A World Bank study predicts that developing countries will need to spend as much as $100 billion annually for the next 40 years to adapt to more extreme and severe weather changes. [Warrant Evans, Director, World Bank Environment Department]: ” This is low compare to GDPs its on par with the amount of development assistance to developing countries. So, it is about the same level.” These figures are the latest projection from the World Banks most in-depth analysis on the impact of climate change. East Asian and Asia-Pacific countries which are experiencing rapid urbanization would bear the highest cost. Earlier during the talks, the head negotiator for the Philippines urged rich nations to toughen emissions cuts. He says Typhoon Ketsana that hit the Philippines earlier this week was an example of the effects of climate change on poor nations. [Heherson Alvarez, Philippines Chief Negotiator]: “The death the pain and the damage in the Philippines helps us to understand the necessity of an earnest negotiations.” The storm has become a focus of the marathon climate talks in Bangkok this week. Developing nations and green groups alike are saying Ketsana is an example of the type of climate disaster poor nations could face in a warmer world. Delegates from about 180 countries are trying to narrow differences on emissions reduction targets, climate finance and transfer of clean-energy technology. The Bangkok Climate Change Talks are the last major negotiating round before a …

Climate change may have turned into a serious global issue but its effects will be more visible on under developed economies. According to the World Bank, South Asia and Africa might have to witness economic depression of approximately 5% every year. Earth’s temperature is rising due to global warming and it is being predicted that further warming will result in acute shortage of food and clean drinking water for more than 400 million people. Recently, Surat, a state in India became one of the 10 cities in the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network that will be granted loan from the World Bank to fight the effects of climate change. Rest 9 cities belong to India, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand.

Many developed as well as under developed countries across the world have set goals to go green and reduce carbon footprint to bring down the warming rate below the mark of two degrees. Climate change experts are of view that adoption of mitigation measures to curb global warming effects is a better option as compared to adaptation to warmer climate. There will be a 1% drop in the global economic output due to the rising greenhouse gas emission which is creating havoc on the environment.

Thanks to the popularity of green events, public understanding on climate change has witnessed a major surge in the last few years. However, it will take time before this awareness translates into action from all parts of the world. According to the latest climate change news, the main agenda to be discussed during the International Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen this year will be the shift in carbon reduction that is playing out with the poor people in the world. Whether or not any significant decisions are made in the summit, the issue will remain the same – why should poor nations suffer shortage of food, water and healthy environment due to slow action from developed nations to combat climate change? The present need is to encourage financial help from rich nations so that developing countries are also able to support the cause of curbing global warming.

Climate change or poverty- what according to you is a more grave issue? Experts believe that one issue cannot be dealt without addressing the other. While climate change has a direct impact on the poor, poverty in turn poses hindrance in combating the effects of climate change. Deforestation and flooding is causing maximum damage to the people in developing nations. It is also affecting the capacity of low income groups to deal with shortage of food and water.

Since the beginning of the century, global temperature has increased by .74 degree Celsius due to the greenhouse gas emission across the world. Climate experts are predicting a further increase of 2 degrees in the temperature if the emission is not reduced in this century. Due to the increase in frequency of natural disasters, people from underdeveloped countries are migrating for their livelihood. Climate change is posing several problems in the reduction of poverty across the world. Poor nations lack the resources to fight such challenges and their heavy dependence on natural resources makes them more vulnerable to natural disasters.

The present need is to adapt climate change into efforts related to poverty eradication. Rich countries should be encouraged to make sustainable investments in poor nations. By giving a fair share of climate adaptation cost to developing nations, rich countries can help them alleviate pressure on water, forest and land. If investments are made for the development of countries such as India and Africa, these nations will also be able to extend their support to combat pressing issues such as global warming and carbon footprint. Experts are of view that climate change is out there and it will continue to create havoc on poor nations. If the present condition exists, climate change will cause more shortage of drinking water and food in the coming years. This will result in negative effects on the health of poor people and a large part of foreign investment will have to be directed towards health care services instead of projects related to climate change reduction.

The fact that climate change will affect our future does not need introduction. Our buildings and infrastructure are important elements in how we influence and adapt to the changes associated with climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions during construction and operation, climate change resilience and changes in the way people will organise their lives are all important factors to consider when preparing to develop new real estate.

To a certain extent these factors are being considered in most new development projects. The partial provision of energy through low carbon technologies is becoming the norm as part of the planning application process for major development. Standards controlling the way flood risk assessments are carried out take into account future precipitation patterns. These considerations are often driven by current requirements from planning authorities or other statutory bodies and focus on the greenhouse gas element of climate change management.

Appraising the effects of climate change on development projects will gain in importance and a strategic and pro-active approach to its integration in the management of these projects has many benefits. These include the improved management of risks, for instance by providing protection against litigation for failing to take into account known future risks, the protection of future asset values and strengthening a forward looking reputation of the organisation.

The near future will see significant changes in the way climate change is being addressed within development projects. The awareness of client organisations and local planning authorities about the effects climate change will have on the future usability of buildings is increasing rapidly. This will lead to a range of new requirements, tools and appraisal methodologies that professionals within the property development sector cannot afford to miss.

Considering climate change in real estate development projects should be considered a strategic issue. At an early stage in the project a developer should prepare a project climate change strategy and consider three issues:

1. How can the greenhouse gas emissions as part of the development be reduced?
2. How will a changing climate effect the usability of my building?
3. Is the building required in its currently proposed form in the mid to long term future?

