Climate change to claim 182m?

2006-05-15 13:30

London - As many as 182 million people in sub-Saharan Africa could die of diseases linked to climate change by the end of the century, said British and Irish charity Christian Aid in a report released on Monday.

The study, entitled "The climate of poverty: facts, fears and hope", said: "Millions throughout the world face death and devastation due to climate-induced floods, famine, drought and conflict."

The report highlighted the situation in Kenya, where it said climate change was fuelling violence in drought-hit areas.

Andrew Pendleton, climate and development analyst at Christian Aid, said: "Pestilence, floods, famine and war are an apocalyptic collection indeed. But, this is what our research says that we can expect in the decades to come.

UK govt urged to fund programmes

"This is a grave crisis for global society and we need global solutions. We all have a role - international institutions, governments, organisations like Christian Aid and individuals."

Christian Aid was calling on the British government to carry out a number of tasks, including cutting carbon emissions by two thirds of 1990 levels by 2050.

It also wanted the government to help establish and fund programmes to provide renewable energy to poor communities.

The reports said: "A switch by sub-Saharan Africa away from development based on fossil fuels to one using energy sources like solar, wind and water, for instance, would not only be better for the environment, but could also result in increased jobs, better health and enhanced opportunities for learning.

"For less money than it would take to pay the region's oil bill for the next decade, every household in Africa could change to clean renewable energy. Developing technology could even transform the world's most impoverished continent into a net exporter of clean energy."

- AFP