Climate change is fueling hunger in ten of the world's worst climate hotspots, according to a report published today by the non-governmental organization (NGO) Oxfam International. Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Guatemala, Haiti, Kenya, Madagascar, Niger, Somalia and Zimbabwe are ten of the world’s worst climate hotspots – those with the highest number of UN appeals driven by extreme weather events since 2000. Oxfam warns in these countries the rate of acute hunger has more than doubled over just the past six years.
The report says the ten climate hotspots have repeatedly been battered by extreme weather over the last two decades. Today, 48 million people across those countries suffer acute hunger, and 18 million people of them are on the brink of starvation. For millions of people already reeling from ongoing conflicts, growing inequalities, and economic crises, repeated climate shocks are becoming a heavy burden. The onslaught of climate disasters now exceeds the ability of the poor to cope, driving them ever deeper into severe hunger.
According to the analysis, climate-fueled hunger is a stark demonstration of global inequality. Countries that are least responsible for the climate crisis are suffering most from its impact and are also the least resourced to cope with it. Collectively responsible for just 0.13 per cent of global carbon emissions in 2020, the ten climate hotspots sit in the bottom third of countries least ready for climate change. Meanwhile, the Group of Twenty countries (G20) where responsible for 76.60 per cent of global carbon emissions in 2020. The G20 is comprised of 19 countries plus the European Union. The countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
While humanity faces this existential crisis, the biggest polluting countries continue to make extraordinary wealth: the oil and gas industry has amassed $2.8 billion per day in profits for each of the last 50 years. The report finds less than 18 days of those profits would cover the entire $48.82 billion United Nations humanitarian appeal for 2022.
Oxfam is calling for wealthy polluting nations to immediately inject lifesaving funds to meet the UN 2022 humanitarian appeal. To stop the next climate crisis, those nations must also drastically cut their emissions, guarantee adequate climate financing to help poor people adapt, and above all compensate low-income countries impacted by the climate crisis. Oxfam warns unless massive and immediate action is taken, hunger will continue to spiral.
Oxfam International is a worldwide confederation of humanitarian non-governmental organizations. Oxfam International was formed in 1995 by a group of independent charity organizations. These joined together as a confederation to maximize efficiency and achieve greater impact to reduce global poverty and injustice. The name “Oxfam” derives from the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief, founded in Britain in 1942.
Further information
Full Text: Hunger in a heating world, How the climate crisis is fuelling hunger in an already hungry world, report by Oxfam International, released 16 September 2022
https://oi-files-d8-prod.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2022-09/ENG%20Climate%20Hunger%20BRIEF_16%20Sept%2022.pdf
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