View previous stories
	Climate extremes pose grave risks to communities around the world by UNICEF, WFP, OCHA, CARE, agencies   Jan. 2025   Climate variability and extremes are a threat for the stability of food security and nutrition. UN Report: 74 percent of Latin American and Caribbean countries are highly exposed to extreme weather events, affecting food security.   Changing patterns of climate variability and extreme weather events are negatively affecting all dimensions of food security and exacerbating other underlying causes of malnutrition in all its forms in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the 2024 Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition. The report, states that Latin America and the Caribbean is the second-most exposed region in the world to extreme weather events, following Asia.   In this region, at least 20 countries face a high frequency of such events, indicating significant exposure, and 14 are considered vulnerable, as they are more likely to experience increased undernourishment due to these phenomena. The impact of extreme weather events is further worsened by persistent structural challenges, including conflicts, economic slowdowns, crises, and underlying factors such as high levels of inequality, lack of access to affordable healthy diets, and unhealthy food environments.   According to the report, between 2019 and 2023, the prevalence of undernourishment increased in countries affected by climate variability and extremes. The situation is worse in countries experiencing economic recessions. The most vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected, as they have fewer resources to adapt.   The report underscores the urgent need to accelerate action to build resilience within agrifood systems, which are critical for the region's progress toward eradicating hunger and malnutrition in all its forms. The report emphasizes that ensuring the long-term sustainability of agrifood systems is essential.   According to the report, hunger affected 41 million people in the region in 2023.   "In Latin America and the Caribbean, one in ten children under five lives with stunting. Undernourishment and overweight coexist in the region, exacerbated by high exposure and vulnerability to climate events in the most affected communities. This double burden of malnutrition daily threatens the full development of children," said Karin Hulshof, UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. "Any decision on climate action must prioritize the right to food and nutrition for children, women, and families."   Disparities also persist among subregions in access to healthy diets. In the Caribbean, 50 percent of the population (22.2 million people) could not afford a healthy diet, followed by Mesoamerica at 26.3 percent (47.1 million people) and South America at 26 percent (113.6 million people). This highlights the need to focus on vulnerable populations exposed to extreme climate events.   “Climate shocks are making it increasingly difficult for families across Latin America and the Caribbean to produce, transport, and access food. Frequent storms and floods are destroying homes and farmland, while drought and erratic rainfall are wiping out crops before they can grow,” said Lola Castro, WFP’s Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.   http://www.paho.org/en/news/27-1-2025-new-report-74-percent-latin-american-and-caribbean-countries-are-highly-exposed   Dec. 2024   When Risks become Reality: Extreme Weather in 2024. (World Weather Attribution, Climate Central)   Extreme weather reached dangerous new heights in 2024. This year’s record-breaking temperatures fueled unrelenting heatwaves, drought, wildfire, storms and floods that killed thousands of people and forced millions from their homes.   This exceptional year of extreme weather shows how dangerous life has already become with 1.3°C of human-induced warming, and highlights the urgency of moving away from planet-heating fossil fuels as quickly as possible.   Climate change contributed to the deaths of thousands of people and the displacement of millions in 26 weather events we studied in 2024. These were just a small fraction of the 219 events that met our trigger criteria, used to identify the most impactful weather events. It’s likely the total number of people killed in extreme weather events intensified by climate change this year is in the tens, or hundreds of thousands.   Globally, climate change added on average 41 additional days of dangerous heat in 2024 that threatened people’s health, according to new analysis by Climate Central. The countries that experienced the highest number of dangerous heat days are overwhelmingly small island and developing states, who are highly vulnerable and considered to be on the frontlines of climate change. The analysis highlights the wide reaching impacts of extreme heat that are underreported and not well understood.   Many extreme events that took place in the beginning of 2024 were influenced by El Nino. However, most of our studies found that climate change played a bigger role than El Nino in fueling these events, including the historic drought in the Amazon. This is consistent with the fact that, as the planet warms, the influence of climate change increasingly overrides other natural phenomena affecting the weather.   Record-breaking global temperatures in 2024 translated to record-breaking downpours. From Kathmandu, to Dubai, to Rio Grande do Sul, to the Southern Appalachians, the last 12 months have been marked by a large number of devastating floods. Of the 16 floods we studied, 15 were driven by climate change-amplified rainfall.   The result reflects the basic physics of climate change — a warmer atmosphere tends to hold more moisture, leading to heavier downpours. Shortfalls in early warning and evacuation plans likely contributed to huge death tolls, while floods in Sudan and Brazil highlighted the importance of maintaining and upgrading flood defences.   The Amazon rainforest and Pantanal Wetland were hit hard by climate change in 2024, with severe droughts and wildfires leading to huge biodiversity loss. The Amazon is the world’s most important land-based carbon sink, making it crucial for the stability of the global climate. Ending deforestation will protect both ecosystems from drought and wildfire, as dense vegetation is able to absorb and retain moisture.   Hot seas and warmer air fueled more destructive storms, including Hurricane Helene and Typhoon Gaemi. Individual attribution studies have shown how these storms have stronger winds and are dropping more rain.   Research by Climate Central found that climate change increased the intensity of most Atlantic hurricanes between 2019 and 2023 – of the 38 hurricanes analysed, 30 had wind speeds that were one category higher on the Saffir-Simpson scale than they would have been without human-caused warming, while our analysis found that the risk of multiple Category 3-5 typhoons hitting the Philippines in a given year is increasing as the climate warms.   