PROTECTION OF INTERESTS OF THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES IN THE ERA OF

CLIMATE CHANGE

INTRODUCTION

Climate is usually defined as the "average weather" in a place. It includes patterns of

temperature, precipitation (rain or snow), humidity, wind and seasons. Climate patterns play a
fundamental role in shaping natural ecosystems, and the human economies and cultures that
depend on them. But the climate we’ve come to expect is not what it used to be, because the past
is no longer a reliable predictor of the future. Our climate is rapidly changing with disruptive
impacts, and that change is progressing faster than any seen in the last 2,000 years.

Rising levels of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere have warmed the
Earth and are causing wide-ranging impacts, including rising sea levels; melting snow and ice;
more extreme heat events, fires and drought; and more extreme storms, rainfall and floods.
Scientists project that these trends will continue and in some cases accelerate, posing significant
risks to human health, our forests, agriculture, freshwater supplies, coastlines, and other natural
resources that are vital to Washington state’s economy, environment, and our quality of life.

The term Third World was originally coined in times of the Cold War to distinguish those
nations that are neither aligned with the West (NATO) nor with the East, the Communist bloc.
Today the term is often used to describe the developing countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America
and Oceania.Many poorer nations adopted the term to describe themselves.1

1
Countries of the Third World, available at http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/third_world.htm
CHAPTER 2

DEFINITON AND MEANING

2.1 CLIMATE

"Climate" describes conditions over the long term and over an entire region. Climate is the big
picture. It is the big picture of temperatures, rainfall, wind and other conditions over a larger
region and a longer time than weather.

The composite or generally prevailing weather conditions of a region, as temperature, air

pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloudiness, and winds, throughout the year, averaged
over a series of years.2

2.2 DEFINITION AND MEANING OF THE TERM CLIMATE CHANGE

1. Climate change is the long-term shift in weather patterns in a specific region or globally.
Unlike global warming, which refers to just one aspect of climate change - a rise in the surface
temperature of the earth’s surface – climate change refers to changes in a regions overall weather
patterns, including precipitation, temperatures, cloud cover, and so on.3

According to the scientific experts in the field of climatology, climate change is caused by
human activities that have resulted in an increased concentration of greenhouse gases in our
atmosphere, including carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, ozone, and nitrous oxide.

2. A change in global or regional climate patterns, in particular a change apparent from the mid
to late 20th century onwards and attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon
dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels.4

2
climate, available at http://www.dictionary.com/browse/climate
3
Definition of Climate Change, available at http://www.ecolife.com/define/climate-change.html
4
climate change, available at https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/climate_changea
3. Climate change in IPCC usage refers to a change in the state of the climate that can be
identified (e.g. using statistical tests) by changes in the mean and/or the variability of its
properties and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer. It refers to any
change in climate over time, whether due to natural variability or as a result of human activity.
This usage differs from that in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC), where climate change refers to a change of climate that is attributed directly or
indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and that is in
addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods.5

CHAPTER 2

CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES

Changes to weather, agriculture, and health disproportionately affect poorer countries and further
complicate the Paris climate talks.Climate change has been linked to increased frequency and
intensity of destructive weather events, such as floods and hurricanes. But the effects of a
warming planet on crops may pose an even greater danger, especially for the world’s poor,
according to the World Bank.

“Agriculture is one of the most important economic sectors in many poor countries,” says a
report from the institution. “Unfortunately, it is also one of the most sensitive to climate change
given its dependence on weather conditions, both directly and through climate-dependent
stressors (pests, epidemics, and sea level rise).”6

2.1 WHY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED

If there is something today that nobody, regardless of socio-economic status, ethnicity or race,
can run away from, it is the issue of climate change. In particular, the world’s poorest people are
most vulnerable to the devastating effects climate change.

