Climate Change How it is destroying a whole nation after nation.
CLIMATE CHANGE has always existed. It is now that it has become the greatest threat to humanity. As of now, we all know how crucial this matter is. How gravely it can, and how it is affecting the world.
It is changing us, our natural habitat, our health, our daily lifestyle, our surroundings. The very air we breathe, the water we drink, the food, the sudden and extreme weather events, increased hunger and poor nutrition, strain on mental health all these and many more because of climate change.
It is disrupting our lives and our world. It is not just us humans, the entire planet is at risk. Nature getting destroyed, forests are burning in various places all over the world from extreme heat, glaciers are rapidly melting, and there’s drought agricultural, and ecological which is making the ecosystem so very vulnerable.
Animals are dying, suffering, being endangered, and even becoming extinct, our biodiversity is destroying. The list goes on, and so is the destruction caused by it, climate change.
And what is causing climate change, us, humans. We are the ones who are responsible for this, our very actions. Years of years of abusing nature, burning fossil fuels, cutting down forests, greenhouse gas emissions, soil degradation, industrialization, water and air pollution. Destroying marine ecosystems, farming livestock, there’s so much more the list doesn’t end.
Increasing greenhouse gases are warming the planet, and we are actively doing that.
So, people all over the world, in every country today suffering from climate change. Some countries are facing major destruction, and some are a bit less. But no one is safe, everyone is walking towards it.
“Since systematic scientific assessments began in the 1970s, the influence of human activity on the warming of the climate system has evolved from theory to established fact.” Nasa, Intergovernmental Panel on climate change.
List of countries going through climate change:
The Norte Dame Global Adaptation Index, or ND-GAIN, ranks the climate adaptation performance for countries all over the world and they have been doing it for over 17 years. So basically, The ND-GAIN summarizes a country’s vulnerability to climate change and other global challenges in combination with its readiness to improve resilience.
And we’ll see the ranks of all the countries.
Chad: Its index score is 27.0, vulnerability 0.652, readiness 0.191.
It is a low-income country, with high poverty, 42.3% of its population (as of 22, total population is 1.77 crore) is living below the national poverty line.
The geographical situation doesn’t help at all, Chad is referred to as the “Dead Heart of Africa.” The country’s very large desert climate (warm to hot temperatures without any wet season all year) and a huge distance from the capital to the nearest seaport are some of the major reasons for overheating.
Central African Republic: Index score 27.7, vulnerability 0.584, readiness 0.138.
Political instability has always been an issue in this country, for its natural resources there’s always been a power struggle, still, it is a low-income country. Highly heated temperatures, water shortage, and damaged agricultural land and infrastructure, all lead to economic losses.
Mainly the longstanding political problems have led the country to crises, the biggest of all is the water crisis and many health issues surrounding it.
Eritrea: Index score 30.8, vulnerability 0.605, readiness 0.220.
It is such a vulnerable country with such low income, suffering from malnutrition, repression, and fleeing drought. Almost all children suffer from malnutrition there.
Democratic Republic of Congo: Index 32.4, vulnerability 0.564, readiness 0.212.
Increased floods as well as increasing famine have put this low-income country in such a tough spot. And then there are always armed groups looming over to take control of the country.
Guinea-Bissau: Index 32.5, vulnerability 0.626, readiness 0.275.
It is one of the most vulnerable African countries to climate change. It has a flat topography with large meandering coastal tides, so with higher temperatures rainfall patterns change and sea level rises. So, it makes it even more challenging for people there to survive with food insecurity, biodiversity loss, environmental degradation, coastal erosion, etc.
Sudan: Index 32.8, vulnerability 0.604, readiness 0.261.
The humanitarian situation is devastatingly low and still degrading. This low-income country has been suffering enough then the climate change makes it a hundred times worse. Severe floods and irregular rains make it difficult for them to survive when the country depends big time on their natural resources.
Afghanistan: Index 32.8, vulnerability 0.590, readiness 0.246.
Ever since the Taliban regime came back in power all the international aid has collapsed. So now half of the country is facing the worst drought they have seen, and the rest of the country is flooding.
The Taliban regime is the worst suffering those people are going through already then there are climate change issues.
Somalia: Index 33.8, vulnerability 0.678, readiness 0.353.
Somalia / Somaliland has been suffering from drought for a few years now. This low-income country is going through such a critical crisis since their livelihood is dependent on weather and the environment. And then the flash flood last year made it impossible for them to get food, the immense food shortage has been the biggest challenge for them due to climate change.
Liberia: Index 34.1, vulnerability 0.601, readiness 0.283.
This low-income country is facing such vulnerable extreme weather due to its location in Africa. Since it is a coastal country the rising sea level affects the water supply, agricultural damage, fisheries, forestry, and all of these lead to severe loss of economy.
Mali: Index 34.6, vulnerability 0.596, readiness 0.288.
This low-income country also suffers from a lack of drinking water, soil erosion, deforestation, drought, desertification, etc.
Yemen: Index 35.0, vulnerability 0.544, readiness 0.244.
This low-income country suffers from desertification as well, as drought. The food unavailability and water shortage have been a difficult challenge for them for years now.
Congo: Index 35.0, vulnerability 0.525, readiness 0.224.
Temperatures are rising in all of the areas whereas the southern, central, and eastern areas generally stay cooler. And the north and west are hotter and more humid. But climate change is causing severe and drastic changes in the whole country’s weather.
