Feeling the Heat ii
Executive Summary Executive Summary 2015 will be a historic year. It may be the year in which the nations of the world finally agree to an equitable, practical and legally binding agreement on <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong> – or it may be, yet again, the year that they fail to do so. Climate <strong>change</strong> affects us all. In Ireland*, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland have stated that we will likely see both more intense storms and rainfall, and increased water shortages as a result of <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong>. However, in Ireland we have sophisticated monitoring systems, contingency plans and a network of social security to lessen hardship. In the developing countries featured in our case studies below, <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong> will be added to existing challenges, with far fewer resources to cope with the problems. Our <strong>report</strong> looks at five countries: the Philippines, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi and Ethiopia, and reviews the scientific literature in these countries for the effects of <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong>, both present and future. Below is a synthesis of our findings of <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong> impacts on human well-being and socio-economic development in these countries, followed by a summary of our recommendations. to serious risk of droughts. When rain does fall, it falls more intensely than before, leading to greater risk of floods, damage to crops and risks to human health through water- and vector-borne diseases. As the ocean warms, tropical storms are expected to get stronger. This is a huge concern in those countries already massively affected by tropical storms. In 2013, super typhoon Haiyan killed over 6,000 people in the Philippines and displaced millions more. In the last century, six of the twelve strongest hurricanes in the world impacted Honduras, including Hurricane Mitch which killed 10,000 people in 1998. * Throughout this <strong>report</strong> Ireland refers to both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland The state of <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong> ‘Warming of the <strong>climate</strong> system is unequivocal, and since the 1950s, many of the observed <strong>change</strong>s are unprecedented over decades to millennia. The atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amounts of snow and ice have diminished, sea level has risen, and the concentrations of greenhouse gases have increased.’ IPCC Fifth Assessment Report, Summary Report, 2013. Global <strong>climate</strong> <strong>change</strong> is having a serious impact on the countries featured in our case studies below. In all of the countries, increases in temperature both during the day and at night are clearly observable. Longer dry seasons and hotter days, leading to greater evaporation losses leads Anthony (6) and Patrick (8), water the kitchen garden plants at their home in Meru, which provides the family with extra nutrition. Dry farm land can be seen behind the kitchen garden. iii
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