Countries Highly Impacted by Climate Change
December 12, 2013 | Environment
Have you noticed how the earth became warmer these past few years? Weather became incredibly unpredictable, and storms have become stronger than ever.
Climate change affects not only the people around the world, but also the ecosystem and animals inhabiting the places that are considered “high risk” from its consequences.
According to NASA, the global temperature has rose up to 0.8 degrees Celsius since 1880’s. Carbon emissions maybe one of the culprit of this gradual temperature rise, so United Nations posed warnings that countries should limit the carbon emissions up to 2 degrees Celsius.
Top 10 countries highly at risk due to climate change effects
(Source: report from Maplecroft, a U.K.-based risk analysis consulting firm)
1. Bangladesh – Ranked as no. 1, their capital city, Dhaka, is one of the most susceptible city in the country that is affected from storm surge, tropical cyclones, thunderstorms and landslides. The country also lacks the needed facilities to protect its people from the frequent weather rages.
2. Guinea, Bissau – Weak government systems, stagnant economic growth, and insufficient health care played a big role on why Guinea Bissau (African country) made its way to 2nd place as the most risky countries due to climate change. These factors make the residents unable to build strong infrastructures to withstand the frequent flooding and strong winds of storms.
3. Sierra Leone – African countries seemed to be among those places highly impacted when it comes to climate change. Over 14 countries out of 20 are considered as “high risk” in global warming effects. Sierra Leone suffers from thunderstorms, heat waves, landslides and droughts. Like any other high risk countries, Sierra Leone has experienced alterations of their rainfall season.
4. Haiti – Tropical Storm Isaac in 2012 created destructive floods that damaged the crops, houses and cause deaths among the population living in the area. Poverty, weak structure of homes, and relying too much on agriculture caused Haiti to be labeled as on “extreme risk” from the effects of global warming.
5. South Sudan – Oil industry takes its toll in Sudan when contaminated waters made its way towards containment pond in South Sudan. Environments suffered lot from the contaminated waters and concerned citizens are alarmed at the more dangerous risk it can do the ecosystem.
6. Nigeria – Global warming have greatly changed the weather cycle in Nigeria causing vulnerabilities to the communities in the country. People already have no security when it comes to food, safe water—lands are degrading, and agriculture is slowly declining. Recent flooding had caused 102 deaths in Oyo State when heavy rains caused the dam to burst.
7. DR Congo – Due to the saturation of gas, like carbon dioxide and methane in the lake in Congo, residents who rely on fishing as their source of income couldn’t get big fish any more. They only get small fishes which isn’t enough to satisfy their hunger.
8. Cambodia – Seasonal rainfall have greatly changed in Cambodia, and this increases the risk of severe flooding in the country. Not only flooding but also drought has become the issue, since rainfall dosen’t come as expected yet when it rains, it really pours—so bad.
9. Philippines – Recently devastated from Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) which caused thousands of of deaths, Philippines ranked as 9th in the list of high risk countries facing consequences of climate change in Asia. Manila is the capital city in the country, booming in economics today yet it isn’t spared from the effects of the climate change. Typhoons and earthquakes are frequent in the Philippines especially this year (2013).
10. Ethiopia – In 2008, Ethiopia experienced severe flooding that caused destruction of crops. It’s a heart-breaking experience especially for farmers who rely heavily on farming.
These top 10 places which are at high risk of global warming effects may have only little or no contribution to the birth of climate change, yet, they are the ones suffering from its ravaging consequences. If only industrial and successful countries regulate and follow the limitation of carbon emission on the atmosphere, these vulnerable countries would have enjoyed as much comfort as we do now.
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