Guide on Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples

dengue fever, because of increasing temperatures and deforestation.Warmer forests are favorable habitats for mosquitoes acting as vectors.New diseases such as meningitis, which were not endemic andwidespread, emerged in Ghana andother tropical countries.• Increased floods in low lying1°C - change in temperature whichareas because of deforestationcan already lead to significanthas led people in those areas tochanges in forest growth, modifyingevacuate or adopt their lifestyles tothe functioning, fertility of soilsconstant flooding.and composition of forests.Semi-arid andArid LandsMost of the inhabitants of semi-arid and arid lands are pastoralists, huntersand gatherers, settled agriculturists, and many of them self-identify asindigenous peoples. These peoples have very sophisticated traditionalknowledge in maintaining crops and forages, nurturing livestock and makingthe arid, semi-arid, humid, hyper-humid lands productive.• Much less rainfall and prolonged droughts, resulting in moreoccurrences of dust storms that degrades grasslands, damages seedlingsand other crops, decreases livestock of pastoralists and nomadicindigenous peoples leading to chronic hunger and food insecurity.• Deserts are becoming hotter and drier which will cause thedisappearance of organisms and plants that have reached their heattolerancelimits.• Drying up of water sources(springs, streams), decreased flowin rivers, shrinking of lakes, poorreplenishment of water aquifers,are affecting indigenous peoples’access to water, water for cropsand livestock, habitats for birdsand water creatures and thuslessening sources of food forpeople.• The capacity of indigenouspeoples to dig deeper into the ground for fresh water is very limitedbecause of poverty. Lack of freshwater leads to more gastro-intestinaldiseases and skin diseases as well as diseases caused by inability towash and clean the bodies and surrounding areas. These are also causedPART II: Impacts of Climate Change on Indigenous Peoples 15