Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Can poor countries fight climate change and global warming

Simple answer is no. Not alone. Even the rich states will have serious challenge before (and if) they succeed in fight against climate change and global warming. So what about the poor ones? As many of you already know Africa is continent most vulnerable to global warming because already high temperatures are getting even higher, and climate change and unpredictable weather is already affecting crops and food supply which could cause more hunger in many poor countries of Africa.

Therefore Africa needs more funds, and also more educated population in order to understand how serious climate change problem really is, and this is the moment when rich countries of modern world should step in and make the difference. Norway gave the right example by securing aid package of $ 100 million to Tanzania over five years to tackle climate change and deforestation.

Tanzania has serious problem with deforestation and has one of the fastest rates of deforestation in Africa and importance of forest preservation (especially rainforests) is vital in fight against global warming and climate change. As Norwegian
Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said: "Deforestation represents around 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions" and this percentage is certainly not negligible.

Norway has understood the seriousness of climate change and
aims to be carbon neutral, offsetting all its emissions, by 2030. Now if only all countries(especially big ones like USA, China, India) would share their philosophy climate change would soon be forgotten. But reality is very different and many poor countries in Africa will soon (if current trend of CO2 emissions continues) experience all negative climate change effects.

It is a cruel irony that these countries, that are the least responsible for climate change will be first to be confronted with serious impact of climate change, and rich countries simply have to do something to prevent this from happening. If not because of their moral obligation, then at least to try preventing full impact of climate change for their own sake as climate change will not only stop at Africa but will spread in all corners of the world. And so rich countries have to act and act as soon as possible because by helping these poor countries we're really helping ourselves and our planet.


Africa needs help to fight global warming and climate change

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