‘Climate-vulnerable’ places need immediate help
13 November 2009
Countries that are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change are crying out for an ambitious global climate deal in December – and for world leaders to come to the Copenhagen climate summit in person.
The recent Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) in the Maldives brought together delegates from Bangladesh, Kiribati, Nepal, Vietnam, Kenya and other countries in the front line of climate change impacts.
Changes in rainfall and weather patterns are increasingly causing problems for millions of people and wildlife species, and this will get worse as global temperatures rise.
These countries are asking rich nations to make big decisions at Copenhagen in December – to acknowledge responsibility for climate change and to provide at least 1.5% of their GDP annually by 2015 to assist developing countries in the transition to become low-carbon economies.
Our head of climate change adaptation, Kit Vaughan, says:
“The impacts of climate change are happening now. These vulnerable countries are calling for their very survival, and we need commitment from developed countries that ensures their existence.
“WWF recognises that we need finance for urgent adaptation activities and support for insurance and compensation, as we said in our 2008 report Beyond Adaptation
“We need to see a high level of ambition in Copenhagen based on serious emissions targets for developed countries and finance for adaptation and mitigation in developing countries.”
Expectations for a fair climate treaty in Copenhagen are rising, and leaders around the world need to understand that failure will come at a huge price.
Big cities at risk
A new WWF report, Mega-Stress For Mega-Cities, also highlights the need to protect some of Asia’s largest cities from the potentially devastating impacts of climate change. This includes the likes of Dhaka, Manila and Jakarta.
Many big cities are located on the coast and within major river deltas, making them highly susceptible to the increased flooding, storms and sea level rise that climate change will bring.
Huge numbers of people, livelihoods and wildlife environments are at stake.
Calculating climate vulnerability
Assessing the overall climate vulnerability of a location is done by combining its environmental situation, financial and socio-economic factors and how well-prepared and able it is to adapt.
Our new report reveals that Dhaka in Bangladesh is most vulnerable to climate change impacts. This large, relatively poor city sits just metres above current sea levels. It is regularly affected by tropical cyclones and flooding, and is not well-prepared to adapt and cope.
Jakarta in Indonesia and Manila in the Philippines tied for second place. Recent tropical storm Ketsana illustrated just how exposed Manila and surrounding areas are.
By contrast, cities like Hong Kong and Singapore, which are also at risk, are far better prepared and more likely to adapt successfully.
Helping vulnerable places cope with climate change
Kim Carstensen, leader of WWF’s global climate initiative, points out:
“Climate change is already shattering cities across developing Asia and will be even more brutal in the future. These urban areas will be crucial in the fight against climate change, and many need urgent support to adapt.
“Helping them develop low-carbon growth strategies also has win-win potential, with benefits for both the economy and the climate.”
We need positive, creative and ambitious thinking from world leaders at Copenhagen in December in order to achieve the right results.
You can…
- Vote Earth – support our campaign for a strong, fair global climate deal
- join The Wave – the UK’s biggest climate event, on 5 December
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