Climate Change would Drive 100 Millions into Extreme Poverty

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A recent report released by World Bank says climate change is already preventing people from escaping poverty. The world must pair efforts to stabilise climate change with programmes to eliminate poverty if vulnerable people are to be kept from falling back into hardship as rising temperatures wreak havoc on food security and livelihoods. As many as 100 million people could slide into extreme poverty by 2030 because of rising temperatures, which are caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

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Does Climate Change Lead to Conflict? – Critical reflection of climate conflict

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Climate conflict is a popular international development issue in recent years. Different researches over the relation of climate change and conflict arrive at different conclusions. Some say climate change will lead to fight over scarce and valuable resources like water. On the other hand some believe that their link is weak and do not think it’s worth a discussion at all.

Recent researches show that the relationship between climate change and the conflict causing by it is more complex than expected. A deeper understanding of the connection between climate change and conflict requires a careful examination of the drivers of violence and the role of the environment in individuals’ livelihoods. Some scholars point out that the relationship between climate and conflict is closely linked to the economic development of the region that it affects. Climate conflict is most likely seen in rural and non-industrialised regions where a large portion of the population is still dependent on the natural environment for their income and sustenance. In most sub-Saharan African countries, more than two-thirds of the population is employed in agriculture. A change in climate conditions could have negative impacts on the country’s stability.

However, researchers would emphasise that one should not always assume that there is a causal relationship between climate change and conflict. Many other factors such as political exclusion of persecuted minority groups, economic inequalities, and weak central government institutions may play a more important role in conflicts. When scholars enter into an in-depth examination of the causes of conflict, they find that land distribution and rights of access to resources are the most pressing issues that the communities of the conflict regions are facing. The problems are almost entirely determined by local and national government policies. Therefore, governance and resource distribution policies are often the real source of conflict, but their impact is obscured by the climate conflict debate. Leaders of certain African countries blame climate change and drought as reasons of famines and conflict, instead of their corrupt land reallocation policies or political violence against their people.

Scholar thinks that climate conflict debate can easily mislead people into the trap of environmental determinism, i.e. climatic factors define human behaviour and culture. One such supposition is that a society’s cultural norms depend if it is located in a tropical or temperate region. Scholar reminds us not to ascribe too much causal weight to one particular factor but ignore the importance of political and socio-economic conditions and the motive and agency of actors. Many people just believe that in developing countries, violence is one of their first natural reactions to societal change, where collaboration among societies indeed happens more often. [IPS]

Meditation on Scriptures:

This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. (Ecclesiastes 5:18,19)

Pray for those places affected by climate change and related conflicts:

  • Carbon emission of rich countries is the major cause of climate change. However, the disastrous effect is borne by the poor and disadvantaged groups. Let us change our consumption behavior and abstain from unnecessary use of materials that consume environmental resources.
  • Climate change triggers more extreme weather events, causing home loss, migration and human casualty. The impact on developing countries is especially great. May those countries have better plans and advanced capacity to combat the increasing disaster risk.
  • Social inequality and power abuse are the breeding ground of conflict. Pray that the countries can improve the social system and protect human rights, in order to reduce the latent factors of conflict.

Participation Is Good, Mobilisation Is Better | Wendy

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[ ‘SHARE’ Jan-Feb 2014 – Who Is Willing to Be Their Neighbour? ] TAKING ACTION

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Author> Wendy FUNG

Thank God for leading me to a number of CEDAR’s events in the past two years. In January 2013, I joined the exposure trip to Ethiopia where I learned and witnessed God’s power; the trip also helped me understand CEDAR’s operation. The impact of CEDAR Carbon Fast during Lent on me is the most apparent; I was invited to be a member of ‘Carbon Fast Army’, assist posting photos on Facebook about Carbon Fast. With the aid of Scriptures prepared by CEDAR, I have gained better understand of the purposes of our daily Fast actions and God’s will at creation. Some of the Fast actions such as waste sorting and bringing my own water bottle/cutlery have become my daily habits.

On a missions trip to Madagascar in 2012, the missionary not only took home leftovers from the table, she also reused plastic boxes after cleansing as the refuse collection system there is inadequate and people just dumped all wastes into big garbage bins on road-sides. Besides doing evangelisation and church planting, I saw the missionary’s effort not to produce waste and perceived her integral love towards the land and inhabitants thereon.

The Philippines was hit by severe Tropical Storm Haiyan that killed thousands and affected over nine million people. It is irrefutable that human activities aggravate extreme climate changes and the frequent natural disasters make the poor’s lives harder, even taking away many precious lives. Isn’t it ironic that we seek to take the gospel to the ends of the world, whilst our lifestyles bring about changes that would reduce the chance of the poor hearing the gospel?  I used to question the effect in turning off one lamp on carbon emissions reduction!  But if all Christians change our current lifestyles and practise the bible’s teaching, I believe that by the Holy Spirit we can change the world. Living an Integral Mission may sound grand and hard to start, but we may live it out a bit in a day. Let us start today and with God’s help exert influence on people around us doing small things in loving our world. (Watch a clip by Tearfund UK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vph2oLKb1qM)

In January 2013, Wendy joined CEDAR’s exposure trip to Ethiopia; taking part in Carbon Fast and as a member of ‘Carbon Fast Army’ practising and mobilising low carbon living for better environmental protection in February and March; Wendy further joined CEDAR Barefoot Walk in November showing support for impoverished children.

The World Is Longing for a Climate Change Deal

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[ePrayer – Pray for progress on global climate action]

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The United Nations Climate Change Conference opened on 11 November in Warsaw, Poland, with a call to reach a new agreement to cut climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions. According to the UN Official, there is a groundswell of climate action for environment, security, energy, economic and governance reasons and the world is ready for a climate change deal. Clarifying finance that enables the entire world to move towards low-carbon development and launching the construction of a mechanism that helps vulnerable populations to respond to the unanticipated effects of climate change are the main areas that delegates should work hard on in order to hammer out a universal UN-backed treaty on climate change by 2015 which would enter force by 2020.

The conference takes place against a backdrop of devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan. The Philippines’ lead negotiator, Yeb Sano, called the climate crisis “madness” and urged the international community to act.“We can stop this madness. Right here in Warsaw,” Mr. Sano said. “Typhoons such as Haiyan and its impacts represent a sobering reminder to the international community that we cannot afford to procrastinate on climate action.” He also added that this Typhoon is not natural when people continue to struggle to eradicate poverty and pursue development and get battered by the onslaught of a monster storm. [UN News (1), UN News (2)]

Pray for progress on global climate action:

  • Pray that all nations will work together to deal with the problem of climate change by breaking through the bondage of economic and political considerations;
  • May the voices and wishes of those people who are vulnerable to or being suffered by climate change, such as small farmers, rural poor and those people living in disaster prone areas, be heard.

Laos Farmers Struggle with Erratic Weather

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[ePrayer – Pray for Laos farmers]

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Hit hard by hot and dry weather, farmers near Laos’s capital are looking for new ways to adapt to climate change and protect their cash crops as the temperature in recent months rose above 40 degrees Celsius. Weather experts say that irregular weather patterns since 2007 have caused the monsoon season in Laos, typically first seen in mid-May, to come as early as March or as late as June. A recent study on climate change in the lower Mekong Basin (including parts of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam) identified climate change ‘hotspots’ where conditions will become unsuitable for crops currently grown there. The study projected higher-than-global average temperature increases in the basin (a 4-6 Celsius degree jump versus the global estimate of a two degree increase), which will mean dramatic changes in the comfort zone of crops. It could have serious negative consequences for the livelihoods, health and food security of the local communities in these areas.

Pray for Laos farmers:

  • Pray that the community can explore and adapt new planting methods, which can combat the negative effects of climate change. 
  • Laos government is encouraging farmers to abandon pesticides and chemical fertilizer, and adopt organic farming. Pray that more farmers will support the government’s call and love the land resource. May God give them a secured livelihood.

Environmental Threats Could Push Billions into Extreme Poverty

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[ePrayer – Pray for the intensifying environment threats]

International Environment Day

A UN report said more than 40 countries have done better than previously expected on the UN’s human development index (HDI), which combines measures of health, wealth and education, with gains accelerating over the past decade. Yet the report warned that the number of people living in extreme poverty could increase by up to 3 billion by 2050 unless urgent action is taken to tackle environmental challenges. It said climate change is already exacerbating chronic environmental threats, and ecosystem losses are constraining livelihood opportunities, especially for poor people. Inaction on climate change, deforestation, and air and water pollution could end gains in the world’s poorest countries and communities. [Guardian]

Pray for the intensifying environment threats:

  • Pray for prompt actions taken by all nations to tackle environmental challenges;
  • Pray also for those especially the poor who are affected and suffer from environmental threats.