5
Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report, available at
http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/syr/en/mains1.ht
ml
6
See What Climate Change Means for the World’s Poor, available at
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/151201-datapoints-climate-change-poverty-agriculture/
Unlike people of wealthier developed countries, the people of the developing world do not have
the means to fight global climate change. They will be the first and worst to be hit. A
temperature rise of 2 to 4 degrees will cause a decreased yield in agriculture and increase rural-
to-urban migration that will eventually lead to political unrest in already unstable governments. 7

CHAPTER 4

REASONAL IMPACTS AND VULNERABILITIES TO CLIMATE CHANGE

4.1 AFERICA

Africa is already a continent under pressure from climate stresses and is highly vulnerable to the
impacts of climate change. Many areas in Africa are recognized as having climates that are

7
Why Developing Countries are Disproportionately Affected by Climate Change — and What Can They Do About it,
available at https://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-osborn/why-developing-countries-_b_6511346.html
among the most variable in the world on seasonal and decadal time scales. Floods and droughts
can occur in the same area within month of each other. These events can lead to famine and
widespread disruption of socio-economic well-being. For example, estimates reported at the
workshop indicate that one third of African people already live in drought- prone areas and 220
million are exposed to drought each year.

4.2 Asia is the largest continent on Earth and spreads over four climatic zones (boreal, arid and
semi-arid, tropical and temperate). The region faces formidable environmental and socio-
economic challenges in its effort to protect valuable natural resources. Land and ecosystems are
being degraded, threatening to undermine food security. In addition, water and air quality are
deteriorating while continued increases in consumption and associated waste have contributed to
the exponential growth in the region’s existing environmental problems. Furthermore, the region
is highly subject to natural hazards, such as the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the 2005 Pakistan
Earthquake, and the 2006 landslides in the Philippines. There is evidence of prominent increases
in the intensity and/or frequency of many extreme weather events such as heat waves, tropical
cyclones, prolonged dry spells, intense rainfall, tornadoes, snow avalanches, thunderstorms, and
severe dust storms in the regionImpacts of such disasters range from hunger and susceptibility to
disease, to loss of income and livelihoods, affecting human survival and well-being. For example
the extreme weather events in China during 2006 included major storms and flooding in the east
and south, as well as heat and drought in central, western and northeastern regions, killing more
that 2700 people and causing USD 20 billion in damages.8

4.3 LATIN AMERICA

Latin America includes much of the world’s biological diversity, as well as a wide variety of
ecosystems, climatic regions, topographies and land-use patterns. Particularly vulnerable to
climate change are the water, agriculture and health sectors, the Andean glaciers, the Amazon
region and regions vulnerable to extreme climatic events. The region has already been
experiencing climate-related changes with the frequency and intensity of extreme events,
particularly those associated with the ENSO phenomenon.

8
4.4 SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES

The small island developing States comprise 51 States and Territories spread over the Pacific,
Indian and Atlantic Oceans and Caribbean Sea, and are highly vulnerable to the effects of
climate change and already feeling its impacts. The climate of SIDS is influenced by large ocean
atmosphere interactions such as trade winds, El Niño and the monsoons. Small island developing
States are characterised by the concentration of large settlements with associated economic and
social activities at or near the coast. In SIDS, arable land, water resources and biodiversity are
already under pressure from sea level rise. Increases in population and the unsustainable use of
available natural resources add further problems. Tropical storms and cyclones cause storm
surges, coral bleaching, inundation of land, and coastal and soil erosion with resulting high-cost
damages to socio-economic and cultural infrastructure. For example, in the Pacific islands
region, cyclones accounted for 76 per cent of the reported disasters between 1950 and 2004, with
the average costs relating to damage caused per cyclone standing at USD 75.7 million in 2004
value. In the Caribbean region, the 2004 hurricane season alone caused damages estimated at
USD 2.2 billion in four countries: the Bahamas, Grenada, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.

CHAPTER 6

NEED TO CONTROL CLIMATE CHANGE FOR THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES

6.1 WHY WE NEED TO CARE ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE ?

Around the world, scientists are tracking storms that are bigger, heat that is more intense and
droughts that last longer.

1. Global warming changes climate

Human activity, mainly burning fossil fuels and chopping down forests has caused average
temperatures to rise worldwide. That’s global warming.

The warmer atmosphere triggers climate change, or shifts in normal climate patterns. Such
deviations can result in more severe weather.

2. Changes breed intense weather

Hotter air increases ocean evaporation. A warmer atmosphere also can hold more water, which
can intensify weather events.