Resolutions for 2025   A faster shift away from fossil fuels – The burning of oil, gas and coal are the cause of warming and the primary reason extreme weather is becoming more severe. Last year at COP28, the world finally agreed to ‘transition away from fossil fuels,’ but new oil and gas fields continue to be opened around the world, despite warnings that doing so will result in a long term commitment to more than 1.5°C and therefore severe costs to people around the world. Extremes will continue to worsen with every fraction of a degree of fossil fuel warming. A rapid move to renewable energy will help make the world a safer, healthier, wealthier and more stable place.   Improvements in early warning – Weather disasters in 2024 highlighted the importance of early warning systems, which are one of the cheapest and most effective ways to minimise fatalities. Warnings need to be targeted, given days ahead of a dangerous weather event, and outline clear instructions on what people need to do. Most extreme weather is well forecast, even in developing nations. Every country needs to implement, test and continually improve early warning systems to ensure people are not in harm’s way.   Real-time reporting of heat deaths – Heatwaves are the deadliest type of extreme weather. However, the dangers of high temperatures are underappreciated and underreported. In April, a hospital in Mali reported a surge in excess deaths as temperatures climbed to nearly 50°C. Reported by local media, the announcement was a rare example of health professionals raising the alarm about the dangers of extreme heat in real-time. Health systems worldwide are stretched, but informing local journalists when emergency departments are overwhelmed is a simple way to alert the public that extreme heat is deadly.   Finance for developing countries – COP29 recently discussed ways to increase finance for poor countries to help them cope with the impacts of extreme weather. Most developing countries are responsible for a very small amount of historic carbon emissions, but as our research has highlighted this year, are being hit the hardest by extreme weather. Back-to-back disasters, like the Philippines typhoons, or devastating floods that followed a multi-year drought in East Africa, are cancelling out developmental gains and forcing governments to reach deeper and deeper into their pockets to respond and recover from extreme weather. Ensuring developing countries have the means to invest in adaptation will protect lives and livelihoods, and create a stabler and more equitable world.   http://www.worldweatherattribution.org/when-risks-become-reality-extreme-weather-in-2024 http://wmo.int/media/news/climate-change-impacts-grip-globe-2024 http://wmo.int/news/media-centre/2024-track-be-hottest-year-record-warming-temporarily-hits-15degc http://wmo.int/media/news/record-carbon-emissions-highlight-urgency-of-global-greenhouse-gas-watch http://reliefweb.int/report/world/counting-cost-2024-year-climate-breakdown http://interactive.carbonbrief.org/attribution-studies/index.html http://www.climatecentral.org/report/people-exposed-to-climate-change-june-august-2024   16 Oct. 2024   Southern Africa is enduring its worst hunger crisis in decades due to El Nino, the UN says. (WFP, agencies)   Months of drought in southern Africa triggered by the El Nino weather phenomenon have had a devastating impact on more than 27 million people and caused the region’s worst hunger crisis in decades, the United Nations’ food agency said Tuesday. The World Food Program warned it could become a “full-scale human catastrophe.”   Five countries — Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe — have declared national disasters over the drought and resultant hunger. The WFP estimates that about 21 million children in southern Africa are now malnourished as crops have failed.   Tens of millions in the region rely on small-scale agriculture that is irrigated by rain for their food and to make money to buy provisions.   Aid agencies have warned of a potential disaster as extreme El Nino weather conditions have led to below-average rainfall across the region, while its impact has been exacerbated by warming temperatures linked to climate change.   “This is the worst food crisis in decades,” WFP spokesperson Tomson Phiri said. “October in southern Africa marks the start of the lean season, and each month is expected to be worse than the previous one until harvests next year in March and April. Crops have failed, livestock have perished and children are lucky to receive one meal per day.”   The five countries that declared drought-related disasters have pleaded for international aid, while Angola on the west coast of Africa and Mozambique on the east coast are also “severely affected,” Phiri said, showing the extent to which the drought has swept across the region.   “The situation is dire,” Phiri said. He said the WFP needs around $369 million to provide immediate help but has only received a fifth of that amid a shortfall in donations. The WFP has begun helping with food assistance and other critical support at the request of various governments in the region, he said.   Phiri said southern Africa’s crisis came at a time of “soaring global needs,” with humanitarian aid also desperately required in Gaza, Sudan and elsewhere.   Aid agencies have highlighted southern Africa is experiencing the most severe drought in 100 years, wiping out vst areas of crops and food for millions.   El Nino, a weather phenomenon which warms parts of the central Pacific, has different impacts on weather in different parts of the world. The latest El Nino formed in the middle of last year and ended in June. It was blamed, along with human-caused climate change and overall ocean warmth, for 12 months of heat waves and extreme weather.   In southern Africa, food prices have risen sharply in many areas affected by the drought, increasing the hardship. The drought has also had other damaging effects.   Zambia has lost much of its electricity and has been plunged into hours and sometimes days of blackouts because it relies heavily on hydroelectric power from the huge Kariba Dam. The water level of the dam is so low that it can hardly generate any power. Zimbabwe shares the dam and is also experiencing power outages.   Authorities in Namibia and Zimbabwe have resorted to killing wildlife, including elephants, to provide meat for hungry people.   Scientists say sub-Saharan Africa is one of the most vulnerable parts of the world to climate change because of a high dependency on rain-fed agriculture and natural resources. Millions of African livelihoods depend on the climate, with many low income developing countries unable to finance greater climate-resilience measures.   