Aid agencies can’t cope with climate change disasters

Unless the world readjusts the way it handles natural disasters the amount of people who die in climate related catastrophes is expected to rise dramatically by over 50% more in the year 2015.

It is estimated that over $11 billion more will be have to spent each year, compared with $14 billion spent in 2006, in order for the deaths that accompany climate related disasters to remain the same.

Due to the increase in climate related natural disasters such as tsunamis, floods, wild fires, landslide, and droughts it is expected that more people will face a climate related disaster in their lifetime than ever before.

In just the past 30 years the number of climate related disasters has almost doubled and the figure is expected to keep rising.

One area that many humanitarians are addressing is the need for unbiased aid when it comes to aiding those affected by climate caused natural disasters.

Factors such as the wealth of a country, and the political alliances and position of a country, currently impacts the rate of aid that a country receives.

Oxfam’s director Jane Cocking points to figures such as the amount of aid given per individual survivor in the Asian tsunami ($1,241) versus Chad ($23) as a clear sign that governments need to donate on a humanitarian basis instead of political.

She continued to state that areas that suffered from a onetime climate disaster, that received high amounts of press, also received more aid from various global governments then low profile, continuing problems such as the drought in Chad.

Oxfam also indicated that many large nations have pledged totals that reach around 18 billion in aid, but only one billion has actually been received.

Without the upfront payment the UN is unable to actively work to reduce and prevent climate change disasters.

Proactive control would be to control CO2 emissions and work at improving alternative green friendly energy options in countries across the world, but this will require massive funding from rich countries in order to create a global affect.