1. GGA/GGTA CONFERENCE AUGUST, 2011 MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS 1 AND 7; THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE I. Y. DADSON SOCIAL SCIENCE DEPT. UEW

2. OUTLINE FOR DISCUSSION BACKGROUND THE MDGs AND THEIR TARGETS BASIC FACTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE HOW MDGs 1 AND 7 CAN BE AFFECTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE SUGGESTIONS CONCLUSION

3. BACKGROUND The quest for better quality of lives by humanity. Adoption and implementation of different development programmes and strategies. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is one of the latest development paradigms of this century. Necessitated by the gap between the rich and the poor Progress and timely achievements of the MDGs depend on several factors egs……. Present both opportunities and threats among which is climate change.

4. contd The aim of the paper is thus to examine the extent to which climate change can influence the achievement of the MDGs with emphasis on goals 1 & 7

5. WHAT ARE THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDGs)? They are eight goals set by 192 countries and at least 23 international organisations to be achieved by 2015. Adopted in the year 2000 (the Millennium Summit) by the United Nations General Assembly. At the Millennium Summit in 2000, world leaders present adopted the United Nations Millennium Declaration, from which the eight goals were set. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were thus developed out of the eight chapters of the United Nations Millennium Declaration, signed in September 2000. The eight goals and 21 targets include:

6. MDG 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Targets Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people. Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger.

7. MDG 2. Achieve universal primary education Targets  Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.

8. 3. Promote gender equality and empower women Targets  Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015. 4. Reduce child mortality Targets Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate.

9. 5. Improve maternal health Targets Reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal ratio. Achieve by 2015, universal access to reproductive health.

10. 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases Targets Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS Achieve by 2010 universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it. Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases.

11. 7. Ensure environmental sustainability Targets Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes: reverse loss of environmental resources. Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving by 2015, a significant reduction the rate of loss. Halve by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum-dwellers.

12. 8. Develop a global partnership for development Targets issues include, Develop further a non discriminately open trading and financial systems, ensuring good governance, address the special needs of the least developed, landlocked and small Island developing states. Dealing with debt, transfer of technology, etc.

13. PROGRESS MADE According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) “so far there are significant advances together with important set-backs. Every region faces particular challenges but has the opportunity to work together in order to achieve the MDGs. Although there is a long way to go, we know that the goals are achievable with global political support, strong partnerships and coordinated efforts. We also know that if some trends persist, some of the goals will be very difficult to reach” (UNDP, 2008).

14. TO WHAT EXTENT CAN CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECT THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE MDGs To what extent can climate change influence the achievement of the MDGs? Climate change is defined as “a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods” United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC, 2007).

15. Impact on MDG one, that is, eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Influence from increased extreme weather events such as cyclones/hurricanes, thunderstorms, floods, and extended periods of drought. In addition, changing rainfall patterns could devastate rain-fed agriculture on which so much of the population in developing countries depend for survival. Examples of such extreme weather are drought in India and East Africa in 2009, floods in the Philippines, Southern India, Northern Ghana and Burkina Faso. All these events were described as worst in several years.

16. Food systems and food security could be jeopardised in many regions through: Increase evidence of pest attacks Shortage of water for irrigation Reduction of soil fertility Migration/adaptation of crops to new (hospitable) climate Reduction in crop and livestock productivity and high production cost. For example, in Brazil, it is estimated that if nothing is done about climate change, losses to the agricultural sector will grow up to 5 billion dollars by 2020 and to 14 billion by 2070 (AFP 2010)

17. Brown and parched corn field shows the effects of drought in Texas (Reuters, July 12, 2011)

18. contd For example, 10 million people are said to be affected by Horn of Africa’s worst drought in 60 years. Three Thousand people leave Somalia everyday (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa 12-07-11). The UN had to declare the situation in East Africa as famine especially in Somalia.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa

19. Areas of food shortages in the Horn of Africa UNHCR/USAID through (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa 12-07-11).http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa

20. Impact on MDG seven that is, ensure environmental sustainability Floods, drought, increase temperatures, ice melt, sea level rise, etc will negatively affect safe drinking water, resource development, utilization and human dwellings. The average global sea level is projected to rise by 28-58 cm due to ocean expansion and glacier melt by the end of the 21st century (compared to 1989-1999 levels) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007).

21. contd The Nairobi conference on climate in 2006 revealed through reports from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that rise in sea levels could engulf cities like Lagos, Dares-Salaam and Cape Town. In simple terms, not only will climate change increase the potential for slum dwellers to remain in absolute poverty, it will also render some nations without land for people to reside on, especially deserts, small islands and flood prone areas.

22. SUGGESTIONS While rich countries are most responsible for climate change, it is poor countries that are paying the price. Rich countries must therefore assume first responsibility and: Immediately implement deep emission cuts Meet their aid commitment to achieve the MDGs Provide additional aid for adoption measures for dealing with climate change. Transfer existing and new adaptation technology measures Create incentives for poor countries to limit their emission while safeguarding their right to development.

23. Poor countries must: Ensure rights to land, forest, water, energy and livelihood for their poorest people Integrate climate change initiatives into national MDG-based sustainable development plans as part of their contribution to global mitigation Sound environmental practices Ensure good economic policies and good governance among others Provide affordable houses

24. CONCLUSION Though the achievement of the MDGs depends on several factors, climate change as a single factor, presents both short, medium and long term significant threats, particularly those related to eliminating poverty and hunger and promoting environmental sustainability. There is therefore a need for collective and global partnership to advance sustainable development, encourage new kinds of cleaner technologies, industries and jobs; and integrate climate change risks into national policies and practices.

25. END OF PRESENTATION THANK YOU