Climate change – scoping the issues

Climate Change:

Below is a brief overview of the effects of climate change which are listed according to the UNPFII’s seven indigenous regions:

(i) Africa
One of the major areas to be affected by climate change in Africa is the Kalahari Desert. There are 2.5 million kilometres of dunes in southern Africa which are covered in vegetation and used for grazing. However the rise in temperatures and the expected dune expansion along with increased wind speeds will result in the region loosing most of its vegetation cover and hence, becoming less feasible for indigenous peoples living in the region. As their traditional resource base diminishes, the traditional practices of cattle and goat farming will no longer survive. There are already areas where indigenous peoples are forced to live around government drilled bores for water and depend on government support for their survival. Food security is a major issue for indigenous peoples residing in the deserts and they are on the frontline of global climate change.¹


(ii) Asia
In the tropical rainforests of Asia, temperatures are expected to rise 2-8 degree Celcius and further climatic variation will include decrease in rainfall, crop failures and forest fires. Tropical rainforests are the haven for biodiversity, as well as indigenous peoples’ cultural diversity and forest fires will threaten this heritage of biodiversity.²

People in low-lying areas of Bangladesh could be displaced by a one-meter rise in sea levels. Such a rise could also threaten the coastal zones of Japan and China. The impact will mean that salt water could intrude on inland rivers, threatening some supplies of fresh water.

In the high altitude regions of the Himalayans, there are glacial melts which effect hundreds of millions of rural dwellers who depend on the seasonal flow of water; there might be more water in the short term, but less in the long run as glaciers and snow cover shrink. The warming of the high altitude regions are likely to mean that population growth, settlement expansion and encroachment are likely to become a major management challenge and these external influences are likely to have an impact on indigenous peoples and their lands. ³

The poor, many of whom are indigenous peoples, are highly vulnerable to climate change in urban areas because of their limited access to profitable livelihood opportunities and limited access to areas that are fit for safe and healthy habitation. Consequently, the poor sector will be exposed to more risks from floods and other climate related hazards in areas where they are forced to live.⁴