Tearfund has warned that poor communities in the developing world are to be hit the hardest by the UK government’s failure to fulfil its carbon emissions targets.

|TOP|The leading Christian relief and development agency points out that the government has promised in its last three manifestos to take the lead on climate change, specifically to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions by 20 percent on 1990 levels by 2010.

However, last week the government’s climate policy review admitted that the UK will be unable to achieve this target. The admission stated that even with new policies being adopted, the UK is projected to reduce emissions by only 15-18 percent by 2010.

Tearfund’s Climate Change Policy Officer, Rachel Roach commented, “The world’s poor will continue to pay the price for this government’s failure to agree radical measures to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions. While each of us has a responsibility to reduce our own carbon emissions, it is vital the government takes the lead in setting and sticking to targets to reduce the harm we are causing those who are most vulnerable.”

The climate policy review released by the government last week states: “The most vulnerable communities in developing countries are likely to be affected more severely and will be least able to cope. Changes in rainfall and drought patterns and storm intensities are likely to lead to further millions at risk from drought, famine and disease. Increases in sea level of almost a metre over the next 100 years bear potentially devastating consequences for many coastal areas and low-lying small island states.”

|AD|The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has said, “Climate change is expected to intensify Africa’s increasingly critical water situation, with southern Africa being one of many water-stressed regions in which climate change could further decrease stream flow and groundwater recharge.”

In addition, the IPCC states that climate change will have an impact on food security following increased droughts, temperature changes and also alterations in rainfall patterns.

In Asia alone, Tearfund highlight that the effects of climate change could be severe, with a higher vulnerability to cyclones, droughts and floods. Sea level rise will also affect low-lying areas where poor people are forced to live.

Last year Tearfund produced a report entitled ‘Dried up, drowned out’ which investigated the impact of climate change on people in the developing world. It highlighted the vulnerability of poor people to climate change and revealed that many of these impacts are already a reality.

Tadesse Dadi of Tearfund Ethiopia said, “Changes in climate are affecting harvests because a delay in the onset of rains forces farmers to miss the optimum planting time. The growing season is shorter, with delayed onset and early cessation of rainfall...The effect on food security is decreased food production, increase in grain prices and decreased income for farmers.”