Climate Change Vulnerability in Developing Countries, Part 4 of a Multi-part Series

The brunt of climate change is felt most severely by impoverished and vulnerable communities. “More than 40 million live in Bangladesh’s 19 coastal districts. They have felt the brunt of the climate crisis, with natural disasters and rising water levels threatening their daily life.” According to a study by the research group Climate Central, around 5 million Bangladeshis living along waterfront areas will be affected by floods by 2050, and the number may rise to 30 million as weak infrastructure has also left many of them exposed.

In the Western Hemisphere, Haiti bears the brunt of relentless natural disasters year after year. “Haiti reeling from twin disasters; a 4.9 magnitude earthquake rocked the island nation while residents were cleaning up from catastrophic flooding. The flooding killed at least 42 people and displaced tens of thousands more.” Jean-Martin Bauer, the Country Director of the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Service of the World Food Programme (WFP) in Haiti, said, “Haitians are on the edge - every other person is now hungry.”

“Here in Southeast Asia, concerns over extreme heat have prompted authorities to take action. Home to more than 675 million people across 11 countries, the region has little respite from merciless heat and humidity as temperatures reach unprecedented levels.” The United Nations projects that over two billion children are expected to be exposed to heat waves by 2050. In just the first few months of 2024, the Southern region of the Philippines was again hit by floods and landslides. The climate victims in developing regions desperately need help. Adopting the vegan lifestyle is the most effective way to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the warming of our planet.