Climate crisis could hit Bolivia 'on five fronts', Oxfam
warns
5 November 2009
Bolivia may be hit by
climate change on five fronts, a new report from Oxfam International published yesterday (November 4th)
indicates.
Entitled Climate Change, Adaptation and Poverty in Bolivia, the
publication claims that natural disasters, disease, forest fires,
weather shifts and glacial retreat could hit the South American
country if EU-US Summit meetings this week do not make
progress.
According to the charity, Bolivia contributed 0.35 per cent of
total global greenhouse gas emissions in 2000, compared with 16 per
cent for the US and 12 per cent for the EU.
The organisation believes that erratic changes in weather and
natural disasters could leave the country devastated if it is not
supported by richer nations.
Oxfam International climate advisor Antonio Hill stated: "It is
scandalous that the world's richest and most polluting countries
continue to resist doing what's needed, and within their power, to
tackle the climate crisis."
It is calling for the US and EU to dedicate at least $150
billion (£90.9 billion) of new money to poor countries like
Bolivia, as well as committing to reducing carbon emissions by 40
per cent on 1990 levels within ten years.
Natural disasters alone cost the Bolivian government four per
cent of its annual GDP between 2006 and 2008, the charity
notes.
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