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Millions have been forced to leave their home regions, hit by severe floods and droughts
Hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and increasingly intense and threatening human life. On climate change, natural disasters year doubled to 400 in the last 20 years and have become more destructive.
But other disasters slower and quieter, though equally devastating, occur in all corners of the world. And all of them are forcing millions to flee their homes.
Rising sea levels threaten to engulf rivers and islands and affect coastal populations. The desertification and drought running amok in various regions of the planet, which degrades vast agricultural lands. And the high temperatures are melting glaciers. Thus, entire populations are forced to move in search of essential resources, increasingly scarce.
According to Norwegian Refugee Council, last year alone over 20 million people were displaced by disasters induced by global warming, nearly four times more than those affected by armed conflict. And the forecasts are not encouraging: the optimists say there will be about 250 million "displaced climate" by 2050. The pessimists, 1000 million.
Despite these alarming figures, the problem is still ignored in international negotiations, as happened in the recent Copenhagen. "The displacement of populations is the forgotten child: do not talk about it at conferences even though it is a priority issue," said Jean-François Durieux, Head of Climate Change United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ( UNHCR).
The situation of the "displaced climate, which are not considered refugees by the international standards required to establish a new legal framework and create a specific world body to meet its needs.
"The notion of a refugee applies to people persecution or violence. There is no obligation to welcome those fleeing poverty. In the future, who will take care of all this misery? States are reluctant, even hostile, to open this discussion. It is necessary to establish a clear link between IDPs and climatic reasons, "says Durieux.
" The fear is that those displaced due to weather are in a legal limbo, "says La Nacion Carolina Podesta, a spokeswoman for the UNHCR office in Buenos Aires .
Differential Impact
international agencies to help displaced people around the world suggest that costs will be absorbed by industrialized countries have more impact on global warming, as the U.S. and China, the largest emitters of greenhouse gases.
While developed nations are responsible for increasing the maximum CO2 in the atmosphere, are the poorest countries that will face the greatest consequences. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that during this century the average global temperature will increase between 2 and 4 ° C above pre-industrial era. These levels of warming that will alter climate patterns, will result in extreme situations each more frequent. And millions of people will be forced to leave their homes will make it impossible to return.
"The developing countries can not cope with this additional burden: the displaced population will increase pressure on areas already affected by shortages," warns François Gemmene, Institute for Sustainable Development and Relations International.
According to a joint UN and the Centre for Monitoring Internal Displacement in Asia occurred on 80% of trips related to natural disasters in 2008: more than five million people by floods in India, nearly two million in the Philippines by storm and hundreds of thousands in China and Myanmar due to heavy rains. Not to mention the 15 million who left an earthquake in Sichuan province, China.
Meanwhile, in China the Gobi desert is growing at a rate of 10,000 km2 per year. Similar situations occur in Morocco, Tunisia and Libya. In Egypt, half of the arable lands become saline, and the Amazon thousands of people displaced by droughts. And millions of people in coastal areas (60% of the 39 largest cities in the world are concentrated there) will be forced to migrate when within 40 years, sea level rose several inches.
that time, between 10 and 25 million people have fled their homes by flooding. In the delta of the Nile, a rise of underground water levels to flee to six million people.
to UNHCR, there can be no further delay. "Now we have sufficient knowledge to act and avoid a situation that could prove to be uncontrollable."
Source: www.lanacion. com
to care for the planet, not always blindly follow some maximum is the most efficient idea. The best thing is to analyze the issue of each user, say experts.
Amalia Torres
1 Turn off lights
Much I heard that if you turn off the lights will be caring for the planet, the truth is that this phrase is not 100% true. "In Chile, the energy matrix is \u200b\u200bdefined. There is constant energy consumption by the mining, then, someone turn off the light in your home does not make a real difference, unless a lot of people turn off the lights at the same time . Only then will shut down a power plant and coal consumption, "said Marcelo Mena, director of the Master in Environmental Management of the U. Andrés Bello.
But remember, it is beneficial for long-term projections: "When you project a new electricity demand in future years could prevent construction of a new plant. "
2 Prefer Hand wash
is better to buy a dishwasher be washed by hand, although the second option seems more friendly to the planet: "It is so inefficient washing by hand, so much energy to be in hot water, it is best to use a dishwasher," says Mena. To wash clothing, explains José Antonio Sanchez, a consultant on sustainability, "the machine is efficient only if full load, cold water is used and does not dry in dryer. Also have to see if they are used much phosphate soaps, which are highly polluting, or the magic balls, which are very good. "
3 diesel and hybrid cars are better than bencineros
"The diesel car is good for energy, has better performance than a traditional car, but emissions of particulate matter are very high, more than a bencinero, particularly if not mantenciones you do, "says Mena. buying a hybrid would not be the solution." You can Similar improvements in driving behaviors, like not using a 4x4 and live near work. Riding a hybrid decision today is a more heart that pocket, "he adds.
And have heard that older cars pollute more? Well you know that according to British newspaper The Guardian, a new vehicle manufacturing emits, on average, eight tons of CO2, ie the same as if he drove 37 000 km.
4 Being vegetarian is good for the planet
More to avoid eating meat in general, it is best not to eat red or dairy products. "The red meat production generates a lot of methane, by the mere fact that cows are ruminants. The same applies to sheep, goats and deer," says Mena. In fact, to produce a kilo of hard cheese causes a higher carbon footprint to produce a kilo of chicken, says The Guardian.
5 fireplaces are environmentally
Marcelo Mena is firm on this point, "Wood stoves are not green, only they would be if captured particulate matter and are sustainable sources of wood. But it is not known if the wood used is sustainable or comes from a native forest. And the dual-chamber stoves pollute nearly 500 times more than a natural gas stove or kerosene.
6 Use reusable nappies
Disposable diapers not bad idea if you use their absorbing abilities to change a few times a day, said Marcelo Mena. It also avoids the washing and ironing. However, José Antonio Sanchez added: "It all depends on how aware is the user with disposable diapers.
7 Do not use plastic bags
If bags are used by the boot several times and special places for plastic are not a sin. "If gender prefer better, but if the person is conscious and not buy a new bag every time you go to the supermarket," says Sanchez.
8 Buy local products
Air transport and ground leaving a large carbon footprint, not the shipping. "There is a study showing that U.S. buying Dutch beer leaves a smaller carbon footprint than if the beer came from California, and then would travel by truck," said the expert Marcelo Mena.
9 Always walk in micro
"Walking in a pimp Transantiago Micro pollutes more than riding in a car, but a walk alone," says Mena . The difference occurs when riding a new bus with a particulate filter. "In that case, the emission of particulate matter is similar to riding a car, but the carbon footprint is lower using the bus, "he adds.
Courtesy: Dr. David Morillon - UNAM - Mex