Heatwaves are stronger. Storm surges rise higher. Blizzards bring more snowfall. The number of
natural disasters has more than tripled since 1970 – 90 percent of them are weather related.
These intensified episodes can cause greater destruction to property and loss of life.

3. The threat is global and urgent

Warmer temperatures have shrunk the sea ice polar bears need to hunt for food. Such changing
conditions have consequences. Coral reefs are dying. Forests are crumbling. Arctic animals, such
as polar bears, are losing the sea ice they call home.

We, too, feel the effects. Climate change threatens our agriculture, health, water supply,
infrastructure and more.9No part of the world is immune.

6.2 NEED TO SUPPORT THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES

Global warming will increase the variability of weather and most likely result in more extreme
weather events. The Munich Re NatCatSERVICE data on loss relevant natural disasters already
show such a trend for the last 30 years. The Germanwatch Climate Risk Index, which ranks the
countries according to their extreme weather risks, shows that all countries in the top ten of this
index are developing countries, led by Bangladesh, Myanmar and Honduras. 95% of fatalities
from natural disasters in the last 25 years occurred in developing countries. Furthermore, indices
characterizing the expected range of future changes of climate like the Climate Change Index
(Baettig et al., 2007) clearly show that in many developing countries these changes will be most
pronounced. Taking into consideration that already today the climate conditions in many of these
countries are on the edge of allowing a sustainable livelihood to the people, only small changes
can put this at risk.

Developing countries do not have a history of large emissions of green house gases and thus
have not contributed significantly to the causes of climate change. So it is in the responsibility of

9
Why you need to care about climate change – now, available at https://www.edf.org/climate/why-you-need-
care-about-clim
ate-change-now
the industrialized countries, wshich have caused the problem, to support the people in the
developing countries to mitigate climate risks and help them to adapt to the changes.10

6.2 SOLUTIONS IN FAVOUR OF THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES

1. Join the Energy Revolution

With technology already available, renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and geothermal
can provide 96 percent of our electricity and 98 percent of heating demand — the vast majority
of U.S. energy use. That’s not just good for the environment, it’s good for the economy, too. The
solar industry already employs more people than coal mining and wind energy is cheaper than
coal power in many U.S. states.

Still, we need more. We’ve got great opportunities today to build a cleaner energy system in time
to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Big companies like Apple and Google are setting
great examples, committing to 100 percent renewable energy and making record-breaking
investments in wind and solar. And across the country, everyday Americans are joining the
energy revolution by through projects like community solar.11

2. Insurance related solutions

Insurance approaches have been mentioned in the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) climate negotiations since the Convention was framed in the early
1990s. More recently, the issue has received renewed attention in the Kyoto Protocol, the Bali
Action Plan and in the Cancun agreement on a “Loss and Damage” program.

In response to the growing realisation that insurance-related solutions can support the adaptation
to climate change advocated in the Framework Convention the Munich Climate Insurance
Initiative (MCII) was launched in 2005. This initiative brings together insurers, experts on

10
Proposal - Developing Countries are Most Affected by Climate Change and Need the Support of the
Industrialized Countries to Adapt to the Unavoidable Risks, available at http://www.global-economic-
symposium.org/knowledgebase/the-global-environment/managing-adaption-to-climate-change-in-the-
developing-world/proposals/developing-countries-are-most-affected-by-climate-change-and-need-the-support-of-
the-industrialized-countries-to-adapt-to-the-unavoidable-risks
11
Fighting Global Warming, available at http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/global-warming/
climate change and adaptation, NGOs and policy researchers intent on finding solutions to the
risks posed by climate change. MCII provides a forum and gathering point for insurance-related
expertise on climate-change impact issues. MCII is a registered non-profit association concerned
with international frameworks (UNFCCC, World Bank, international development goals, etc.)
and public-private insurance mechanisms for those particularly affected by global climate
change.