Uganda: Index 35.1, vulnerability 0.581, readiness 0.284.
Both in the mountains and the lower lands areas people have lost lives due to landslides, and floods caused by climate change. For decades they have experienced drought, frequent bust of the rivers, and erratic rainfalls.
Madagascar: Index 35.3, vulnerability 0.557, readiness 0.263.
As of this year, Madagascar is the fourth most vulnerable country in the world, as per UN news. The country’s been hit by droughts and cyclones and also high poverty, and almost no working institutions putting the country at risk.
Niger: Index 35.5, vulnerability 0.632, readiness 0.341.
Dry tropical deserts, air pollution, poverty, high health risk, and lack of awareness.
Haiti: Index 35.5, vulnerability 0.514, readiness 0.224.
Haiti has been having major natural hazardous threats like cyclones, landslides, droughts, and floods.
Burundi: Index 35.5, vulnerability 0.558, readiness 0.267.
Three main environmental challenges are sanitation, deforestation, and soil degradation.
Zimbabwe: Index 35.6, vulnerability 0.506, readiness 0.218.
Climate change affects heatwaves, floods, tropical cyclones, and droughts.
Papua New Guinea: Index 36.8, vulnerability 0.546, readiness 0.283.
Climate change affects this low-income country earthquakes, volcanic activity, floods, droughts, tsunamis, and sea-level rise.
Sierra Leone: Index 37.0, vulnerability 0.561, readiness 0.301.
The country is ranked in the top 10 percent of the world. Climate change has adversely affected the environment, agriculture, food security, and even the livelihood of a large part of the community.
Micronesia: Index 37.2, vulnerability 0.616, readiness 0.359.
Ocean changes disrupt fisheries and cause coral death. Excessive coastal flooding, and high sea level rise.
Ethiopia: Index 37.5, vulnerability 0.547, readiness 0.297.
Drought has been affecting over 24 million Ethiopians as of last year and the number is increasing. Also, the political instability disrupts humanitarian aid.
Bangladesh: Index 37.5, vulnerability 0.531, readiness 0.281.
Climate change affects insane heatwaves, floods, droughts, and tropical cyclones.
Malawi: Index 37.6, vulnerability 0.531, readiness 0.281.
Malawi is increasingly facing droughts, floods, inconsistent rainfall, cyclones, and food insecurity.
Burkina Faso: Index 37.6, vulnerability 0.537, readiness 0.289.
Climate change in this country results in higher temperatures, and a drop in rainfall, which potentially leads to forest fires.
Myanmar: Index 37.7, vulnerability 0.504, readiness 0.257.
Myanmar has been suffering massively due to climate change. Extreme temperatures, cyclones, floods, storm surge, drought, heavy rainfall.
Angola: Index 37.9, vulnerability 0.510, readiness 0.268.
Climate change is affecting the lack of drinking water, food shortages, malnutrition in children, and cattle dying from disease.
Guinea: Index 38.1, vulnerability 0.547, readiness 0.309.
Flooding, landslides, cholera epidemics, and conflict. Now Guinea is taking important measures to overcome climate change.
Comoros: Index 38.1, vulnerability 0.521, readiness 0.282.
“Where there used to be so much there is so little.” Floods, cyclones, rising waters, and tsunamis.
Syria: Index 38.3, vulnerability 0.462, readiness 0.227.
Extreme drought in Syria has led to food and water shortages for millions of people.
Nigeria: Index 38.5, vulnerability 0.486, readiness 0.256.
In Nigeria, climate change is shifting the climate region. Rising sea levels lead to floods and waterborne diseases.
Mozambique: Index 38.5, vulnerability 0.493, readiness 0.263.
It’s one of the poorest countries in the world, and climate change resulting the rise of sea levels and temperatures. Which is destroying tourism, the key earning place.
Benin: Index 39.3, vulnerability 0.552, readiness 0.338.
The coastal region is vulnerable to sea level rise which is having a catastrophic impact on the economy.
Pakistan: Index 39.6, vulnerability 0.521, readiness 0.313.
A large number of people are being affected by flooding which will increase so much more and a coastal flood soon.
Marshall Islands: Index 39.6, vulnerability 0.573, readiness 0.365.
Rising sea levels, increasing temperatures, tropical storms, typhoons, spring tides, and drought.
Kenya: Index 39.6, vulnerability 0.510, readiness 0.302.
Increasing heat and droughts lead to famine, losses of livestock, displacement, and other threats.
These countries have been facing such highest threats for so long and still. So are the rest of the countries all over the world but as everyone has started to take proper measures as per those results everyone’s risk rate is changing constantly.
As of now 2024, according to the CCPI, the Climate Change Performance Index, their latest survey says that climate policy highest 20% weighting, and Denmark stands with 17.24 the highest score. Although no country could make it to 1, 2, or 3 ranks Denmark came 4th.
Estonia with 16.74 stands in 5th, Philippines 11.95 stands in 6th, India 16.38 stands in 7th, Netherlands 18.67 stands in 8th, Morocco 15.91 stands in 9th, Sweden 10.80 stands in 10th.
CCPI’s ranks are based on each country’s overall score. No country performs well enough in all index categories to achieve an overall very high rating.
The goal is to keep global warming well below a 2-degree C increase, even better 1.5-degree C.
Now that’s a long way to go, so there’s no time to waste or ease up, since there’s no ‘planet B’, we have to face it together and heal our planet. This is our only home.