http://www.wfp.org/news/millions-people-risk-going-hungry-southern-africa-enters-lean-season http://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/hunger-skyrockets-nearly-80-percent-eastern-and-southern-africa-over-past-five-years   Sep. 2024   Recent weeks have been marked by flooding in West Africa, Sudan and South Sudan, as well as heavy monsoon rains and floods in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Pakistan.   Meanwhile, the drought caused by El Nino continues to have a profound impact across southern Africa. Recent analysis shows a worsening food security situation, with forecasts warning of historic levels of acute hunger in the coming months.   According to the latest Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) alert, humanitarian needs are set to increase by 50% compared to last year, surpassing those recorded during the 2016/17 El Nino episode, which was the strongest in recent history.   Food stocks and market supplies are already at low levels and food prices have soared (e.g. in Mozambique where they are 25% higher than last year). Vulnerability assessments and Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis confirm the worsening situation.   In Malawi, more than 5.7 million people are expected to face crisis levels of hunger through March 2025, up from 4.1 million, while in Namibia, acute food insecurity has increased from 38% to 45%. According to UNICEF, about 1.1 million children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition in El Nino-affected countries.   El Nino & La Nina Global Analysis. (ACAPS)   La Nina-induced temperature and precipitation anomalies are expected from the end of 2024 to the first quarter of 2025.   Between late 2024 and the beginning of 2025, several countries already facing humanitarian crises may experience floods, droughts, and epidemics as a result of La Nina-related precipitation and temperature anomalies.   These are likely to increase the humanitarian needs of exposed populations, with food security and health expected to be the most affected sectors. El Nino affected global weather patterns from July 2023 to May 2024, with its peak occurring between September–December 2023.   Some countries faced drier-than-usual conditions, while others experienced heavy rainfall and flooding beyond the expected levels for their typical rainy season. El Nino already aggravated humanitarian needs in countries in crisis, especially for food and health services.   http://www.acaps.org/en/el-nino-la-nina-global-climate-analysis http://reliefweb.int/report/chad/advocacy-note-emergency-flooding-response-west-and-central-africa-october-2024 http://www.savethechildren.net/news/nigeria-floods-three-million-children-borno-state-without-school-and-exposed-child-marriage http://www.savethechildren.net/news/west-africa-floods-nearly-950000-people-displaced-and-children-sheltering-schools-just-weeks http://reliefweb.int/report/nigeria/wfp-ramps-response-flood-hit-west-africa-region-grapples-record-levels-acute-hunger http://www.unhcr.org/news/press-releases/unhcr-calls-urgent-help-228-000-flood-affected-people-west-africa http://reliefweb.int/report/nigeria/unhcr-scrambles-aid-devastating-floods-sweep-nigeria http://actionaid.org/news/2024/it-feels-were-counting-days-until-we-die-here-bangladesh-floods-leave-more-half-million http://reliefweb.int/report/chad/acaps-briefing-note-chad-impact-floods-31-october-2024   http://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/unhcr-flash-update-flooding-myanmar-27-october-2024 http://www.unicef.org/eap/press-releases/nearly-6-million-children-affected-floods-and-landslides-devastate-southeast-asia http://actionaid.org/publications/2024/girls-being-married-get-their-families-food-finds-actionaid-report-drought http://reliefweb.int/organization/un-climate-crisis-coordinator http://reliefweb.int/disasters http://wmo.int/media/news/record-breaking-temperatures-continue-august http://wmo.int/publication-series/united-science-2024 http://insideclimatenews.org/news/18092024/major-climate-reports-may-be-underestimating-drought-flood-risks/ http://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240913-climate-finance-talks-make-little-progress-before-un-summit   June 2024   Urgent call to action to address historic El Nino drought in Southern Africa   More than 30 million people across Southern Africa have been affected by a severe drought. Millions could be pushed into acute hunger unless support is urgently mobilized to scale before the next lean season, warn the United Nations (UN) and partners.   The joint call was made today by the UN, NGOs, regional and national authorities, humanitarian and development partners during a briefing on the emergency in Southern Africa, to highlight the severe impacts of El Nino and the climate-driven crisis. The joint call follows the recent extraordinary summit by The Southern African Development Community (SADC) that saw the launch of a regional appeal in May seeking $5.5 billion to provide urgent lifesaving assistance, to help with recovery and long-term climate resilience.   “Rural communities we have met on the ground tell us they have never seen anything like this. They are extremely worried about their future,” said Reena Ghelani, the UN Climate Crisis Coordinator for the El Nino / La Nina Response. She added that “urgent support is needed now, and at scale, to protect lives and livelihoods.”   The unfolding impact of this El Nino phenomenon, which started in July 2023, has led to a severe rainfall deficit across the Southern African region, with temperatures five degrees above average. The region experienced its driest February in 100 years, receiving 20 percent of the usual rainfall expected for this period.   The emergency is adding another layer of suffering to existing vulnerabilities. Even before the drought, the levels of food insecurity and humanitarian need were high, driven by socio-economic challenges, high food prices, and the compounding impacts of the climate crisis.   ‘The climate crisis is a crisis for children in the region. As increasing volatile climate patterns lead to drought and floods, climate change is a real and daily threat. With loss of livelihoods and additional burdens on families, children are at risk of displacement, hunger, and diseases such as cholera. Drought and floods also have a ripple effect on access to education, leaving children vulnerable to child labor and child marriage. Alongside immediate life-saving aid, financing in climate prevention and preparedness will be vital in saving lives and strengthening the resilience of children repeatedly hit by climate emergencies,” said UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Etleva Kadilli.   Rain shortfalls have taken place at a crucial time for crop growth. Widespread harvest failure and livestock death are already being felt across the region, where 70 per cent of people depend on rainfed agriculture to survive.   