Mr. President: Protect the World's Poorest from Climate ChangeThe carbon footprint of an average American is 2,000 times larger than that of the average African. The world's most vulnerable don't contribute much to global warming, but they'll pay the highest price for it. Ask President Obama to make sure the U.S. takes the lead in developing a strong international climate change plan that significantly cuts greenhouse gas emissions before it's too late, sparing millions the devastation of increasing hunger, conflict and disease caused by climate change.
Dear President Obama,
As world leaders head to Copenhagen to discuss climate change in December, please remember climate change is more than an economic and policy issue. It also has a human cost. The lives of millions of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people hang in the balance. Climate change has displaced more than 26 million people, costs the world an estimated $125 billion in economic losses and leads to more than 300,000 deaths a year. Creeping deserts consume farmland and changes in weather patterns cause floods, which expand hunger and disease among the world's most vulnerable and touch off conflicts over dwindling resources, according to the Global Humanitarian Forum. So far, the world's most vulnerable have paid the greatest price for climate change. Yet, the United Nations estimates that the one billion people who live on less than $1 a day account for less than 3% of the world's carbon footprint. Please ensure the U.S. supports significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, clean-energy policies and a comprehensive aid package for millions of the world's most vulnerable. They're the ones who most feel the effects of climate change. |