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Friday, July 14, 2006

Africa May Be Climate Change's Biggest Victim

Poverty-stricken countries in Africa will likely bear the brunt of the effects of global warming -- drought, temperature fluctuations, and flooding from heavier rainfalls. The result will be more crop failures, famine, diseases and military conflicts in already fragile regions, despite increased aid from developed countries.

Hilary Benn, the UK's Secretary of State for International Development, has suggested that developed countries reconsider the Kyoto protocol (which the US has never ratified) in light of the threat to African countries, which produce relatively little greenhouse gases. Benn also says that the impact will hit sooner than we think. "Climate change is happening faster than any of us anticipated even five years ago. It is the most pressing global challenge of all, yet does not have a global framework for solving it. Climate change knows no boundaries and neither should we."

Source: The Independent