Adeyinka Badejo, Deputy Regional Director for the World Food Programme in Southern Africa said: “Farmers in the hardest-hit countries have lost, on average, at least half their crops due to this drought, with the next harvest not expected until April 2025. We must act urgently to address the immediate food needs of the worst-affected communities and equip farming households to prepare for the next planting season. Swift action is essential to mitigate the ongoing crisis and build resilience for the future."   Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe are all grappling with the impact of the drought, while Namibia, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe have declared states of emergency. The UN and partners are supporting national and regional response efforts.   “The magnitude of the challenge calls for sufficient resources to effectively respond to the crisis and safeguard lives and livelihoods. Support should focus on building the climate resilience of communities, otherwise unless resilience and early recovery support is ensured, communities will not recover and farmers will not be able to plant during the next season, perpetuating humanitarian needs,” emphasized Patrice Talla, the Subregional Coordinator in Southern Africa for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO).   With a predicted shortfall in agriculture production, especially maize, farm incomes will drop. In addition, food price increases will leave farmers with less to invest in seed, fertilizers, and equipment, all crucial for maintaining and enhancing future production levels.   “The Southern African drought is yet more evidence of the growing impact of climate disasters on the lives of the most vulnerable. This crisis demands that our response is inclusive, impactful and at scale. Importantly, we have a responsibility to support African governments to continue to strengthen their preparedness to respond to such catastrophes, which, as science confirms, will increase in frequency and intensity,” said Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, UN Assistant Secretary General and African Risk Capacity Group Director General.   The window of opportunity to avert a large-scale humanitarian crisis is rapidly closing, as communities face imminent harvest failures. It is urgent to provide humanitarian assistance and support communities to recover and build resilience for the future.   http://www.reuters.com/world/africa/un-agency-raises-just-20-needed-southern-africa-drought-aid-tough-funding-2024-08-06/ http://reliefweb.int/report/world/urgent-call-action-address-historic-el-nino-drought-southern-africa http://reliefweb.int/report/madagascar/southern-africa-grip-severe-drought http://reliefweb.int/report/malawi/urgent-action-critical-malawi-faces-severe-drought http://www.unocha.org/publications/report/zimbabwe/urgent-support-needed-address-historic-el-nino-drought-zimbabwe http://www.unocha.org/publications/report/namibia/un-officials-call-urgent-action-address-deepening-hunger-crisis-namibia   8 May 2024   Floods Displace Thousands in East Africa: (OCHA/IOM)   Weeks of heavy rainfall and flooding in the East Africa region has triggered widespread displacement with hundreds of thousands displaced across Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Ethiopia and Tanzania. So far 637,000 people have been affected including 234,000 displaced as of 3 May 2024 according to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, but the numbers keep rising.   “The unprecedented and devastating flooding has unveiled the harsh realities of climate change, claiming lives and displacing communities. As these individuals face the daunting task of rebuilding, their vulnerability only deepens,” said Rana Jaber, Regional Director, East and Horn of Africa “In this critical moment even as IOM responds, the call remains urgent for sustainable efforts to address human mobility spurred by a changing climate.”   The torrential rains have unleashed a catastrophic series of events, including flooding, mudslides, and severe damage to vital infrastructure such as roads, bridges and dams. These disasters have not only claimed numerous lives but have also escalated the suffering of the affected populations and heighted the risk of waterborne diseases.   Africa is highly vulnerable to climate change, despite contributing only about 4 per cent to global greenhouse gas emissions. The East and Horn of Africa has particularly been impacted by alternating cycles of drought and intense precipitation over the last decade. But this is the heaviest rain and worst flooding seen in decades in the affected countries.   http://www.iom.int/news/floods-displace-thousands-east-africa-iom-calls-sustained-efforts-address-climate-mobility   25 Mar. 2024   As a prolonged heatwave and drought grip several countries in Eastern and Southern Africa, UNICEF is sounding the alarm on the dire situation faced by vulnerable communities who are bearing the brunt of climate change.   In the region, 45 million children are living through multiple and often overlapping crises intensified by climate change, including cholera outbreaks, malnutrition, drought and floods.   The 2023-24 El Nino, one of the strongest on record, is exacerbating already challenging environmental conditions. El Nino has escalated regional climate patterns, causing extremely dry conditions and erratic rainfall, affecting crop production, and worsening disease outbreaks.   "The climate crisis is a real threat to children and communities in Eastern and Southern Africa. The very elements that children need to survive and thrive, including clean water, food, shelter, learning and safety, are being impacted by climate shocks.   Communities who depend on agriculture face major crop losses, negatively affecting their livelihoods. Widening impoverishment means more children becoming malnourished. In more difficult times children are often forced to work to support income generation. Challenges in accessing clean water expose children to disease, affects livelihoods and cause forced displacement," said Eva Kadilli, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa.   Over the weekend, the President of Malawi declared a State of Disaster in 23 out of the 28 districts in the country, due to El Nino conditions. Inadequate rains, floods, and prolonged dry spells have led to severe damage to crops and food production, impacting two million households (an estimated 9 million people, including 4.59 million children).   In South Sudan, children and young people are among those most at risk due to the climate crisis. Because of an extreme heatwave, authorities have recently ordered schools to be closed for two weeks and children have been advised to stay indoors as temperatures are expected to hit 45C, impacting 2.2 million learners.   