Oxfam to Aid Climate Change Victims

Oxfam has warned that the number of people hit by climate change related disasters around the world will increase by more than half in the next six years.

More on the Bangladesh Floods

Climate change effects those in poorest countries first. Oxfam has predicted the number affected by events such as flooding, storms and drought would rise from 242 million people to 375 million a year by 2015. Describing the humanitarian aid system as a “postcode lottery on a global scale”, Oxfam claim they are already barely able to cope with current levels of disasters and could be overwhelmed by the need for disaster relief in the next few years.

They claim 133 million more people will be at risk to increasingly frequent climate change related crisis. The predicted 54% rise in the numbers affected does not include those who may be hit by other disasters such as volcanoes or earthquakes, or those effected by war. Oxfam has concerns that the increasingly volatile climate could see a rise in conflicts.

Its new campaign, Here and Now, aims to tackle climate change and ensure the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people get a fair deal as the world tackles global warming.

“Climate change is already threatening our work to overcome poverty, increasing the pressure on an already-difficult task of bringing relief to millions. The world must agree a global deal to avoid catastrophic climate change, stop the fickle way it delivers aid, and radically improve how it responds to disasters.”

In 2004 floods affected 600,000 people and forced thousands from over 100 villages to be displaced. Oxfam has helped people prepare for the yearly floods in Bangladesh, which are exacerbated by climate change. Ten thousand hectares of crops and 700 million tons of fish stock were lost in 2004, making adaptation strategies crucial here.