Question

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5) Climate Change will have a disproportionate impact on developing countries. a) Discuss what the particular impacts will be. (Hint: there are multiple impacts.) Which region(s) will be impacted most and why? b) What adaptation strategies do you recommend?

Answer 1

a) Human basic needs, such as food, water, health, and shelter, are affected by climate. Changes in climate may threaten these needs with increased temperatures, sea level rise, changes in precipitation, and more frequent or intense extreme events. Climate change will affect individuals and groups differently. Certain groups of people are particularly sensitive to climate change impacts, such as the elderly, the infirm, children and pregnant women, native and tribal groups, and low-income populations. Climate change may also threaten key natural resources, affecting water and food security. Conflicts, mass migrations, health impacts, or environmental stresses in other parts of the world could raise economic, health, and national security issues for the United States. The Impacts of climate change as follows:-

Impact on Agriculture and Food: Changes in climate could have significant impacts on food production around the world. Heat stress, droughts, and flooding events may lead to reductions in crop yields and livestock productivity. Climate change is affecting many fisheries around the world. Increasing ocean temperatures have shifted some marine species to cooler waters outside of their normal range. Fisheries are important for the food supply and economy of many countries.

Impacts on Water Supply and Quality: Semi-arid and arid areas (such as the Mediterranean, southern Africa, and northeastern Brazil) are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change on water supply. Over the next century, these areas will likely experience decreases in water resources, especially in areas that are already water-stressed due to droughts, population pressures, and water resource extraction.

Impacts on Human Health: The risks of climate-sensitive diseases and health impacts can be high in countries that have little capacity to prevent and treat illness.

Impacts on Shelter: Climate change affects the migration of people within and between countries around the world. A variety of reasons may force people to migrate into other areas. These reasons include conflicts, such as ethnic or resource conflicts, degraded ecosystem services, such as lack of viable agricultural land or fresh water, and extreme events, such as flooding, drought, and hurricanes.

b) Areas that are already affected by drought, such as Australia and the Sahel in Africa, will likely experience reductions in water available for irrigation. Majorly it impact on Africa because Africa may be the most vulnerable continent to climate variability and change because of multiple existing stresses and low adaptive capacity. Existing stresses include poverty, food insecurity, political conflicts, and ecosystem degradation. By 2050, between 350 million and 600 million people are projected to experience increased water stress due to climate change. Urban population is also projected to triple, increasing by 800 million people, complicating urban poverty and access to basic services. Climate variability and change is projected to severely compromise agricultural production, including access to food, in many African countries and regions.