In Zambia, the government has recently declared a national emergency over drought that has impacted large parts of the country, affecting 6.5 million people -- including 3 million children. This comes after the devasting floods that exacerbated the cholera outbreak in the country, with over 22 000 cases and children disproportionally affected.   As rising temperatures and scarce water resources push families to the brink, children face increased risks of malnutrition, dehydration, and illnesses. 2.4 million people are expected to be severely food insecure this year.   In Zimbabwe, the El Nino phenomenon has disrupted rainfall patterns, leading to prolonged drought. Families are grappling with food insecurity, water scarcity, and heightened vulnerability including to violence and exploitation. These challenges come at a time when the country is also responding to cholera and polio outbreaks, potentially leading to a severe crisis for children.   In Madagascar, limited rainfall in the Great South is expected to reverse the marginal gains made in 2023 and plunge this fragile zone into a fresh humanitarian crisis. More than 262,000 children under the age of 5 are already acutely malnourished in the region.   The impact of El Nino is not limited to dry conditions. Late last year, heavy rains and flooding battered parts of the Eastern African region, including Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. These floods led to loss of lives, disrupted livelihoods, and displaced communities, with more than 5.2 million people affected.   "Distressingly, extreme weather is expected to be the norm in Eastern and Southern Africa in the years to come. we must also come together to reduce the effects of climate change on vulnerable populations in the region," said Ms. Kadilli. "We continue our call to partners to prioritize investment in climate adaptation and mitigation, as well as in systems capable of withstanding the intensifying shocks brought on by climate change. Without sustainable responses, the future of children hangs in the balance. We need to take decisive action now to ensure that they not only survive but thrive in the challenging years ahead."   http://www.unicef.org/zimbabwe/press-releases/rising-heat-drought-and-disease-climate-crisis-poses-grave-risks-children-eastern http://www.wfp.org/news/urgent-action-critical-malawi-faces-severe-drought http://www.savethechildren.net/news/we-go-sleep-hungry-children-surviving-boiled-waterlily-roots-and-wild-fruits-drought-devastates http://reliefweb.int/report/madagascar/rising-heat-drought-and-disease-climate-crisis-poses-grave-risks-children-eastern-and-southern-africa http://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-urges-global-support-malawi-faces-looming-food-crisis-triggered-el-nino   13 Mar. 2024   The humanitarian impact of El Nino in Southern Africa: OCHA, Regional Interagency Standing Committee, Southern Africa   The Southern African region is experiencing extremely dry conditions during the 2023/24 El Nino season, including one of the driest Februarys in over 40 years, resulting in widespread crop failure across central parts of the region.   These conditions have led to water scarcity, diminished crop yields, and subsequently, food shortages, along with displacement and the proliferation of diseases. These challenges are expected to escalate food insecurity and malnutrition levels, disrupt education and healthcare services, and exacerbate economic hardships in the region.   The areas of highest concern due rainfall deficits from January to March are Zambia, Zimbabwe, southern Malawi, central Mozambique, southeastern Angola and northeastern Botswana. Lesotho, Eswatini and southern Madagascar will also be severely affected.   El Nino effects will have severe consequences on livelihoods across the region. An estimated 70 per cent of the population in Southern Africa is dependent on agriculture for subsistence, communities affected by El Nino are projected to have lower harvests and fewer livelihood opportunities. These factors will culminate in a deeper and earlier 2024/2025 lean season, which usually starts in November.   El Nino effects are hitting at a time of already significant protracted unmet needs, with alarming levels of food insecurity. Some 18 million people are currently experiencing crisis levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3+) in Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe while Malawi is estimated to have 4.4 million people or 22 percent of the population facing IPC 3 and worse between October 2023 and March 2024. Unless response is urgently scaled-up, the situation will deteriorate further.   The impact of El Nino on children’s nutrition and health is grave, with 3.5 million children in need of nutrition treatment services. More than 900,000 children require treatment for severe malnutrition in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Malawi, Namibia, Madagascar, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Lesotho. An estimated 21 million children under five are stunted in the Southern Africa region. This is an increase from 18.6 million reported in 2022.   Further deterioration in the nutritional status of children is expected as the lean season continues. Even where food is available, food price inflation will make accessing a sufficient diet inaccessible to many. Coping strategies such as reducing meal frequency and size are expected to escalate.   Malnourished children face a higher risk of death from preventable diseases such as diarrhoea, pneumonia, and malaria.   Local water scarcity is a concern, with potentially serious implications for public health and security, and livelihoods in a region already battling a serious cholera outbreak. Vector-borne diseases such as yellow fever, malaria and dengue often increase in dry conditions while the increased usage of unsafe water sources can lead to a rise in trachoma, cholera, typhoid, and bilharzia cases. Furthermore, evidence suggests that women and girls are exposed to increased risks of gender-based violence when water is scarce as they are forced to travel long distances (often alone) in search of potable water, making them vulnerable to sexual violence.   Dry conditions will worsen water access for livestock leading to livestock deaths, further impacting food security and livelihoods.   Climate induced shocks and the associated closure of schools, full or partial destruction of school infrastructure and learning materials have a devastating impact on children’s learning. El Nino effects, mainly drought, contribute to children’s vulnerability to dropping out of school as families are forced to prioritize food and water over education, leaving them more vulnerable to child labour and child marriage.   