Climate Change Around the World
CLIMATE CHANGE: AFRICA
Fifteen faith based organizations and denominations have partnered with the Foods Resource Bank (FRB), a non-profit program that works through growing projects here in the US to provide financial assistance to communities abroad to enable them to become food secure. Of these fifteen, nine are associated with Creation Justice Ministries. In 2006, the FRB and its members contributed $2.5 million dollars to these impoverished countries. Of that money, $1.2 million was donated by CJM affiliated organizations, the majority of which went to African communities and assisted more that 470,000 people in their efforts to achieve food security. Food security is clearly an important issue for the church and one in which both money and time have been invested.
However, climate change is creating new stressors for these communities. Reports indicate that Africa is and will continue to be hardest hit by climate change. Droughts and floods are taking place more frequently, devastating agricultural land and ruining crops for those who are working for long term food security. Projections indicate that Africa will suffer extreme impacts from climate change with some countries losing more than 50% of their annual yield. Reduced water availability and rising sea level will inevitably have life threatening impacts on agricultural production with little regard for the fact that Africa’s local agricultural production is necessary to ensure health and food security on this continent. and crop revenues could drop by 90% by the year 2100.
Fifteen faith based organizations and denominations have partnered with the Foods Resource Bank (FRB), a non-profit program that works through growing projects here in the US to provide financial assistance to communities abroad to enable them to become food secure. Of these fifteen, nine are associated with Creation Justice Ministries. In 2006, the FRB and its members contributed $2.5 million dollars to these impoverished countries. Of that money, $1.2 million was donated by CJM affiliated organizations, the majority of which went to African communities and assisted more that 470,000 people in their efforts to achieve food security. Food security is clearly an important issue for the church and one in which both money and time have been invested.
However, climate change is creating new stressors for these communities. Reports indicate that Africa is and will continue to be hardest hit by climate change. Droughts and floods are taking place more frequently, devastating agricultural land and ruining crops for those who are working for long term food security. Projections indicate that Africa will suffer extreme impacts from climate change with some countries losing more than 50% of their annual yield. Reduced water availability and rising sea level will inevitably have life threatening impacts on agricultural production with little regard for the fact that Africa’s local agricultural production is necessary to ensure health and food security on this continent. and crop revenues could drop by 90% by the year 2100.
CLIMATE CHANGE: ASIA
Dubbed the 'Third Pole', for having the largest concentration of glaciers outside the polar caps, the Himalayas boast 11 peaks over 26,246 feet and around 100 over 22,966 feet. K2 is one of those peaks, the second-highest mountain on Earth. The glaciers of K2, however, like most of those in the Himalayas, are melting. Scientists predict that 80 percent of these glaciers will disappear within 30 years if current warming rates are maintained.
As glaciers retreat and contract, glacial lakes collapse, flooding downstream areas and causing sea levels to rise. This is a reality that many places have and are currently facing. Those living in close proximity to these rivers will need to relocate. Farmlands get destroyed in these flood waters. Higher up on mountains this excess water creates new ponds. As these ponds keep getting filled with more water they form lakes with the pressure on the boundaries increasing. There is always a threat of these lakes bursting, causing huge floods in villages situated below.
Dubbed the 'Third Pole', for having the largest concentration of glaciers outside the polar caps, the Himalayas boast 11 peaks over 26,246 feet and around 100 over 22,966 feet. K2 is one of those peaks, the second-highest mountain on Earth. The glaciers of K2, however, like most of those in the Himalayas, are melting. Scientists predict that 80 percent of these glaciers will disappear within 30 years if current warming rates are maintained.
As glaciers retreat and contract, glacial lakes collapse, flooding downstream areas and causing sea levels to rise. This is a reality that many places have and are currently facing. Those living in close proximity to these rivers will need to relocate. Farmlands get destroyed in these flood waters. Higher up on mountains this excess water creates new ponds. As these ponds keep getting filled with more water they form lakes with the pressure on the boundaries increasing. There is always a threat of these lakes bursting, causing huge floods in villages situated below.
CLIMATE CHANGE: NORTH AMERICA
Village of Shishmaref, North Alaska
The effect of global climate change upon Shishmaref is sometimes seen as the most dramatic in the world. The village of Shishmaref in Northern Alaska, which has been inhabited for 400 years, is facing evacuation due to rising temperatures. These rising temps are causing a reduction in sea ice and a thawing of permafrost along the coast. The reduced sea ice allows higher storm surges to reach shore and thawing permafrost makes the shoreline more vulnerable to erosion. The town's homes, water system and infrastructure are being undermined.
Village of Shishmaref, North Alaska
The effect of global climate change upon Shishmaref is sometimes seen as the most dramatic in the world. The village of Shishmaref in Northern Alaska, which has been inhabited for 400 years, is facing evacuation due to rising temperatures. These rising temps are causing a reduction in sea ice and a thawing of permafrost along the coast. The reduced sea ice allows higher storm surges to reach shore and thawing permafrost makes the shoreline more vulnerable to erosion. The town's homes, water system and infrastructure are being undermined.
- The per capita income for the city was $10,487.
- About 16.2% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.
- The Shishmaref economy is based on subsistence supplemented by part-time wage earnings.