3 Business related solutions in the field of clean energy

Besides adaptation to the changes also ambitious green house gas emission reductions are
necessary to avoid unmanageable conditions in the second half of this century. Renewable
energies are the key to reductions of Carbondioxide. Many developing countries are rich in
natural resources to produce renewable energies, especially solar radiation. In cooperation with
industrialized countries these resources can be used providing sustainable clean energy for the
developing countries themselves but also for export to industrialized countries and thus creating
sustainable business opportunities. In order to organize such a clean energy partnership by
realizing the Desertec concept the Dii Company has been founded in 2009. The Dii is working
on a regulatory and political framework to allow large investments into renewable energies in the
North African desert in partnership with the countries in North Africa.12

CHAPTER 7

ADOPTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

7.1 ADAPTATION STRATEGIES, PLANS AND PROGRAMMES

Adapting to climate change will entail adjustments and changes at every level – from community
to national and international. Communities must build their resilience, including adopting
appropriate technologies while making the most of traditional knowledge, and diversifying their

12
Proposal - Developing Countries are Most Affected by Climate Change and Need the Support of the
Industrialized Countries to Adapt to the Unavoidable Risks, available at http://www.global-economic-
symposium.org/knowledgebase/the-global-environment/managing-adaption-to-climate-change-in-the-
developing-world/proposals/developing-countries-are-most-affected-by-climate-change-and-need-the-support-of-
the-industrialized-countries-to-adapt-to-the-unavoidable-risks
livelihoods to cope with current and future climate stress. Local coping strategies and traditional
knowledge need to be used in synergy with government and local interventions. The choice of
adaptation interventions depends on national circumstances. To enable workable and effective
adaptation measures, ministries and governments, as well as institutions and non-government
organizations, must consider integrating climate change in their planning and budgeting in all
levels of decision making

7.2 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PLANNING AND PRACTICES

Climate change has the potential to undermine sustainable development, increase poverty, and
delay or prevent the realization of the Millennium Development Goals. An effective way to
address the impacts of climate change is by integrating adaptation measures into sustainable
development strategies so as to reduce the pressure on natural resources, improve environmental
risk management, and increase the social well-being of the poor. Climate change can influence
humans directly, through impacts on health and the risk of extreme events on lives, livelihoods
and human settlements, and indirectly, through impacts on food security and the viability of
natural resource-based economic activity. The workshops and meeting discussed the impacts of
climate change on achievement of the Millennium Goals in the different regions.

SUGGESTIONS

Developing countries are already suffering from the impacts of climate change and are the most
vulnerable to future change. A number of developing countries have developed adaptation plans
or are in the process of finalizing them. This includes the National Adaptation Programmes of
Action of least developed countries. There is now urgency for developing countries to find ways
to implement these plans. Against a backdrop of low human and financial capacity, developing
countries lack many of the resources to do this on their own. Adaptation is already considered a
vital part of any future climate change regime. Future decisions within the UNFCCC negotiating
process must assist developing countries in a streamlined, innovative and transparent way, with
transfer of knowledge, technology and financial resources to adapt and to adapt at all levels and
in all sectors.

CONCLUSION
Global warming is the term used to describe a gradual increase in the average temperature of the
Earth's atmosphere and its oceans, a change that is believed to be permanently changing the
Earth’s climate. There is great debate among many people, and sometimes in the news, on
whether global warming is real (some call it a hoax). But climate scientists looking at the data
and facts agree the planet is warming. While many view the effects of global warming to be
more substantial and more rapidly occurring than others do, the scientific consensus on climatic
changes related to global warming is that the average temperature of the Earth has risen between
0.4 and 0.8 °C over the past 100 years. The increased volumes of carbon dioxide and other
greenhouse gases released by the burning of fossil fuels, land clearing, agriculture, and other
human activities, are believed to be the primary sources of the global warming that has occurred
over the past 50 years. Scientists from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate carrying out
global warming research have recently predicted that average global temperatures could increase
between 1.4 and 5.8 °C by the year 2100. Changes resulting from global warming may include
rising sea levels due to the melting of the polar ice caps, as well as an increase in occurrence and
severity of storms and other severe weather events.

Most importantly, the answer to mitigating the effects of climate change rests in the hands of
those who are worst affected like youth and women. They can take this as an opportunity and
become a strong force that will spur economic growth and save the world.Now is the perfect
opportunity to create an eco-system that will empower the world’s poorest, supporting and
encouraging them to fight climate change while also educating their children, empowering their
women, reducing unemployment and building a thriving economy. Through this eco-system, we
will fill the gaps that the governments can’t address.