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| Figure 1: Maria Mallik, Bangladesh (source) |
Back in December 2009, the Observer published
an article describing the lives of the families of four new-born babies from different corners of
the world and their struggle to cope with the impacts of climate change. They
recently returned to meet those children to see how their lives have changed in
the last 6 years. This is the generation which will feel the greatest impact of
the actions of today’s society.
The father of Maria Mallik has been a rickshaw puller in Bangladesh for 30 years, but today the rising temperatures and increasing pollution is making him weak. On top of this, the family of seven live on the coastal outskirts of the city in Barguna district, an area which has seen a significant rise in sea levels due to global warming over the last few decades. When the sea floods onto agricultural lands, this increases the salinity concentration and destroyed the productivity of the lands, pollutes the drinking water and destroys homes. The last decades have seen an increase in intensity and frequency of cyclone and storm surges which case widespread damage to these coastal regions. Coastal erosion is driving more and more people to migrate away from these areas. Maria’s father explains how the community are well aware of climate change and the effects are felt on a daily basis - “everyone in our community now knows that climate change is now a big threat. Everyone is tired of speaking about it. We are poor so there is no way out.”.
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| Figure 2: Denislania da Silva, Venezuela (source) |
Denislania da Silva is a six-year old member of the indigenous
Macuxi people who’s homeland is around Barro, Venezuela (figure 2). In 2009, their lands
were threatened by multinational companies who wanted to turn their marshlands
and key hunting grounds into rice plantations to feed the growing world
population. A few years ago, the Brazil supreme court has rule in favour of the
Macuxi, and that the lands should stay in their hands. But today,
the Macuxi face a different threat. The effects of climate change has been felt
in this region as the climate is becoming drier, temperatures have increased,
and an increase in threats to water security. Seasons have become less
distinct, weaker rainy seasons and warmer dry season causing water reservoirs
to dry up. Denislania’s mother recalls - “Our river used to be abundant but
it’s suddenly dried up. The fish that we used to catch have disappeared. Even
when there is only rotten old fish, people will buy it. Our wildlife is also
leaving – all because of the drought. I sometimes wonder if God is making us
die from drought.”
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| Figure 3: Olomania Mutonka, Kenya (source) |
Back in 2009, the family of 6-year
old Olomania Mutonka were fearful of the future as droughts were threatening
their very survival in the outbacks of Kenya (figure 3). No rain has fallen for a year,
cattle are dying, and food and water security is reaching levels of extreme
desperation. An increase in the intensity and frequency of drought events has
been observed in this part of Kenya over the last few decades as was explored
in a past blog, and by 2020, 75 million people are predicted to suffer from
water stress in east Africa. Today, Olomania’s mother travels for six hours to
collect water, a journey which she must walk every other day, and this water is
from an old, abandoned quarry that contained toxic, salty water. She says - “If
the drought continues all our animals will die and we will be left with
nothing. We will have no money to pay our children’s school fees. The Olkejuado river dried up a long time ago
and so we have nowhere else to fetch water from. That is what we have to
drink.”
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| Figure 4: Fretelina de Oliveria, Timor-Leste (source) |
Fretelina de Oliveira lives in Au-Hun on the island
of Timor-Leste (figure 4). “Six years ago the climate was better, normal and not as hot as
it is now” says Fretelina’s father. Over the last few decades, the island has
been hit by numerous drought events and an increase in temperatures,
significantly decreasing the productivity of the islands main agricultural
product, maize. During the dry season the hot climate has made life ‘life
unbearable’. But during the rainy season, a dramatic change is seen as the village is devastated by floods and heavy rains. The seasons are ‘erratic’, and
as temperatures continue to increase in the future, the intensity of the
hydrological cycle will also continue to increase.
These are the stories about four children are the
struggle of them and their families as they battle against the ever increasing
effect of climate change. Societies today are feeling the effect. Let hope that
in the near future that these stories will not develop into stories of societal
collapse.