Funding gaps are hindering response efforts. For example, in the nutrition sector, 70 percent of 2023 needs in southern Africa remained underfunded, with the highest funding gaps noted in Zimbabwe, Angola, Malawi, and Mozambique. This means a significant number of children and pregnant and breastfeeding women will remain unreached in these countries despite the immense needs resulting from El Nino and other drivers.   * Dry conditions and below-normal rainfall are expected until June for nine countries: Angola, Botswana, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Record-breaking high temperatures may well worsen droughts in Mozambique and southern Madagascar, escalating food insecurity.   http://reliefweb.int/report/angola/humanitarian-impact-el-nino-southern-africa-key-messages-march-2024   13 Mar. 2024 (CARE)   A record-breaking dry spell has plunged Southern Africa into a dire situation, affecting vast areas and is driving communities to the brink of a humanitarian emergency. The region is experiencing the lowest rainfall recorded in at least 40 years, with devastating consequences for agriculture, water availability, and livelihoods.   "The prolonged dry spell and erratic rainfall patterns are pushing Southern Africa to the brink of a humanitarian crisis", says Matthew Pickard, Southern Africa Regional Director for CARE, expressing grave concern over the situation.   "Coupled with an ongoing cholera outbreak, millions of people are facing severe hardship. Crops are wilting, livestock are dying, and millions of people are facing severe food and water shortages", Pickard added.   In Zambia, where a national disaster has been declared, the Government announced that seven provinces have received no rain, resulting in the destruction of 1 million hectares of farmland and affecting over 5 million people. In Malawi, the World Food Program estimates that over 6.8 million people are experiencing food shortages, while in Madagascar, 601,000 individuals face severe food scarcity.   In Mozambique, ongoing conflict coupled with El Nino-induced dry conditions may leave a staggering 7.6 million people facing acute hunger by September 2024. Neighboring Zimbabwe is also grappling with El Nino's erratic rainfall, with significant moisture stress, wilting crops, and livestock diseases. The consequences are dire, with over 5.3 million Zimbabweans facing acute hunger.   The relentless dry spell not only persists but is also increasing in scale. Without immediate international intervention, the future of Southern Africa is bleak. We implore the global community to act now. The lives of millions depend on it.   http://www.care-international.org/news/record-breaking-dry-spell-leading-starvation-water-shortages-southern-africa http://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/over-24-million-people-southern-africa-face-hunger-malnutrition-and-water-scarcity-0 http://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/over-six-million-people-face-hunger-malnutrition-and-water-scarcity-zambia-oxfam http://www.carbonbrief.org/climate-change-made-west-africas-dangerous-humid-heatwave-10-times-more-likely/ http://www.carbonbrief.org/state-of-the-climate-2024-off-to-a-record-warm-start   http://www.ifrc.org/press-release/searing-temperatures-sweep-fire-across-asia-pacific-causing-distress-millions http://www.worldweatherattribution.org/climate-change-made-the-deadly-heatwaves-that-hit-millions-of-highly-vulnerable-people-across-asia-more-frequent-and-extreme/ http://www.worldweatherattribution.org/extreme-sahel-heatwave-that-hit-highly-vulnerable-population-at-the-end-of-ramadan-would-not-have-occurred-without-climate-change/ http://wmo.int/news/media-centre/el-nino-and-climate-change-impacts-slam-latin-america-and-caribbean-2023 http://www.climatecentre.org/13789/we-have-to-do-more-and-more-each-year-with-less http://www.climatecentre.org/news-archive/ http://wmo.int/news/media-centre/climate-change-indicators-reached-record-levels-2023-wmo
	15 consecutive months of record-high global temperatures by World Meteorological Organization (WMO), agencies   14 Sep. 2024   15 consecutive months of record-high global temperatures. (WMO)   The extended streak of extraordinarily high temperatures has continued, and the year so far has been the warmest on record for the globe, with Africa, Europe and South America each ranking first, according to three leading international datasets.   It was the warmest August on record, marking the 15th consecutive month of record-high global temperatures, which it itself is a record, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA. The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said it was the joint warmest August on record (with August 2023).   The northern hemisphere (boreal) summer was the hottest on record and July saw the hottest day on record. Global temperatures in both July and August 2023 and 2024 were well above anything recorded before.   Extreme weather – including intense heat, extreme precipitation and drought – accompanied by floods and wildfires – continued to cause devastation and despair in many countries in August.   With the impacts of climate change increasing constantly, WMO is also intensifying efforts to help protect people from life-threatening weather through the Early Warnings for All Campaign.   So far, 2023 is the warmest year on record. Temperatures are just one of the indicators of climate change. Others include ocean heat, sea ice and glaciers.   Global sea ice extent was the second lowest on record in August, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service and NOAA reports. The global ocean was second warmest on record for August.   http://wmo.int/media/news/record-breaking-temperatures-continue-august http://wmo.int/publication-series/united-science-2024 http://wmo.int/news/media-centre/vicious-circle-of-climate-change-wildfires-and-air-pollution-has-major-impacts http://www.un-ihe.org/news/dams-increasing-danger-collapse-due-climate-change-and-conflict http://www.un-ihe.org/news/researchers-warn-dramatic-changes-are-needed-support-basic-living-standards-2050 http://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/news/latest-news/achieving-prosperity-for-planet-and-people-requires-fair-resource-sharing-and-addressing-inequality-new-earth-commission-study http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(24)00042-1/fulltext   Sep. 2024   One third of children worldwide exposed to extreme heatwaves as temperatures hit record highs, new report reveals.   One-third of the total global child population—or 766 million children - were exposed to extreme heatwaves in the year between July 2023 and June 2024 as temperatures hit new record highs, according to new analysis by Save the Children.   In the same period, 344 million children – 15% of the world’s total - experienced the highest temperature recorded in their location since at least 1980.   