Rich Must Help Poor Adapt
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 05.29.07
The UK is the biggest global contributor to 'adaption funds', but must dramatically increase the amount of money it gives to help developing countries, said Oxfam today. The charity believe that richer countries must pay to help developing countries deal with the effects of climate change. The statement comes 10 days before the G8 summit in Germany.
The entire amount of money pledged by all the world's richest countries only adds up to half of what London recently assigned to help 'climate-proof' the London Underground. Oxfam said that £25 billion is needed each year, of which G8 nations should be contributing 80%.
Celine Charveriat, head of Oxfam's Make Trade Fair campaign, said, "Developing countries cannot be expected to foot the bill for the impact of rich countries' emissions. G8 countries face two obligations as they prepare for this year's summit in Germany - to stop harming by cutting their emissions to keep global warming below 2C, and to start helping poor countries to cope by paying their share of $50bn per year in adaptation funds." :: The Guardian :: ENN
See also :: G8 Nations Hit Brick Wall On Climate
I think this headline will end up working both ways as we move from problems into solutions... the Poor have knowledge the rich have had the privilege of being separated from for a generation or more.... for example growing your own food in all kinds of conditions, cooking beans over a fire, and the like.
What's that photo all about?
Just to be devil's advocate - hasn't a lot of the trouble in the developing world been caused by either
a) misguided altruism - (Aswan High Dam, DDT, Franco-Senegalese peanut disaster, planting the wrong trees in Israel)
b) out-and-out scams - IMF foisting loans on countries for projects they don't need and can't afford, so they have to build farms in the rainforests to pay off their loans)
We have to find a way to assist the developing world without letting our own ignorance or greed botch it up.
Rob --
Exactly what "problems" do developing countries have with DDT, besides their lack of access to it?
The photo is the inside of a London Underground train.
Apparently they're thinking of spending £178M on cooling the tube (about US$350M) which given it can reach 120 degF in there, and we Brits aren't used to carrying water around for survival purposes, can get dangerous!
However as you travel around on the tube it becomes evident that it's the overcrowding, and not the British weather, that causes the overheating. Dare I suggest, increasing the capacity rather than resorting to the dreaded aircon??
If they can't afford corn, it means they're lazy!
/facetious
I have completed B.A COMPUTER'S .I have one kid.
From child hood on words i want to help poor people.but iam a middle class family. i dont have sufficient needs to help the poor.some small innocent kids have no sufficeant food and they wear tearedclothes.and they seems to be so week.they are begging besides across the roads.i feel so pretty by seeing them and nobody would not care about them .