Climate Change Curbs Growth in Poor Countries

"... analysing the vulnerability of states to climate change will enable countries to adapt to different climatic conditions ..." - Dr Mark Collins

Climate change will impede the sustainable development of poor and developing countries because of its effects on the environment and the livelihoods of those who depend on it, argued Dr Mark Collins, Director of the Commonwealth Foundation.

He stated that the decision of the G8 Gleneagles meeting to double aid to Africa will be undermined by its failure to make more concrete progress on climate change. People in African countries will experience more droughts and floods, failing crops and unforeseen health problems that threaten to sweep away advances in development.

"The effort to reduce poverty through debt cancellation and increased aid will be two steps forward and one step back unless climate change is brought into the equation. Some of the money that is going to be spent on Africa will be negated because of the inability to adapt agricultural patterns and other traditional practices quickly enough to make up for the shift in climate," he said, in an interview with the Commonwealth News and Information Service.

Dr Collins, who has a doctorate in ecology from the University of London, believes that Commonwealth countries and their people can play a leading role in addressing climate change and its adverse impacts. He said the wealthier Commonwealth countries have ratified the Kyoto protocol and have strong scientific and technological resources. Meanwhile, the poorer Commonwealth countries are some of the most vulnerable and would benefit the most from technology transfer. Vulnerability studies are needed in all Commonwealth countries to help governments formulate policies and plans to mitigate the impacts, and to focus on international assistance.

He also noted that small island developing states of the Commonwealth are among the most vulnerable to climate change impacts.

"These small island developing states have a lot of concern about the combined impacts of sea-level rise and the increase in typhoons and hurricanes. Some of it is unfortunately inevitable and the change is already happening," said Dr Collins, who previously worked for the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, Kenya, in its Environmental Conventions Division before assuming his current post with the Foundation in March 2005.

He pointed out that continental areas of the Commonwealth besides Africa also face serious risk. Canada, which has a large area of permafrost and Arctic ice within its boundaries, faces huge ecological changes to the country. Australia's bushfires are increasing, while Himalayan regions of Pakistan and India are at risk from glacier retreat leading to floods and mudslides downstream.

Dr Collins said analysing the vulnerability of states to climate change will enable countries to adapt to different climatic conditions, which is particularly important for economies that depend on agriculture, forestry and other climate-sensitive sectors of industry.

"Having predicted what effects they are going to be suffering, what steps can Commonwealth countries take to mitigate the worst of these impacts? How can they adapt their lifestyles, cultures, and building and agricultural practices in order to minimise the impact that climate change is having? With the answers to these questions, international aid would be more appropriately focused and directed. And that's where the technologies will come in to make sure that the people in such nations are able to grow their economies out of poverty in relation to future climatic conditions."

He emphasised that innovations in science and technology can be used to help deal with climate change. This includes creating systems and equipment that produce clean, safe, efficient and affordable energy. Dr Collins supported the G8 initiative to promote a Dialogue on Climate Change, Clean Energy and Sustainable Development, but stressed that such high-level agreements should be balanced by grassroots measures and local technologies that help civil society and ordinary people to understand and respond to climate change. He highlighted the importance of public and private sector partnerships in the sharing of know-how and implementation of low-tech ways to adapt to climate change.

"Climate change and the environmental, economic and social impacts which affect the level and speed of development of each country across the Commonwealth is a critical issue. Implementing strategies to strengthen resilience against climate change must take place now, in parallel with growth in development aid."

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• Commonwealth Foundation