As the smoke clears from the fireworks launched to celebrate the climate change treaty in Paris, the world is still left with its current 1 degree Celsius increase in global temperatures over pre-industrial levels. Weather patterns will continue to change in the coming decades, and the poor will remain the most vulnerable.
“Studies show that losses caused by weather-related natural catastrophes already account for up to 6 percent of the annual [gross national product] in some Caribbean countries,” according to the Munich Climate Insurance Initiative, a multistakeholder association. “This is likely to increase by as much as three percentage points by 2030.”
Looking at it from the household point of view, a World Bank study identified three ways that climate change is already hitting the poor: spikes in food prices, natural disasters, and disease and other health problems.
About the author
Bill Hinchbergerhinchberger
Bill Hinchberger is a global communications professional and educator. He studied at Berkeley and has taught at the Sorbonne. Based mostly in Paris, he spends quality time in Brazil and the United States, and works extensively in Africa and Latin America. He has served as an international correspondent for The Financial Times, Business Week, ARTnews, Variety, and others. One current focus of his work is content creation for foundations, NGOs and other organizations, especially those working on issues related to international affairs, the environment and development. He also runs training programs for professional journalists, notably in Africa, and is an associate of Rain Barrel Communications, a leading consultancy for social justice projects.
