the representatives of 180 countries with observers from intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations as well as the media will be meeting under the banner of UN Climate Change Conference in Bali , Indonesia it is a good opportunity to take a stock of these issues and make firm commitment for the improvement in present conditions. It is also good that many civil society organisations have also announced it as a key moment for lobbying and campaigning on climate change by declaring December 8^th as global action day to highlight the issue of climate change and presenting clear demands for policies and actions.

Some urgent measures that need to be taken are already being highlighted by many civil society groups and movements. It is expected that donor countries can play a key role by paying their fair share of climate adaptation costs to developing regions. The long-industrialised countries, that have emitted most greenhouse gases up to now, have to take proportional responsibility for the adaptive measures that have to be taken, especially by low-emitting countries with limited economic resources. National governments can choose development paths for the next decade, by avoiding high-carbon infrastructure and should instead strive for a low-carbon economy. Rich countries dramatically cut their greenhouse emissions and provide additional finance (beyond existing commitments and multilateral agreements) to support developing countries in adapting to the effects of climate change. Besides high consumption demands nonetheless northern countries can adopt responsible and environmental friendly measures, industrial practices and other trade and environmental friendly plans and actions.

Greenhouse gas emissions have caused global temperatures to rise by .74 degrees Celsius since the beginning of the 20th century. If these gasses are not reduced it is likely the increase in global temperature this century will exceed 2 degrees. It is estimated that 60% of current human migration is caused by climate change and natural disasters.

Some of the other key demands from the civil society are; new UN Emissions targets, better MEAs, new UN Water Covenant, International Action on Climate Change, An 80% decrease in Emissions by 2050 – at least, adaptation funds for poor countries, greater responsibility taken by biggest polluters, rich countries cut greenhouse emissions, end oil production and develop renewable energy, new and fair post-Kyoto agreement, admit MDGs under threat from climate change and many other specific demands.

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