Poverty and Climate Change

Poor in Rural Areas

At least 70 percent of the world's extremely poor are found in the rural areas of the developing [Page 1138]world, a large proportion of which are women and children. It is projected that even in the next few decades, at least 50 percent of the world's poor will continue to live in rural areas. The greatest number of poor rural people is found in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia, regions that may be impacted greatly by climate change. The poor living in these regions suffer from hunger, malnutrition, and diseases.

While the livelihoods of impoverished populations are diversified across regions and countries, most are highly dependent on agriculture and natural resources. Over 80 percent of rural households farm, with the poorest households relying mostly on farming and agricultural labor. There is a risk that increases in temperature, climate variability, and the occurrence of extreme climatic events will significantly limit agricultural productivity and the availability and abundance of natural resources.

Climate change could potentially worsen the occurrence of hunger and induce migration through direct negative effects on crop and livestock production. Dramatic changes in temperature, precipitation, climatic variability, and sea level will affect crop and livestock productivity in many developing-country regions. Water stress and salinization of soils because of sea-level rise will result in the degradation of soils and the loss of productivity of agricultural lands. For example, in 2003, P. G. Jones and P. K. Thornton projected a 10 percent decrease in aggregate yields of maize in Africa and Latin America by 2055. This decline in maize yields may encumber approximately 40 million impoverished livestock keepers in Latin America and 130 million in sub-Saharan Africa. Given that access to water and productive land is important for reducing poverty in rural areas, the impacts of climate change will probably inhibit efforts to alleviate rural poverty.

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