Today, the unwise use of the natural environment due to ignorance, poverty, overpopulation and greed amongst others has led to the degradation of the world, especially African environment. This degradation occur as Africans attempt to adjust their selfish endless wants and desires for food, shelter, recreation, infrastructural facilities, and have led to soil erosion and desertification and that over crowding has led to the spread of shanty towns and urban blight, all of which would worsen if the present population growth continues. The consequence of this environmental mismanagement is Climate Change. 

Climate change is certainly no longer alien. Already, its effects are being felt in the world. one of the pronounced effects of climate change is the gradual warming of the atmosphere which could portend doom for the inhabitants of the earth. A warming atmosphere means rise in sea level, which could lead to coaster flooding, and more diseases such as malaria, West Nile disease, dengue fever and river blindness. Climate change is an “unprecedented” threat to food security and this affects the whole world. Droughts are getting worse and climate uncertainty is growing. The world is getting warming (global warming). “Global warming means that that many dry areas are going to get drier and wet areas are going to get wetter. Africa is truly facing the greatest catastrophe in human history. If nothing is done to proffer sustainable solutions to this threat, large part of the continent may be wipe off. Tony Juniper, executive director of Friends of the Earth said that “Climate change is overwhelming the situation in Africa… unless we take genuine steps now to reduce our emissions, people in the developed world will be condemning millions to hunger, starvation and death”.

I’m on a short time research on the effects of climate change in the island area of Lagos, Nigeria…My research so far shows that climate change represents a nightmare scenario for the future of the people of the world. Areas such as Lekki, Victoria Island in Lagos could become submerged. The sea level is rising at an alarming rate, drought and erosion are hitting deep many cities and lives are in serious danger. The consequence of these problems would be dramatic declines in rainfall and a fall in crop yields that could make previous famines look like small tragedies. There are likely to be severe water shortages in many parts of the African continent. We are even seeing the signs of this, as the people are living in great fear even when the words “Climate Change” is a confusing term to them because they lack the proper understand of it. 

Despite these diseases such as malaria, West Nile disease, dengue fever and river blindness that were mentioned above, the governments are not even concern about the threat of climate change. Even journalists and media houses are busy promoting political “corruptors” and businesses/organizations that lacks personal or corporate social responsibility rather than educating the common people via public awareness of this devil called “Climate Change”. Anyway, many of African journalists don’t even know what climate change is all about. IT IS TIME FOR CHANGE. We must stop the various causes of climate change such as:

Deforestation

Desertification

Urbanization

Degradation

Pollution

Unplanned Industrialisation, and

Corruption

It is  time for  positive action against climate change

Okon E. Promise,

Consultant

Climate Change Bill

Last year, 27th November 2008, saw the passing of the Climate Change Bill in the UK which aimed to see significant cuts in the UK CO2 emissions in order to tackle climate change. There were three main points in this bill. Firstly to reduce emissions by 80% by 2050, this is the level that scientists believe is required if we are to see a turn in the tide of the current climate change. Secondly the bill included changes that mean that international aviation and shipping – that fastest growing source of emissions – emissions are now included in the targets. Finally, the bill also laid out that there be annual budgets for spending on carbon in order that the emission cuts could be more measurable and kept on top of.

Climate effects on the poor

Climate change is something that is talked about mostly in the context of the developed world. This is because most of the contribution and consequently, the ability to reduce, climate change is from the western world. However, the other side to the story is that it is the developing world that, despite contributing very little, is bearing the brunt of climate change.

The main reasons for this unbalanced impact are because people living in poorer areas of the world are more likely to live in fragile housing, to rely on agriculture for a lot of their income and have no back up of insurance or savings in the event of disaster. All of these factors make them very susceptible to changes in climate.

Every year, 150,000 people die from health-related effects of climate change. For example, crops can be ruined by drought or flooding from heavy rain or rising sea levels and this can mean significant food shortages which means loss of livelihood and malnutrition. This often leads to people being forced to leave their homes in order to find food and shelter elsewhere; by 2050 there will be an estimated 150 million refugees due to this.

A further significant effect is that the spreading of floodwater and changing weather mean that malaria carrying mosquitoes are spreading to highland areas that were previously unpopulated by them. Malaria is one of the biggest causes of death in the developing world especially in children, with much of the control of disease being focused on elimination of the vector mosquitoes. This spread caused by climate change is undoing much of this.

Gordon Brown, Prime Minister in the UK, said in June, that $100 billion needed to be contributed to poorer nations by developed countries in order to help them cope with climate change. As of yet, it is unclear exactly where this money will come from.

Copenhagen, December 2009

UN climate talks are scheduled to take place in Copenhagen this December as part of the process of ensuring that countries are all involved in sticking to aims of keeping the rise in temperature to 2 degrees above their pre-industrial levels. Current worries leading up to these talks are that mistrust between rich and poor countries, and the distraction of the recession might prevent any effective discussions. Countries including China and India are arguing that their emissions per capita are much lower and so they are reluctant to move to reduce their emissions.

Ed Miliband, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, has said that it is important that the developing countries also partake in the reduction of emissions because although their contribution is currently significantly less, 90% of the growth in emissions is coming from them. This means it is more important that they show that they will slow the growth of the emissions rather than actually reduce them at this stage.

The World Bank

Unfortunately, a controversial contribution of the World Bank to developing countries has just been uncovered. The World Bank, who is funded by developed countries including the UK, has a goal of reducing poverty and is spending billions of pounds helping developing countries to build new coal-fired power stations. The World Bank has made several statements regarding it’s stance in trying to reduce emissions and protecting the developing world who are worst effected by climate change. Critics say that by giving this money to build new power stations they are not acting in the long term interests of the poor and that this money should instead be given to supporting renewable energy.

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