Children around the world are experiencing more intense and frequent heatwaves because of the climate crisis, putting their physical and mental health as well as rights at significant risk, the child rights organisation said.   Save the Children analysed satellite imagery of surface temperatures covering every part of the world. The child rights organisation defined an “extreme heatwave” as three consecutive days experiencing a temperature in the top 1% of all those recorded in that location in the previous 30 years.   The data showed that the number of children affected by extreme heatwaves almost doubled from 2022/23 to 2023/24.   The new data showed that in July 2024 alone, 170 million children experienced heatwaves. The same month also saw unprecedented heat globally, including the hottest day ever on record.   Children’s bodies are less able to regulate their temperature compared to adults, making them more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, Save the Children said. Their respiratory and immune systems are also still developing, making them more susceptible to the negative health impacts of poor air quality that often accompanies heatwaves.   Save the Children said that extreme heat is leading to an increase in child hospitalisations, the prevalence of respiratory conditions like asthma, in addition to impacting children’s mental health and overall development. Heatwaves are also worsening existing inequalities and food insecurity.   Heatwaves also disrupt education through school closures and decreased learning. In April and May 2024, more than 210 million children missed out on school days due to extreme heat. In Pakistan’s most populous province, Punjab, in May at least 26 million children or 52% of all the country’s pupils in pre-primary, primary and secondary education missed classes due to extreme heat.   In conflict zones, the compounding effects of heatwaves and humanitarian crises further endanger children already facing precarious circumstances.   Shruti Agarwal, Senior Adviser on Climate Change and Sustainable Economies at Save the Children, said:   “The scale of this crisis is staggering. When nearly a third of the world’s children are exposed to heatwaves, it’s not just a record, but a catastrophe. This is no longer about discomfort, we’re talking about a threat to children’s survival, their education, their future. What we are seeing is an alarming trend where heatwaves are becoming more frequent, more severe and longer lasting, hitting children most impacted by inequality and discrimination the hardest. These heatwaves are not just a weather phenomenon – they're a bleak indicator of our planet's health and pose a grave and disproportionate risk to the health and wellbeing of children and future generations.   “The climate crisis is no longer a distant threat. For children, it means growing up on an increasingly uninhabitable planet. And while they are the least responsible for the mess we’re in, they have the most to lose. Children and young people have been speaking up for years now, and it’s high time world leaders show they are listening by taking bold action to save their lives and their futures.”   Save the Children is calling for national governments to rapidly phase out the use and subsidy of fossil fuels and ensure a just and equitable transition in order to limit warming temperatures to 1.5 degrees C above pre-industrial levels.   http://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/document/policy-brief-extreme-heat-and-childrens-development-and-wellbeing/ http://reliefweb.int/report/world/analytical-study-impact-loss-and-damage-adverse-effects-climate-change-full-enjoyment-human-rights-exploring-equity-based-approaches-and-solutions-addressing-same-ahrc5730-advance-edited-version http://reliefweb.int/report/world/world-social-protection-report-2024-26-universal-social-protection-climate-action-and-just-transition   Aug. 2024   Almost half a billion children live in areas experiencing at least twice as many extremely hot days as their grandparents - UNICEF   One in 5 children – or 466 million – live in areas that experience at least double the number of extremely hot days every year compared to just six decades ago, according to a new UNICEF analysis.   Using a comparison between a 1960s and a 2020-2024 average, the analysis issues a stark warning about the speed and scale at which extremely hot days – measured as more than 35 degrees Celsius / 95 degrees Fahrenheit – are increasing for almost half a billion children worldwide, many without the infrastructure or services to endure it.   “The hottest summer days now seem normal,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Extreme heat is increasing, disrupting children’s health, well-being and daily routines.”   The analysis also examines country-level data and finds that in 16 countries, children now experience more than a month of additional extremely hot days compared to six decades ago. In South Sudan, for example, children are living through a yearly average of 165 extremely hot days this decade compared to 110 days in the 1960s, while in Paraguay it has jumped to 71 days from 36.   Globally, children in West and Central Africa face the highest exposure to extremely hot days and the most significant increases over time, according to the analysis. 123 million children – or 39 per cent of children in the region – now experience an average of more than one third of the year – or at least 95 days – in temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius, reaching as many as 212 days in Mali, 202 days in Niger, 198 days in Senegal, and 195 days in Sudan. In Latin America and the Caribbean, almost 48 million children live in areas that are experiencing twice the number of extremely hot days.   Heat stress within the body, caused by exposure to extreme heat, poses unique threats to the health and well-being of children and pregnant women, particularly if cooling interventions are not available. It has been linked to pregnancy complications such as gestational chronic diseases and adverse birth outcomes including stillbirth, low birth weight, and preterm birth. Excess levels of heat stress also contribute to child malnutrition, non-communicable diseases such as heat-related illnesses, and leave children more vulnerable to infectious diseases that spread in high temperatures such as malaria and dengue. Evidence shows that it also impacts neurodevelopment, mental health, and well-being.   Extreme heat also has more concerning effects when experienced in longer periods of time. While extreme heat is increasing in every country worldwide, the analysis shows that children are also exposed to more severe, longer, and frequent heatwaves. Across 100 countries, more than half of children are experiencing twice as many heatwaves today as 60 years ago.   In the United States, for example, 36 million children are exposed to double the number of heatwaves compared to 60 years ago, and 5.7 million are exposed to three times as many.   The impact of climate-related hazards on child health is multiplied by how climate-related hazards affect food and water security and contamination, damage infrastructure, disrupt services for children, including education, and drive displacement.   In addition, the severity of these impacts is determined by underlying vulnerabilities and inequities children face based on their socioeconomic status, gender, location, existing health status and country context.   In the coming months, all Member State Parties to the Paris Agreement must submit new national climate plans – Nationally Defined Contributions (NDC 3.0). These plans will set the course of climate action for a decade. They are a timebound opportunity to set out concrete plans to realise the goals of the Paris agreement.   UNICEF is calling on leaders, governments and the private sector to seize this opportunity to deliver urgent and bold climate action which upholds the right of every child to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/almost-half-billion-children-live-areas-experiencing-least-twice-many-extremely-hot http://climate.copernicus.eu/new-record-daily-global-average-temperature-reached-july-2024   Aug. 2024   Unprecedented number of heat records broken around world this year. (Guardian news)   A record 15 national heat records have been broken since the start of this year, an influential climate historian has told the Guardian, as weather extremes grow more frequent and climate breakdown intensifies.   An additional 130 monthly national temperature records have also been broken, along with tens of thousands of local highs registered at monitoring stations from the Arctic to the South Pacific, according to Maximiliano Herrera, who keeps an archive of extreme events.   He said the unprecedented number of records in the first six months was astonishing. “This amount of extreme heat events is beyond anything ever seen or even thought possible before,” he said. “The months from February 2024 to July 2024 have been the most record-breaking for every statistic.”   This is alarming because last year’s extreme heat could be largely attributed to a combination of man-made global heating – caused by burning gas, oil, coal and trees – and a natural El Nino phenomenon, a warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean surface that is associated with higher temperatures in many parts of the world. The El Niño has been fading since February of this year, but this has brought little relief.   “Far from dwindling with the end of El Niño, records are falling at even much faster pace now compared to late 2023,” said Herrera.   New ground is broken every day at a local level. On some days, thousands of monitoring stations set new records of monthly maximums or minimums. The latter is particularly punishing as high night-time temperatures mean people and ecosystems have no time to recover from the relentless heat. In late July, for example, China’s Yueyang region sweltered though an unprecedentedly elevated low of 32C during its dark hours, with dangerously high humidity.   The geographic range of all-time national records is staggering. Mexico tied its peak of 52C at Tepache on 20 June. On the other side of the world, the Australian territory of Cocos Islands tied its all-time high with 32.8C on 7 April for the third time this year.   But the fiercest heat has concentrated on the tropics. On 7 June, Egypt registered a national high of 50.9C at Aswan. Two days before that Chad tied its national record of 48C at Faya. On 1 May, Ghana hit a new peak of 44.6C at Navrong, while Laos entered new heat territory with 43.7C at Tha Ngon. Herrera said the tropics had set records every day for 15 months in a row.   Herrera, a Costa Rican who has been monitoring climate records for 35 years, fills an important gap in global temperature monitoring. Since 2007, international records are archived by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which organises expert panels to scrutinise each one in a time-consuming process. Meanwhile, national and subnational records are updated hourly or daily by a plethora of different organisations. Herrera brings the latter together rapidly, double-checks with local sources, and maintains updates on his Extreme Temperatures Around the World account.   His findings are in line with, and often ahead of, big institutions, all of which are warning of a rapidly heating world.   “Sirens are blaring across all major indicators … Some records aren’t just chart-topping – they’re chart-busting. And changes are speeding up,” the UN secretary general, António Guterres, said of last year’s intense global heat.   The European Union’s leading monitoring agency, the Copernicus Climate Change Service, recently reported that June was the 13th month in a row to set a monthly temperature record, with temperatures 1.5C above the preindustrial average, bringing more intense heatwaves, extreme rainfall events and droughts; reductions in ice sheets, sea ice, and glaciers, as well as accelerated sea-level rise and ocean heating.   The WMO has also reported that at least 10 countries have recorded temperatures above 50C so far this year.   There is no end in sight for unwelcome records, according to Carlo Buontempo, the director of Copernicus: “Even if this specific streak of extremes ends at some point, we are bound to see new records being broken as the climate continues to warm. This is inevitable unless we stop adding greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and the oceans.”   Hopes of a cooling have so far proved elusive. The preliminary data from the Copernicus ERA5 satellite suggests that 22 July was the hottest day in the Earth’s recorded history, with an average global surface air temperature of 17.15C.   Herrera said he hoped extreme weather alerts could prepare the world for what was coming and reduce threats to lives, infrastructure and economies. “It’s during extreme weather that we humans and other species are under stress or at risk, so it’s when we are more potentially vulnerable,” he said.   http://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/aug/14/unprecedented-number-of-heat-records-broken-around-world-this-year http://wmo.int/news/media-centre/un-secretary-general-issues-call-action-extreme-heat-0 http://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/extreme-heat-exposure-highly-unequal-india-china-indonesia-nigeria-bangladesh-among-top-5-exposed-countries-analysis http://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-55483-5 http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/15/climate-whiplash-events-increasing-exponentially-around-world http://www.channel4.com/news/la-fires-root-cause-is-fossil-fuels-says-climate-expert Visit the related web page
	View more stories