Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Climate change and the world's poor

By Andrew Hewett - posted Tuesday, 3 July 2007


Climate change is arguably the gravest threat ever faced by humanity. Some say more of a threat to global peace and security than terrorism and diseases such as HIV-AIDS.

But what is beyond doubt is its threat to global economic progress in developing countries as well as wealthy nations such as Australia. Nowhere will the impacts of climate change be felt more than in the world's poorest nations where hundreds of millions of people live on less than a dollar a day.

It is a depressing irony that the world's poor who are least responsible for climate change should be asked to shoulder the worst of what is to come - increased environmental and human disasters, exacting a massive toll on human and economic development.

Advertisement

Low-lying countries such as Bangladesh could be deluged by rising sea levels, leaving millions of people displaced. Already in our region, the Asia Pacific, we are concerned for Pacific atolls whose inhabitants may become among the world's first climate change refugees - a humanitarian disaster with far reaching consequences for rich and poor countries around the world, including Australia.

That is why Oxfam, a global advocate for the poor, is urging the richest nations to commit to providing the resources necessary for developing countries to adapt to the current and future impacts of climate change.

After all it is the world's wealthiest nations that are responsible, for the most part, for our changing climate and therefore it is right that they assist less developed countries adapt to protect against the impacts of climate change.

Our new report, Adapting to Climate Change, estimates that at least $60 billion a year will be needed to enable developing countries to adapt to the harmful effects of climate change. But this figure will rise sharply and cost the world economy dramatically more if carbon emissions are not cut drastically and rapidly to keep global warming below 2C.

This new investment must constitute new funds and must not be siphoned off existing aid budgets. Our new Adaptation Financing Index estimates the share that each country should contribute towards financing developing country adaptation to climate change.

It ranks countries based on their responsibility for carbon emissions from 1992, the year nearly all of the world's nations committed to tackling climate change, as well as their capability to pay based on their ranking in the UN's Human Development Index.

Advertisement

It is no surprise that the USA, the world's richest nation as well as biggest polluter, needs to meet 44 per cent of developing countries' adaptation costs.

Australia is responsible for 3 per cent or a minimum of $1.8 billion a year.

The Australian Government has so far spent approximately $280 million over the last decade on climate change related activities through its overseas aid program. Recently it committed $200 million for programs to reduce forest destruction in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. This is a good start but there's a long way to go.

We run the risk of exacerbating human poverty unless we take immediate action to help poor countries with the cost of adaptation.

Rich countries are beginning to make investments at home to adapt to climate change. They know the scale of the problem but they are stalling when it comes to providing funds for poorer countries to do the same.

It is time justice was done and rich countries took responsibility for the damage their actions had or will have on poor countries as a direct effect of climate change.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

37 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Andrew Hewett is Executive Director of Oxfam Australia.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Andrew Hewett

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Photo of Andrew Hewett
Article Tools
Comment 37 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Latest from OXFAM Australia
 The Aussies and Kiwis shouldn’t leave island neighbours high and dry
 Australian miners 'lacking transparency'
 Take the pace out of PACER
 Asian Development Bank - hindering or helping?
 Humanitarian work - not for the faint hearted
 More...
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy