A lo largo de nuestras vidas, llegamos a un punto en el que decimos qué puedo hacer para remediar tal o cual situación. Desafortunadamente, la mayoría de las veces terminamos haciendo “nada”. Inercia, falta de tiempo, ausencia de recursos, políticas deficientes, pautas escasas, programas incompatibles. Es fácil encontrar una razón para no involucrarnos. La lucha contra el cambio climático es uno de esos temas. A menudo, reconocemos la existencia de un problema, pero nos sentimos desesperanzados o no sabemos qué hacer al respecto, o cómo ser parte de la solución. Me gustaría abrir la ventana a muchas posibilidades que están ahí fuera, que podemos apoyar individualmente, o incluso replicar. Iniciativas que nos dan ideas acerca de qué hacer, cómo hacerlo, dónde y con quién.

Es más, existe una propuesta llamada Teoría del Cambio de Copenhague, que dice que “deberíamos pedir a la gente que ofrezca voluntariamente su esfuerzo para salvar nuestro clima realizando muchas acciones pequeñas a nivel individual”. Primero, podemos abrir nuestros corazones y nuestras mentes para tratar de encontrar por lo menos una idea (aquí o en otro lugar) con la que podamos comprometernos personalmente. Después de esto, podemos invertir tiempo y esfuerzo en hacer tal idea una parte integral de nuestras vidas. Si cada uno de nosotros contribuye un poco, entre todos podremos construir una acción gigante.

Innovaciones recientes para hacer frente al cambio climático

La mayoría de nosotros entendemos que se necesitan cambios profundos si queremos abordar con éxito el dilema del cambio climático en la próxima década y dejar un mundo decente para las generaciones futuras. A nivel macro, necesitamos soluciones “verdes” para los problemas masivos a los que nos enfrentamos, en términos de generación de energía, transporte, la producción de alimentos, la manufactura y el consumo en los edificios (iluminación, energía, sistemas de calefacción y refrigeración). Por ejemplo, a nivel mundial, el transporte causa casi el 25% “de las emisiones de CO2 relacionadas con la energía en todo el mundo”. Esta industria sigue dependiendo de los combustibles fósiles. De igual forma, otro 25% de las emisiones de CO2 se produce al alimentar la población mundial, incluyendo el consumo de carne, cuyos procesos tienen un impacto negativo en el cambio climático.

Algunos gobiernos ya están planificando o implementando nuevas políticas ambientales que serían efectivas en muchas industrias, mejorando, por ejemplo, la eficiencia energética, un paso crucial para impulsar la innovación ecológica en nuestra “transición hacia una economía baja en carbono”.

Como parte de la plataforma de las Naciones Unidas en la Alianzas para lograr los objetivos de desarrollo sostenible, la Campaña de ciudades que trabajan para proteger el clima ha logrado la participación de unos 700 gobiernos locales que en sus procesos de toma de decisiones ya integran la idea de mitigar el cambio climático. Se han registrado éxitos en muchas regiones, desde Asia hasta África y América del Norte y del Sur. Por ejemplo, los proyectos de movilidad en Ciudad de México han ayudado a “disminuir la contaminación del aire generada por los vehículos, a la vez que han proporcionado más opciones de transporte para las personas que se encuentran en la periferia de la ciudad o en situaciones de vulnerabilidad”.

Un artículo reciente escrito por Joe McCarthy, publicado en el sitio web de Global Citizen (ciudadano del mundo), describe en detalle varias innovaciones que tienen por objetivo rehabilitar, proteger y rejuvenecer la Tierra, incluyendo el sorprendente desarrollo accidental de ¡enzimas que consumen plástico! Estas enzimas pueden descomponer el plástico en días, en lugar de cientos de años, que es lo que normalmente tarda la degradación del plástico.

Otro interesante artículo en la página de innovación de Ben & Jerry, habla de aprovechar el calor natural de la tierra, e incluso la energía capturada en el movimiento de las olas del océano; o de transformar los millones de kilómetros de asfalto que conforman las carreteras de nuestro planeta para capturarlos y transfigurarlos en fuentes de energía limpia y renovable. Es más, ya existen planes que están en marcha para usar los contaminantes de las centrales eléctricas y ¡transformarlos en bicarbonato de sodio! Igualmente, utilizar los granulados ¡como una alternativa del carbón!

Iniciativas comunitarias para luchar contra el cambio climático

A nivel de las organizaciones comunitarias, existen miles de iniciativas en todo el mundo para contribuir con una gota de agua en la búsqueda de soluciones. Cada uno de nosotros INDIVIDUALMENTE y todos nosotros COLECTIVAMENTE tenemos un interés como seres humanos en el tema. ¿Por qué? Porque podemos participar en nuestras comunidades y ayudar a garantizar y replicar aquellas iniciativas locales que han tenido éxito en otros lugares. Por ejemplo:

a) Un proyecto comunitario de explotación forestal promovido por defensores de la naturaleza en Noh-Bec (México) busca lograr una industria maderera sostenible que pueda proteger el hábitat a la vez que reduce las emisiones de la deforestación y la degradación de los bosques. Las prácticas de gestión forestal de Noh-Bec proporcionan un buen hábitat y una cosecha sostenible de madera, al tiempo que garantizan que los árboles seguirán ­­ayudando al almacenamiento del carbono forestal, reduciendo así las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero.

b) La ciudad de Copenhague en Dinamarca ha motivado a la mitad de sus habitantes a ir al trabajo en bicicleta todos los días. Esta tendencia comenzó después de la crisis del petróleo de los años 70, cuando los residentes se comprometieron personalmente a andar en bicicleta en lugar de conducir, por principios morales, aunque fuera inconveniente para ellos.

c) Un plan piloto del Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo, “está diseñado para implementar proyectos comunitarios que buscan mejorar la capacidad de recuperación, así como los ecosistemas en los que dependen, ante los impactos del cambio climático. Esencialmente, creará laboratorios a pequeña escala, además de políticas, y generará conocimientos acerca de cómo lograr la adaptación a nivel local”.

Algunos de estos proyectos con fundamento en comunidades locales incluyen:

o En Jamaica, la reducción de la erosión provocada por el cambio climático y el riesgo de deslizamientos de tierras mediante la agricultura sostenible; la adaptación al cambio climático en Glengoffe; y la conservación de las cuencas hidrográficas.

o En Bangladesh, los humedales comunitarios y la diversificación de las actividades basadas en la agricultura

o En Guatemala, recuperación de suelos con estructuras de conservación de cultivos orgánicos; reforestación y conservación de suelos para mejorar los viveros de árboles; y actividades de viveros de árboles para reforestación.

o En Bolivia, protección de las fuentes de agua y conservación del suelo mediante la reforestación; gestión sostenible del cultivo de chirimoyo para la adaptación al cambio climático; y recuperación de semillas de tarwi para la adaptación.

d) En último lugar deseo mencionar que existe una Iniciativa conocida por las siglas en inglés GICBA, la Iniciativa global para la adaptación a nivel comunitario, que es una red virtual, una plataforma abierta, para que las organizaciones y los individuos puedan compartir experiencias y aprender de los proyectos, herramientas y métodos utilizados en adaptaciones al cambio climático realizadas a nivel comunitario. Esta plataforma debería convertirse en un recurso para todos aquellos que desean fomentar los movimientos comunitarios y necesitan apoyo y trabajo en red.

Para finalizar con el mensaje que empecé, si nosotros no somos parte de la solución, entonces somos parte del problema. No existe un “plano intermedio” en términos de cambio climático. Cada uno de nosotros ayuda o perjudica el medio ambiente (aunque sólo sea por mantenernos como observadores pasivos de los daños causados por otros).

Conclusión, para estar equivocados, no tenemos que hacer algo malo, simplemente quedarnos quietos mientras algo malo está sucediendo. Hagamos el bien. Una acción vale más que mil palabras.

Acerca de UN CC:Learn

UN CC:Learn es una asociación de más de 30 organizaciones multilaterales que prestan apoyo a los países para diseñar e implementar estrategias de formación sobre cambio climático que sean sistemáticas, recurrentes y orientadas según resultados. A nivel global, la asociación apoya el intercambio de conocimientos, promueve el desarrollo de materiales didácticos comunes sobre educación en cambio climático y coordina intervenciones de formación a través de la colaboración de agencias de las Naciones Unidas y otros socios.

By Laura O’Connor

Fighting climate change necessitates a global collective effort, and often requires engaging those who are impacted the most. If we look at the most vulnerable communities in the face of climate change, we often see some of the highest degrees of innovation and unlocked insight on addressing the issue. A prime example of this is the potential of women and girls in the global fight against climate change. Women and girls, specifically in developing communities, are some of the most highly-affected demographics in the wake of increasing natural disasters and volatile farming conditions, and there is plenty of evidence to suggest that female empowerment could be a key step in creating a sustainable future. This article will first examine the particular vulnerabilities experienced by women and girls in the wake of climate change. It will then examine the impacts of empowerment through an increased agency, engagement in political discussions, and heightened economic participation on climate change and sustainability.

Women Deliver highlights a study which states that women make up 43% of the agricultural workforce in developing countries, making them particularly affected by any adverse effects on climate and farming conditions. Women and girls are consequently tasked with securing food and water in times of natural disasters, particularly flooding or droughts. We see heightened levels of young girls dropping out of school during these periods of increased workloads. Furthermore, as displacement and the climate change refugee phenomenon becomes more common, gender-based violence, sexual assault, and trafficking of women and particularly young girls becomes more common. Women Deliver’s latest policy brief states that this can be attributed to overcrowding and unsafe living conditions in temporary displacement camps and increased poverty levels. This leads to many women and girls feeling unsafe in their environment and minimizing their public outings, which has been seen to cause heightened infant mortality rates and women dying from childbirth as access to proper medical care becomes limited.

This forces one to ponder the solution — how can we protect women and girls in the fight against climate change? Evidence suggests that by giving women and girls an increased role in the global conversation around climate change and sustainability initiatives could be key in both protecting women and girls and fighting climate change. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change explains that women’s equal voice and role in development initiatives, particularly climate change initiatives, is crucial for effectiveness and minimizing gendered vulnerabilities.

UNFCCC highlights a particular endeavour in which women-led groups collect savings of the equivalent of $1 USD per week, generating a resource pool which women borrow and invest in to fund income-producing endeavours addressing climate change. As explained in the case analysis, once women are mobilized, half of the population is essentially engaged in sustainability initiatives, innovating production methods to minimize carbon emissions, pressuring governments to propose sustainable policies, and providing education and outreach on climate change to other populations. Not only is this maximizing lobbying and innovation capacities, but it is also empowering women and girls and giving them heightened autonomy within often patriarchal social structures. UNFCCC also explain a “domino effect,” in which communities of women and girls who have been further engaged in climate change initiatives are more engaged with surrounding communities, and knowledge is transferred faster and with a larger outreach.

BSR (Business for Social Responsibility) further corroborates that women’s empowerment and development are linked to effectively combating climate change. Specifically, increasing women’s access to land ownership (inheritance lineages are often male-to-male), and thus giving women increased leadership roles and agency can lead to increased innovation in sustainable farming initiatives, and increase resilience to increased natural disasters and changing farming conditions. As natural disasters increase, men are often forced to move to urban areas while women are left to care for children and elderly and perform subsistence work. This not only renders women even more vulnerable to climate disasters, but it also means their role is particularly important as they carry first-hand knowledge of farming, whereabouts of resources and whereabouts of people in the case of emergency. Their proximity to climate change is thus important to acknowledge, and studies demonstrate that in the wake of environmental changes, some of the most adaptable members of their communities to such changes.

In short, women’s empowerment is quickly becoming a central topic in climate change discussions. There is evidence to suggest an almost linear relationship between women’s empowerment, climate change resilience, and sustainability. Women and young girls represent some of the most vulnerable communities in the face of climate change, yet hold valuable knowledge and potential for sustainable innovation and particularly agriculture technology.

To learn more about the linkages between gender and the environment, the tools to mainstream gender and how to be an effective change-maker for sustainable development, register now to our e-course on Gender and Environment.

About UN CC:Learn

UN CC:Learn is a partnership of more than 30 multilateral organizations supporting countries to design and implement systematic, recurrent and results-oriented climate change learning. Through its engagement at the national and global levels, UN CC:Learn contributes to the implementation of climate change training, education and public awareness-raising.

Throughout our lives, we sometimes come to a point where we say “what can I do” to remedy this or that situation. Unfortunately, most of the time we actually end up doing nothing. Inertia, lack of time, the absence of resources, deficient policies, scarce guidelines, inconsistent programs. We can always find a reason not to get involved. Tackling climate change is one of such subjects. Often, we acknowledge the existence of a problem, but feel hopeless or don’t know what to do about it or how to be part of the solution. I would like to open the window to many possibilities that are out there, which you can support or even replicate. Initiatives that give us ideas on what to do next, how to do it, where, and with whom.

Moreover, there is a proposal called the Copenhagen Theory of Change, that states “that we should be asking people to volunteer to save our climate by taking many small, individual actions”. Let’s then open our hearts and our minds to try and find at least one idea (here or elsewhere) that we can commit to, and then, let's invest time and effort in making it part of our lives. If each one of us contributes a little, the lot itself will be immense.

Recent innovations to deal with climate change

Most of us understand that profound changes are needed if we want to successfully tackle the climate change dilemma in the coming decade and leave a decent world for future generations. At a macro level, we need “green” solutions to the massive problems we are facing in power generation, transportation, food production, manufacturing and buildings (lighting, power, heating and cooling systems). For example, almost 25% “of global energy-related CO2 emissions” in the world are related to transportation. This industry continues to rely heavily on fossil fuels. Similarly, another 25% of CO2 emissions result from feeding the world’s population, including the consumption of meat, which processes have a negative impact on climate change.

Some governments are already planning or implementing new environmental policies that should be effective across industries in areas such as energy efficiency improvement, a step crucial to drive eco-innovation in our “transition toward a low-carbon economy”. As part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Partnerships Platform, the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign has enlisted the participation of some 700 local governments that are now integrating climate change mitigation into their decision-making processes. Success stories have been recorded in many regions, from Asia to Africa, North and South America. For example, the mobility projects in Mexico City have helped “diminish air pollution generated by vehicles, while also providing more transportation options for people in peripheral locations or vulnerable situations”.

A recent article by Joe McCarthy, published in the Global Citizen’s website, describes in detail several innovations that aim at rehabilitating, protecting, and rejuvenating the Earth, including the amazing accidental development of plastic-eating enzymes! These enzymes can break down plastic in days, instead of the hundreds of years that normally takes plastic to decompose.

Another interesting article in the innovation webpage of Ben & Jerry (yes, the ice cream business) talks about harnessing earth’s natural heat and even the energy captured in the movement of ocean waves; or transforming the millions of miles of asphalt that make up the highways of our planet to capture and transfigure them into sources of clean and renewable energy. There are even plans underway to transform power plant pollutants into baking soda and to use pellets as an alternative to coal!

Community-based initiatives to wrestle with climate change

At a grassroots level, there are thousands of efforts around the world trying to contribute a drop of water to possible solutions. Each one of us individually and all of us collectively are stakeholders in these issues. Why? Because we can participate in our communities and help underwrite and replicate those local initiatives that have been successful elsewhere. For example:

a) A community-based logging project promoted by local organizations in Noh-Bec (Mexico) pursues a sustainable logging industry that can protect the habitat while reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. Noh-Bec’s forest management practices provide good habitat and a sustainable wood harvest while also ensuring that trees will ­­continue helping sequestration of forest carbon, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

b) The city of Copenhagen in Denmark has motivated half of its habitants to commute to work by bicycle every day. This trend started after the oil crisis of the 1970s, when the residents made a personal commitment to ride bicycles rather than drive, out of moral principle, even if that was inconvenient for them.

c) A pilot project that is part of the United Nations Development Programme, “is designed to implement community-based projects that seek to enhance the resiliency of communities, and/or the ecosystems on which they rely, to climate change impacts. It will essentially create small-scale/policy laboratories and generate knowledge about how to achieve adaptation at the local level.” Some of these community-based projects include:

o In Jamaica, reduction of climate change-driven erosion and landslide risk through sustainable agriculture; glengoffe climate change adaptation; and watershed conservation

o In Bangladesh, community-based wetlands and diversifying agro-based activities

o In Guatemala, soil recovery with organic crop conservation structures; reforestation and soil conservation to improve tree nurseries; and tree nursery activities for reforestation

o In Bolivia, water source protection and soil conservation through reforestation; sustainable management of the cherimoya crop for climate change adaptation; and recovery of tarwi seeds for adaptation

d) Finally, let me mention that there is a Global Initiative on Community Based Adaptation (GICBA) that is a virtual network, an open platform, for organizations and individuals to share and learn project experiences, tools and methods on community-based adaptations to climate change. This should be a go-to resource for those who wish to foster grassroots movements and need some networking and support.

To end on the note I started, if we are not part of the solution, we are part of the problem. There is no “in between” in terms of climate change. Either we are helping or we are harming the environment (even if just by being passive observers of the damage caused by others).

Conclusion: To be wrong, we don’t have to do something wrong, we may simply stand still while wrong is being done. Let’s make it right. Actions speak louder than words.

About UN CC:Learn

UN CC:Learn is a partnership of more than 30 multilateral organizations supporting countries to design and implement systematic, recurrent and results-oriented climate change learning. Through its engagement at the national and global levels, UN CC:Learn contributes to the implementation of climate change training, education and public awareness-raising.

By Loic Tchinda | English version

Comment le changement climatique sera un germe de violence?

Permettez que l’on commence par un fait.

Le changement climatique n’est pas encore une cause directe des conflits.

Selon le rapport de l’ASDI (2017), le changement climatique n’a peut-être pas de relation claire et linéaire avec les conflits violents, mais dans certaines circonstances, ils [les changements liés au climat] peuvent influer sur les facteurs qui conduisent ou exacerbent les conflits. Cette relation est complexe, localisable et spécifique à chaque pays.

Historiquement, les conflits ont été principalement motivés par des divergences politiques et/ou idéologiques qui résultent à des violences. Cependant, la littérature existante suggère que le changement climatique devrait être le principal facteur de dégradation de l’environnement, de déplacements démographiques et de conflits violents (Messer, 2010).

Cela dit, il convient d’affirmer que les effets imbriqués des ; inondations, sécheresses, l’insécurité alimentaire, la réduction de l’accès à l’eau et les phénomènes météorologiques extrêmes peuvent conduire à une compétitivité locale qui ne peut être gérée dans un contexte où les institutions politiques fortes sont absentes. Le manque de mesures gouvernementales pour éviter les inégalités ; où la richesse naturelle décroissante est déjà un fait, sont des ingrédients clairs d’un conflit brutal imminent.

La plupart des chercheurs ont cité le Kenya, la Syrie, le Soudan, l’Égypte, l’Inde, l’Irak, la Palestine et le Nigéria comme exemples de pays où les effets du réchauffement de la planète sur le paysage physique mondial ont entraîné des changements géopolitiques menaçant de déstabiliser des régions déjà vulnérables. La guerre civile syrienne a tué environ un demi-million de personnes et en a déplacé environ 11 millions. Il a complètement détruit les infrastructures du pays et on ne semble pas entrevoir le bout du tunnel. Avant le début de la guerre, une sécheresse extraordinaire a provoqué la faillite de 75% des fermes syriennes et la mort de 85% de leur bétail entre 2006 et 2011, selon les Nations Unies. Cette sécheresse a également déclenché une vague d’immigrés à la recherche d’un emploi dans les zones urbaines, semant l’instabilité dans tout le pays.

Le rapport d’octobre 2018 publié par le Groupe d’experts intergouvernemental sur l’évolution du climat (GIEC) avertit qu’au Sahel (par exemple), les risques associés au réchauffement planétaire — y compris les pénuries alimentaires — seraient moins importants si la hausse des températures par rapport aux niveaux préindustriels était contenue à 1,5°C, par opposition à 2°C. Le rapport indique clairement que les projections en matière de changement climatique vont contribuer aux déplacements, aux migrations et aux conflits. Les phénomènes météorologiques extrêmes déplacent déjà plus de 20 millions de personnes par an en moyenne. Le rapport prévoit des précipitations plus extrêmes et des niveaux plus élevés d’élévation du niveau de la mer et découvre avec « confiance élevée » qu’une sécheresse accrue entraînera une migration forcée et un conflit prolongé dans certaines régions.

Mais comment le changement climatique va-t-il provoquer et / ou catalyser des conflits existants et / ou futurs ? Il y a au moins 4 dynamiques qui peuvent être mises en avant pour répondre à cette question.

1)Le changement climatique aura une incidence sur les moyens de subsistance et les prix des denrées alimentaires

Le changement climatique aura un impact négatif sur les moyens de subsistance des populations et entraînera une réduction des rendements agricoles. Les fluctuations des précipitations et l’élévation du niveau de la mer peuvent / vont toucher l’agriculture et la pêche. Les changements climatiques pourraient réduire davantage la productivité agricole locale et rendre les prix mondiaux des denrées alimentaires de plus en plus élevés, politisant davantage le problème de la sécurité alimentaire. À mesure que les populations et la demande de produits alimentaires augmentent, la pression nationale se renforcera, en particulier sur les gouvernements des pays en développement. Si l’on considère que près de la moitié de la population mondiale vit dans des pays en développement, plus de 2,5 milliards de personnes ; et nombre d’entre eux dépendent de l’agriculture pour leur subsistance, cela signifie que le changement climatique aura un impact considérable sur les moyens de subsistance dans le monde.

Prenons l’exemple du conflit au Darfour, dans l’ouest du Soudan, où les précipitations ont diminué de 30% et la production agricole de 70%, tandis que la température annuelle moyenne a augmenté de 1,5 degré, ce qui a provoqué un conflit entre les tribus pastorales et agricoles sur l’utilisation des terres pour le pâturage ou la production agricole.

2) Le changement climatique entravera la croissance économique et aggravera la pauvreté et l’instabilité sociale

La combinaison d’un taux de chômage en hausse, de taxes plus élevées, d’une réduction des recettes publiques et d’une hausse des prix du pétrole, conséquence indirecte du changement climatique, pourrait affaiblir la capacité des gouvernements à fournir des services et à créer des emplois, créant ainsi potentiellement les conditions d’un extrémisme de toutes sortes, augmentation de la criminalité et de l’effondrement social.

De nombreuses études ont mis en évidence le lien entre le changement climatique et le déclenchement des révolutions arabes. « Le Printemps arabe et le Changement climatique », publié en 2013 par le Centre pour le climat et la sécurité à Washington, affirme que c’est l’incapacité des gouvernements à satisfaire les besoins fondamentaux de leurs citoyens, à résoudre des problèmes climatiques tels que la sécheresse, la désertification et les pénuries d’électricité qui a poussé beaucoup de gens à prendre part aux manifestations politiques du printemps arabe. Cette situation fournit un exemple classique de ce que les analystes veulent dire quand ils parlent de causalité complexe et du rôle du changement climatique en tant que “multiplicateur de menaces”.

3) Le changement climatique peut conduire à d’énormes crises migratoires

Le changement climatique peut et va augmenter le nombre de réfugiés. La modification des régimes pluviométriques, la propagation de la désertification et la baisse de la productivité agricole risquent de saper les moyens de subsistance en milieu rural, d’aggraver les perspectives d’emploi dans les zones rurales et d’accélérer la migration vers les zones urbaines. Cela pourrait mettre à rude épreuve les services dans les villes et accroître le ressentiment des populations de réfugiés existantes.

Les migrations à grande échelle aggraveront les tensions locales, notamment en intensifiant la lutte pour la subsistance et en modifiant les configurations du pouvoir politique. Le Soudan du Sud est une illustration malheureuse. Le conflit au Darfour a été suivie par une qui famine a balayé le pays, provoquant l’insécurité alimentaire de millions de personnes.

La famine était principalement le résultat d’une mauvaise gestion découlant des effets dévastateurs de la guerre civile de 2013, mais elle a été favorisée par des précipitations inférieures à la moyenne qui ont asséché des zones des zones agricoles du pays. Pendant ce temps, cette instabilité a attisé le conflit au fur et à mesure que se développait un exode massif, rapprochant les groupes ethniques rivaux.

4) La réduction des ressources à la suite du changement climatique pourrait accroître la militarisation des ressources naturelles stratégiques

Les allocations de ressources (diminuent en valeur absolue en raison du changement climatique et en valeur relative en raison de la croissance démographique et de la demande accrue) pourraient devenir de plus en plus tendues. Leur contrôle peut devenir perçu comme une dimension de plus en plus essentielle de la sécurité nationale, et la rareté des ressources pourrait servir de prétexte à leur plus grande militarisation. Par exemple, King souligne en 2017 que la Somalie a été frappée en 2011 par des sécheresses régionales liées au changement climatique. Pendant ce temps, comme le note King, le groupe fondamentaliste djihadiste « Al-Shabaab a changé sa tactique de guérilla traditionnelle et a commencé à couper les villes libérées de leurs sources d’eau afin qu’elles puissent au moins démontrer une sorte de pouvoir et de présence. Les changements climatiques, le manque de nourriture et la poursuite des conflits liés à la militarisation de l’eau ont eu un coût social énorme. L’accès limité des organisations humanitaires exacerbé par les actions d’Al-Shabaab a fait plus de 250 millions de morts et des centaines de milliers de personnes déplacées. » (Epicenters of Climate and Security, pp 67)

Vu sous cet angle, l’adaptation aux effets du changement climatique peut faire partie de la consolidation de la paix et la consolidation de la paix est un moyen d’accroître la capacité d’adaptation. Mais entre prédire [les effets du changement climatique] et se préparer, il reste encore un long chemin à parcourir. Des efforts internationaux concrètes pour réduire les effets du changement climatique sont donc incontestablement un moyen de promouvoir la paix mondiale et le développement durable.

Vous souhaitez en savoir plus sur le changement climatique et ses conséquences dévastatrices ? Cliquez ici pour suivre un cours d’introduction gratuit et simple sur le changement climatique.

A propos de UN CC:Learn

UN CC:Learn est un partenariat composé de plus de 30 organisations multilatérales qui aide les pays à renforcer l’apprentissage sur les changements climatiques, d’une manière systématique et axée sur les résultats. A l’échelle mondiale et nationale, UN CC:Learn soutient le partage des connaissances, promeut l’élaboration de matériels pédagogiques et la formation et la sensibilisation du public.

By Loic Tchinda | French version

How climate change will be a seed for violence?

Let’s begin with a fact.

Armed conflicts are yet to find their direct causes from climate change

According to the SIDA report (2017), climate change might not have a clear and linear relationship with violent conflict but under certain circumstances, climate-related change can influence factors that lead to or exacerbate conflict. This relationship is complex, country-specific and localized within nations.

Historically, the main reason for violent conflict has been political and/or ideological differences which surface justification for violence. However, the literature suggests that ‘climate change is expected to be the great multiplier of environmental deterioration, demographic displacements, and conflict threats’ (Messer, 2010).

That said, it is inarguably fair to posit that the intertwining effects of floods, droughts, food insecurity, reduced access to water and extreme weather events can lead to local competitiveness which cannot be managed in a context where strong political institutions are absent. The lack of government measures to avoid inequalities; where growing natural scarcity is already a fact, are clear ingredients of an imminent brutal conflict.

Most researchers have cited Kenya, Syria, Sudan, Egypt, India, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Nigeria as examples of countries where the effects of global warming on the world’s physical landscape have led to geopolitical changes that have threatened to destabilize already vulnerable regions. The Syrian Civil war has killed around half a million people and displaced around 11 million others. It has utterly destroyed the country’s infrastructure and seems to have no endpoint. Before the war began, an extraordinary drought caused 75% of Syria’s farms to fail and 85% of livestock to die between 2006 and 2011, according to the United Nations. That drought also triggered a wave of migrants searching for jobs in urban areas, spreading instability throughout the country. The stresses on natural resources undermine the capacity of states to govern themselves and increase the chances of conflicts.

The October 2018 report published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that in the Sahel (for example), the risks associated with global warming — including food shortages — would be lower if the rise in temperatures compared with pre-industrial levels was contained to 1.5°C, as opposed to 2°C. The report makes clear that climate change projections will contribute to human displacement, migration, and conflict. Extreme weather events already displace upwards of 20 million people per year on average. The report forecasts more extreme precipitation and higher levels of sea level rise and finds with “high confidence” that increased drought will drive forced migration and sustained conflict in certain regions.

But how will climate change cause and/or catalyse existing and/or future conflicts? There are at least 4 dynamics that can be brought forward to answer this question.

Let’s dig in.

1) Climate change will have an incidence of livelihoods and food prices

Climate change will have a negative impact on people’s livelihoods and cause a reduction in product yields. Fluctuations in rainfall and sea-level rise can/will hit agriculture and fishing. Climate change could further decrease local agricultural productivity and make global food prices increasingly volatile, further politicizing the issue of food security. As populations and demand for food grow, domestic pressure will build on governments especially in developing states. When we consider that nearly half of the world’s population live in developing countries –over 2.5 billion people; many of them depend on agriculture to make a living, which means that climate change will have a huge impact on livelihoods.

See the conflict in Darfur, western Sudan, where rainfall had declined by 30% and agricultural production had fallen by 70%, while the average annual temperature rose by 1.5 degrees, contributing to conflict between pastoral and agricultural tribes over the use of land for grazing livestock or growing crops

2) Climate change will hinder economic growth, thereby worsening poverty and social instability

The combination of higher unemployment, higher taxes, reduced government revenue and increased prices of oil, as an indirect result of climate change, could weaken governments’ ability to provide services and create jobs, and in turn, potentially creating the conditions for extremism of all kinds, increased crime and social breakdown.

Many studies have pointed to the link between climate change and the outbreak of the Arab revolutions. “The Arab Spring and Climate Change” published in 2013 by the Centre for Climate and Security in Washington, says it was the failure of governments to meet their citizens’ basic needs, address climatic issues like droughts, desertification, and power shortages that led many people to take part in the political protests of the Arab Spring. This case situation provides a textbook example of what analysts mean when they talk of complex causality and the role of climate change as a “threat multiplier.”

3) Climate change may lead to tremendous migration crises

Climate change can and will increase refugee situations. Shifting rainfall patterns, spreading desertification and falling agricultural productivity are likely to undermine rural livelihoods, worsen job prospects in rural areas and accelerate the migration to urban areas. This could strain services in cities and lead to increased resentment of existing refugee populations.

Large-scale migrations will increase tensions locally, such as by intensifying the struggle for livelihoods and altering political power configurations. South Sudan is an unfortunate illustration. That’s because famine has swept across the country, bringing food insecurity to millions of people.

The famine was predominantly the result of mismanagement stemming from the lasting effects of the 2013 civil war, but it was abetted by below average rainfall that dried up parts of the country’s agricultural areas. This instability, meanwhile, fanned conflict as a mass exodus unfolds, putting rival ethnic groups in close proximity to one another.

4) Perceptions of resources shrinking as a result of climate change could increase the militarization of strategic natural resources

The allocations of resources falling in absolute terms as a result of climate change and in relative terms as a result of population growth and increased demand could become increasingly tense. Control over them may become perceived as an increasingly key dimension of national security, and resource scarcity could be a pretext for their greater militarization. For instance, King (2017) points out that in 2011, Somalia was hit by regional droughts that have been linked to climate change. During this time, as King notes, jihadist fundamentalist group “Al-Shabaab changed its traditional guerilla tactics and started to cut off liberated cities from their water sources so that they could demonstrate at least some kind of power and presence.

Seen in this light, adaptation to the effects of climate change can be a part of peacebuilding and peacebuilding is a way of increasing adaptive capacity. But between predicting (the effects of climate change) and preparing, there is still a long way to go. Strong international efforts in reducing the effects of climate change therefore, is undoubtedly a means of promoting global peace and sustainable development.

You want to learn more about climate change and its devastating implications? Click here to take a free introductory e-course on Climate change.

About UN CC:Learn

UN CC:Learn is a partnership of more than 30 multilateral organizations supporting countries to design and implement systematic, recurrent and results-oriented climate change learning. Through its engagement at the national and global levels, UN CC:Learn contributes to the implementation of climate change training, education and public awareness-raising.

Corporate greed and environmental damage are often seen going hand-in-hand, leading some to believe that corporatization is incompatible with creating a sustainable and green economic ecosystem. There is, however, a plethora of room for optimism in this regard. Many corporations and large businesses have put forth sustainability measures and taken other steps towards green-policies, targeting certain areas and advancing certain communities towards a more sustainable outlook. Let’s explore some key economic sectors; specifically transportation, fashion and energy, and their green initiatives, and examine how they can be expanded upon and imitated by other businesses.

First, let’s talk about transportation. This is an area that’s constantly experiencing a lot of growth and publicity, especially now in the advent of self-driving cars and light-speed rails. The era of gas-guzzling hatchbacks and diesel trucks is slowly coming to close. The transport sector accounts for almost one-quarter of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the burning of fossil fuels, with automobiles accounting for a staggering 75% of this.

Today, we see the electronic automobile becoming more and more popular; in fact, if we compare the number of charging pumps per number of electric cars in America, there are more charging stations for electric vehicles than gas pumps for gas and diesel-fueled vehicles. The rise of electric automobiles is not only regarded as a green initiative but also a great business tactic. Social corporate responsibility is becoming an increasingly important factor to consumers, with the vast majority of consumers reporting the ethics behind a company as highly important to them, according to this survey done by Reason Digital.

As the electric automobile boom continues to grow and electric cars are becoming more and more normalized, the greater market surrounding green technology has continued to rise and experience greater investments. To counteract the negative impact that the automobile industry typically had on the environment, we are seeing more and more companies highlight their commitments to greener and more environmentally ethical investments, means of production, sourcing of materials, and other sustainable initiatives. This not only has a positive impact on the environment but also on their reputations in the eyes of consumers.

Moving on to an aesthetically pleasing yet unbelievably wasteful industry — fashion. The true cost of fast fashion a term coined to describe low-quality fashion that is sold at relatively low-costs and massed produced is that is generated approximately 15 million tonnes of waste annually in the United States alone. On top of the waste itself, the dyes used in the textile manufacturing process serve as the second largest clean water pollutant, these dyes almost always containing toxic chemicals. With all these disheartening statistics, it’s easy to feel guilty for buying and supporting brand names.

Optimism remains, however. Sustainable fashion businesses are on the rise, and many corporations have turned to use recyclable materials in their clothing, or sustainable and ethically-sourced materials such as forest viscose and cashmere. These initiatives are not only sustainable but also attract attention from media outlets and help reiterate social corporate responsibility and the increased need for ethical responsibility in the fashion industry. Sustainable fashion has also become popularized among high-street brands that are more accessible than high-fashion and upscale brands. This signifies a greater shift of public attitude towards supporting accessible and widespread sustainability initiatives.

Young people are increasingly more aware of where their clothing is coming from, and thus sustainable fashion is becoming increasingly popular among younger generations, according to this report by the Robin Report. Many consumers, particularly younger consumers, view sustainability as inexplicably linked to the ethical practices of businesses, and this serves as a deciding factor in purchasing clothing. This shift in consumer mindset and corporate behaviour could signal greater progress towards making the fashion industry less wasteful and more environmentally-friendly.

Now let’s look at one of the most rapidly transitioning sectors, energy. Energy protocols have experienced rapid evolutions throughout the years, energy serving as a key and vital element to human activity. Throughout the 20th century, coal, nuclear, and fracking were all (and to an extent, continue to be) popular methods in the energy industry. With coal being indisputably harmful to the environment, nuclear power posing a credible fear in the decades following the disaster in Chernobyl and Fukushima, and fracking posing both a threat to the environment and to human populations, renewable and safer energy sources have become popular. Many corporations and stakeholders have shifted their gaze towards safer and more sustainable energy practices.

In fact, Ren21, a renewable energy stakeholder network, reported that “the world is adding more renewable power capacity each year than it adds in new capacity from all fossil fuels combined.” Capitalizing on this growing market and forging the way to a world totally fueled by renewable energy is becoming an increasingly profitable market and growing energy sub-sector. This success is not unnoticed, with many cities seeing the opportunity for lower costs and higher employment rates in implementing renewable energy sources. This could serve as a motivating factor behind a transition to cleaner energy sources across the world and offers a spark of optimism.

In conclusion, we’ve looked at three key economic sectors: transportation, fashion, and energy. While all three of these sectors have done their fair share of damage to the environment, there are rising corporations that offer a dose of progressivism and green initiatives that are slowly beginning to take root in each respective sector. This not only offers a beacon of hope towards a more sustainable future, but it also serves as an example for other large corporations to involve themselves on a path to an environmentally friendly economy and future.

About UN CC:Learn

UN CC:Learn is a partnership of more than 30 multilateral organizations supporting countries to design and implement systematic, recurrent and results-oriented climate change learning. Through its engagement at the national and global levels, UN CC:Learn contributes to the implementation of climate change training, education and public awareness-raising.

The last session of the COP24 climate change negotiations in Katowice, Poland has been postponed several times because more than 100 Ministers and more than 1,000 negotiators tried to overcome their differences on how the ‘Rulebook of Paris’ can be implemented in each country. After a heated debate, the COP24 Conference, which was supposed to be completed on Friday, December 14, 2018, was closed on Sunday morning December 16 at 0.33 Katowice time.

Three years ago in Paris all countries agreed to withstand a rise in global temperatures to below 2 ° C above pre-industrial temperatures, and to try to increase the temperature to a maximum of 1.5 ° C. Now, at Katowice, the parties are trying to agree on how they will achieve Paris’ commitment collectively, build trust between each country, and bring the Paris agreement to be carried out consequently.

Historically, multilateral climate change negotiations were difficult because all countries sought to protect their national interests. That is why the commitment made in Paris is considered a successful breakthrough. The agreement, in addition to setting a global temperature increase target of 2 ° C / 1.5 ° C, also includes a commitment to increase financing for climate change, financial support from industrialized countries to developing countries, developing a national mitigation plan by 2020 with self-determined goals and targets; protect ecosystems, strengthen adaptation and reduce vulnerability to the effects of climate change.

Agreeing on how to make all of the above happen is a complex situation due to political and technical issues; various realities at the national and local levels and financial and economic constraints.

The issue of climate change is an emergency climate crisis. The latest report from hundreds of scientists who are members of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) made it clear that we need to act now to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the next 12 years. However, it seems that the response of the Government in each country has been considered inadequate.

What Can We Do?

Climate change is not a nightmare, but a reality that must be faced by all of us together. So far, we can see the impact of climate change everywhere. Declining agricultural production due to uncertainty in seasons, floods and droughts; the emergence of new pests and diseases that have never been known before; declining fisheries production due to changing marine ecosystems and damage to coral reefs; and various disasters that we often see lately. According to the Natural Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), more than 80% of the national disasters that occur in Indonesia are due to climate change.

GHG emission reduction is a big homework that we need to complete together. Not only at the national and local levels but also at the international level as well. The Indonesian government has worked hard to make various efforts to reduce GHG emissions. These include a moratorium on the postponement of exploitation of natural forests, development of a low-carbon economy, and the establishment of a Peat Restoration Agency. The Ministry of Environment (KLHK) and BAPPENAS are the two government institutions that have been the leading agents in managing problems related to climate change, while the Ministry of Finance supports it with various climate change funding policies.

What is needed from the government now is to deal with the issue of leadership and governance in climate change, both at the central and sub-national levels. It is absolutely necessary at the central level to have cohesiveness between Ministries/ Agencies that are heavily involved in climate change works so that roles and authority do not overlap each other. The role of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs is demanded to be even greater for synergic, effective and efficient coordination between ministries involved in reducing GHG emissions and achieving low carbon economy. At the sub-national level, it also requires harmony between the roles and authorities of Governors, Regents, Mayors, and technical offices. The benchmark for the successful handling of climate change might be implemented at the sub-national level. As such, all efforts, including technological support, funding, and capacity building to handle climate change are focused on the sub-national regions, not at the national level.

However, the Government will not be able to work alone, and needs the participation of actors outside the government (non-state actors). They are business people, NGOs, scientists, academics, field practitioners, educators, community leaders and the community itself. Yoichi Kaya, a Japanese economist, expressed his argument that the amount of emissions of a country is directly proportional to the number of population. The higher the population and GDP of a country, the higher the emission will be. Especially if the energy used is not renewable energy, and is used excessively / wastefully. The toughest challenge for Indonesia is how emissions can be reduced as much as possible, but remaining the economic growth high.

The solution to climate change is not just a lively debate in the air-conditioned room (AC) and in luxury hotels, but it needs to be put into actions in the field. The government and non-state actors are actually the main actors who can change the situation. All parties must carry an understanding of climate change out more intensively, seriously, and continuously in order to be able to change the behavior and lifestyle of a society that is wasteful of energy.

The High-Level Conference, which took place in Katowice is just one means to find a solution to the world’s climate change issue, but the key to its success depends entirely on each of us. Borrowing the words of a scholars A. Gymnastiar (Aa Gym), the most pragmatic solution is 3S, i.e. Starting from ourselves; Starting from the family and the closest friends, and Start it NOW!

About UN CC:Learn

UN CC:Learn is a partnership of more than 30 multilateral organizations supporting countries to design and implement systematic, recurrent and results-oriented climate change learning. Through its engagement at the national and global levels, UN CC:Learn contributes to the implementation of climate change training, education and public awareness-raising.

Feminine hygiene is a topic at the centre of the convergence of gender equality and climate change initiatives. In North America, feminine hygiene products amount a massive amount of waste, with 11 billion sanitary products being disposed of annually within the continent, according to this publication produced by Harvard’s Technology and Information Management faculty. The footprint of this waste cannot be understated. Furthermore, Days for Girls examined some of the menstrual practices used by women in developing countries and found that many women are forced to manage menstruation with many unsanitary and potentially dangerous hygiene practices; namely using materials such as rags, feathers, leaves, mattress stuffing, and even cow dung.

This poses a serious threat to the health and wellbeing of countless girls and women and yet is a very solvable issue. In fact, these two ends of the spectrum of feminine hygiene practices converge when one examines what the solution is to the wastefulness of more developed nations and the potentially dangerous and unsanitary methods used by women in developing regions. Eco-friendly, reusable feminine hygiene products serve as the potential ultimate solution to both of these issues. This article will further examine the consequences of unsustainable feminine hygiene practices, as well as examine the future of feminine hygiene and sustainability initiatives that could be imposed in the future in order to reduce waste and spread hygienic practices throughout the world.

Starting off, reusable feminine hygiene products at first may seem like an oxymoron. However, sustainably-made reusable feminine hygiene products could be the solution to reducing unsanitary practices across the world. In fact, even in North America where disposable tampons and sanitary napkins reign supreme, many of these products are bleached and contain toxic chemicals such as aluminum, hydrocarbons, alcohols, and fragrances, according to Canadian Women’s Health Network. The threats posed by these harsh chemicals and bleached hygiene products are linked to infection and even cancer. Furthermore, this article by Zero Waste Europe explains that typical menstrual products are primarily made from plastic, one of the most wasteful and damaging manufacturing materials on earth. Plastic waste poses serious threats to wildlife, particularly marine life, as well as arms waterways, and can serve as rafts to transport invasive species. Thus, not only does the chemical nature of these render them potentially harmful to health, but it also renders their materials non-biodegradable, meaning that feminine hygiene waste can last centuries before it decomposes.

In developing countries, it is estimated that at least half of girls did not have access to proper sanitation methods, resulting in many girls being unable to attend school and being faced with inadequate and unhygienic methods, according to Days for Girls. Reusable feminine hygiene products propose a sustainable, long-lasting approach to reinvent the ways in which menstrual management is addressed, in order to better serve women and girls.

If we look at the ecological footprints of reusable feminine hygiene products, we see a much prettier picture. Not only does the waste of traditional hygiene products harmful, but the production methods also pollute waterways, animal habitats, and air. Thus, turning to sustainably-produced, especially organic, reusable products could be the solution. Reusable menstrual products are typically made from cloth or silicone, both of which are significantly more environmentally friendly than plastic. This article by Vivaterra explains that silicone is made from quartz sand, and the chemical reactions by which the sand transforms itself into silicone are not only non-harmful to the environment, the process will ultimately reverse itself, with silicone biodegrading back into sand. The low-impact method of production and the long-lasting nature of silicone makes it a valuable resource in the context of sustainability. Furthermore, undyed and unbleached cotton also serves as a natural and sustainable cloth material that is typically used in many reusable pads. Furthermore, cotton is also biodegradable, cutting down on waste not only through its reusable nature but also through its decomposition time.

In conclusion, the fact of feminine hygiene is gradually changing, and reusable menstrual products could be the future of sustainable menstrual management. Not only do they pose a great benefit on a humanitarian level, but they also reduce the use of chemicals and synthetic materials, reduce pollution in production and manufacturing, and limit waste, particularly plastic waste, exponentially. These products could very well be an integral part of a sustainable future.

About UN CC:Learn

UN CC:Learn is a partnership of more than 30 multilateral organizations supporting countries to design and implement systematic, recurrent and results-oriented climate change learning. Through its engagement at the national and global levels, UN CC:Learn contributes to the implementation of climate change training, education and public awareness-raising.

The philosophical discourse surrounding environmental preservation and sustainability have only recently become mainstream discussions, coinciding with the rise of climate change and a growing need for waste reduction. However, countless branches of traditional knowledge, stemming from traditional Indigenous storytelling and spirituality, allows us to trace back environmentalism to millenniums ago (12,000 to be exact!). It’s important to acknowledge the diversity within the umbrella term “Indigenous,” which comprises a total of 250 to 300 million people, from all corners of the earth. This being said, there are overlapping traditional philosophies that carry valuable knowledge about environmentalism and low-impact lifestyles, which will be explored in this article. Furthermore, this article will discuss certain elements of particular branches traditional knowledge, and how these ideas and beliefs can and should be celebrated and implemented today, as well as the need to engage Indigenous communities in the global discourse surrounding climate change, in order to reposition the importance of environmentalism and sustainability in our 21st century global society.

Before we proceed, let’s discuss the sad but blatant reality of the relationship between climate change and Indigenous communities. While the principles of countless branches of traditional knowledge discuss the sacredness of the earth and the importance of preserving it, and Indigenous communities have historically celebrated low-impact ways of life, they have (paradoxically) also been some of the biggest victims of climate change. As this publication by Gleb Raygorodetsky discusses, traditional Indigenous identity have an unbreakable link to their respective land, with many Indigenous communities populating smaller islands, extreme northern regions, higher altitude areas, and tropical regions. These aforementioned regions also tend to be affected the most severely by climate change, whether this is through the form of changing precipitation patterns, extreme temperatures, or rising sea-levels. Furthering this point, the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues published this backgrounder, providing a list of relevant environmental issues that are targeting particular Indigenous communities today, and highlighting the need to involve these communities in global environmental efforts, citing the particular vulnerability of communities in Arctic regions, the Himalayas and the Amazon. This unfortunate irony increases the need to involve and intertwine efforts to preserve traditional indigenous cultures and communities and the preservation of our environment.

Many Indigenous communities demonstrate sustainable lifestyle practices that display an appreciation and respect for the earth and its preservation, contrasting with the countless wasteful and unsustainable practices in more anthropocentric and industrial-driven societies. This brings us to our first valuable dimension of traditional knowledge in the context of climate change. As discussed in the aforementioned backgrounder, Indigenous communities have addressed climate change in countless creative ways, rooting their practices in a spiritual appreciation for the environment. Zooming in on this point, if we look at certain Indigenous communities in Bangladesh, villagers have created floating gardens using limited resources in order to adapt agricultural practices to rising sea levels and worsened flooding. As explained by this article, the gardens are made from weeds and other natural resources naturally found in the Bangladeshi ecosystem. The floating gardens have contributed to increasing food securities in a region facing a particularly severe threat in the face of climate change. Furthermore, the garden is a sustainable and non-wasteful method of adapting to climate change, and thus serve as an admirable example to an eco-friendly solution to the food insecurity that has increased due to climate change.

Shifting focus towards Guyana, Indigenous peoples of the regions have begun to adapt to droughts through relocating their homes, traditionally located in the Savannah, to forested areas during times of drought. Furthermore, they have adapted their farming practices to plant crops in areas which have historically been too wet for such crops. In this study, commissioned by the North-South Institute, the sustainable practices of Indigenous communities in Guyana are further highlighted. The overview discusses the hunter-gathering traditions of the cited communities, placing surrounding land at the core of traditional practices. This being said, it also discusses the threat posed by “cash crops” and corporatized agricultural work invading the area. Thus, the contrast between the low-impact and sustainable lifestyles of traditional Indigenous communities versus environmentally harmful and unsustainable overly corporatized practices is highlighted, slowly resulting in the degradation of traditional Indigenous cultures.

As displayed above, the innovation, wisdom and traditional knowledge the Indigenous communities are able to provide, particularly in conjunction with their particular vulnerability to climate change, establish their involvement in the global climate change discourse as of the utmost importance. In Mexico City, a series of collaborative workshops surrounding climate change and Indigenous populations have been held, put forth by the Traditional Knowledge Initiative of the United Nations University. As discussed in Raygorodetsky’s article, these workshops have highlighted traditional Indigenous wisdom of land, navigation, and agricultural practices as vital to procuring a global shift towards sustainability. The active participation of Indigenous and non-Indigenous actors in discussions of climate change and traditional knowledge proved to reaffirm and provide consensus on key issues regarding sustainable practices and approaches to addressing climate change.

As discussed, the active threat posed by climate change towards Indigenous communities, in conjunction with the celebration of traditional knowledge, necessitate the outreach and involvement of Indigenous communities in global climate change discussions and initiatives. Furthermore, initiatives with purposeful outreach to Indigenous communities and active efforts put forth to learn from traditional knowledge, such as the earlier mentioned UNU collaborative meetings, could be part of the global solution to climate change.

About UN CC:Learn

UN CC:Learn is a partnership of more than 30 multilateral organizations supporting countries to design and implement systematic, recurrent and results-oriented climate change learning. Through its engagement at the national and global levels, UN CC:Learn contributes to the implementation of climate change training, education and public awareness-raising.

Par Loic Tchinda| English version

Deux heures. C’est le temps qu’il m’a fallu pour compléter le cours en ligne sur les enfants et les changements climatiques offert par UN CC: e-Learn. Ces deux heures d’engagement interactif avec le contenu du cours m’ont fait comprendre que l’indolence d’aujourd’hui me coûte la santé et la survie de mes futurs enfants. En d’autres termes, ces deux heures ont totalement changé mon point de vue sur les implications du changement climatique pour les générations futures.

Au moment de m’atteler à l’écriture de cet article, je craignais de devoir vous assommer d’un tas de statistiques. Au lieu de cela, j’ai décidé de vous décrire ce que j’ai appris en suivant le cours proposé par UN CC: Learn. Je vais aussi en profiter pour partager quelques réflexions personnelles. Alors, commençons.

La température globale de la terre augmente. Les glaciers rétrécissent. Le niveau de la mer monte. Les températures sont devenues plus extrêmes, à la fois chaudes et froides — tout comme les pluies et la sécheresse dans différentes parties du monde. Les scientifiques sont unanimes. Nous sommes responsables de ces changements ; la concentration des gaz à effet de serre, due principalement à l’utilisation des énergies fossiles et à la déforestation, ont entraîné ces changements.

Ce n’est pas naturel. NOUS EN SOMMES COUPABLES. Mais ce sont les générations futures qui vont en souffrir très largement. Voyons comment.

******************

Saviez-vous qu’il y a 2-3 milliards d’enfants dans le monde, représentant 30% de la population mondiale, et que ce chiffre est croissant? Cela fait d’eux le groupe de personnes le plus affecté par les changements climatiques. Or, il se trouve que les enfants sont également plus vulnérables que les adultes à ces effets néfastes.

Le schéma ci-dessous, tiré d’un rapport de l’UNICEF plaidant en faveur d’engagements politiques significatifs ( « Unless We Act Now- the Impact of Climate Change on Children », rédigé en 2015 à Paris), fait le lien entre les zones à risque (en particulier celles qui seront les plus touchées par la hausse des températures sous différents modèles d’atténuation) et le nombre d’enfants qui vivent dans ces zones à risque.

Mais quel sera l’impact du changement climatique sur nos enfants?

Propagation des maladies infectieuses

Les maladies infectieuses représentent la plus grande partie de la charge de mortalité infantile imputable au changement climatique. Le système immunitaire des enfants, plus faible, les rend aussi plus sensibles aux agents pathogènes infectieux dus à la contamination des vivres et de l’eau par les tempêtes et les inondations, ainsi qu’aux maladies à transmission vectorielle (paludisme et dengue) qui augmentent dans certaines régions. Les maladies attribuées à la salmonelle, une maladie infectieuse d’origine alimentaire, ont également augmenté et augmenteront avec des températures plus élevées dans une grande partie de l’Europe continentale.

Augmentation des catastrophes d’origine climatique

Les catastrophes climatiques (inondations, sécheresses, cyclones, ouragans), qui ont augmenté en fréquence et en intensité avec les changements climatiques, ont touché directement environ 66,5 millions d’enfants dans le monde, dont 600 000 chaque année entre 1990 et 2000. Le nombre d’enfants touchés devrait plus que doubler, pour atteindre 175 millions par an au cours de la prochaine décennie. Or, les enfants sont très vulnérables aux traumatismes physiques, au stress, aux noyades et aux déplacements dus aux inondations ainsi qu’aux famines associées à la sécheresse. Des taux d’anxiété et de dépression plus élevés ont également été observés chez les enfants touchés par les catastrophes.

Incidence sur la santé

L’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) estime que plus de 88% de la charge mondiale de mortalité due au changement climatique se produit chez les enfants de moins de cinq ans. Bien que les enfants soient partout touchés, la plus grande partie de l’impact concerne les populations à faible statut socioéconomique, ce qui pose clairement la question de la justice environnementale. D’autant plus lorsqu’on sait que les impacts continueront de croître sous l’effet du changement climatique et des émissions des énergies fossiles.

Insécurité alimentaire

Les changements de température et le régime des précipitations, en particulier les sécheresses, ont des effets néfastes sur les agriculteurs et peuvent entraîner une insécurité alimentaire. Des conditions météorologiques défavorables réduisent en effet les rendements et déciment le bétail. Cela signifie que les revenus diminuent pour les agriculteurs et leurs familles, entraînant leurs progénitures dans la pauvreté. Cela peut également provoquer des pénuries alimentaires massives, augmenter les prix des denrées alimentaires, voire même mener à la famine.

Migrations Forcées

En raison des facteurs susmentionnés, les personnes peuvent être contraintes de quitter les zones touchées, même pendant de longues périodes. Les enfants séparés de leur famille, non protégés, sont également plus exposés à l’exploitation, à la maltraitance et à la traite.

Nos enfants méritent mieux. C’est pourquoi nous devons agir maintenant. Vous vous demandez ce que vous pouvez faire pour éviter cette terrible situation? Il y a tellement de choses que chacun d’entre nous peut faire à partir d’aujourd’hui. Nous pouvons:

• Nous familiariser avec les questions liées au changement climatique.
• Inclure les enfants dans le débat sur le changement climatique. Parlons climat avec nos enfants à la maison.
• Réduire notre consommation d’énergie en tant qu’individus, familles, communautés et sociétés.
• Planter un arbre.
• Travailler à réduire notre dépendance aux énergies fossiles tels que le charbon, le pétrole et le gaz, et accroître notre utilisation des d’énergies renouvelables telles que l’énergie éolienne et l’énergie solaire.
• Créer et renforcer des systèmes qui peuvent nous protéger des effets du changement climatique, tels que des systèmes d’alerte rapide en cas de conditions météorologiques extrêmes et des moyens de garantir la sécurité des personnes en cas de conditions météorologiques extrêmes et de catastrophes naturelles.
• Militer pour des politiques locales, nationales et internationales qui soient davantage en faveur de la réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre.

Si vous venez de lire cet article, vous devez vous rappeler qu’un monde chaud est un monde affamé. Mes, Vos, Nos enfants méritent un avenir meilleur sur la planète Terre.

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A propos de UN CC:Learn

UN CC:Learn est un partenariat composé de plus de 30 organisations multilatérales qui aide les pays à renforcer l’apprentissage sur les changements climatiques, d’une manière systématique et axée sur les résultats. A l’échelle mondiale et nationale, UN CC:Learn soutient le partage des connaissances, promeut l’élaboration de matériels pédagogiques et la formation et la sensibilisation du public.