Impact on poor people
The consequences of climate change will hit poor people hardest, both because they are more vulnerable to variations in climate and because they live in areas of the world where the impact of climate change is likely to be most significant. These impacts will include more severe droughts, more intense cyclones or hurricanes and flooding, lack of safe water, increased disease risk, food shortages and intensive heatwaves.
Short periods of drought from which most households can recover, are likely to become long, extended droughts for months, even years. Wind strengths will increase considerably, sometimes causing structural damage. Cyclones or typhoons will increase in severity with many more reaching force 4 or 5.
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Useful links
ODI Mitigating climate change; what impact will new policies have on the poor?
FAO presentation Impact of climate change on women
Christian Aid report The human face of climate change
Oxfam Disasters increase as climate change bites
Practical Action Impact on poor people
Christian Aid report Human tide: the real migration crisis
WDM A Youtube video of Desmond Tutu speaking on the huge impact climate change will have on Africans
Tearfund Download Two degrees, One chance; a report on the impact of climate change on the world’s poorest people
Hadley Centre – Met Office Effects of climate change in developing countries