Climate Change: The Road from Marrakesh

The Kyoto Protocol on climate change was written off in the early part of last year, when President George Bush withdrew from what he called a ‘fatally flawed’ agreement. But now the Marrakesh Accords have breathed new life into it, forcing the US to think again. The world has agreed to act to stop the climate changing.

The World Today Updated 23 October 2020 4 minute READ

Christiaan Vrolijk

The Kyoto Protocol sets emission reduction targets for industrialised countries. These aim to reduce the so-called greenhouse gas effect, which could lead to climate change. While some places will warm, others might cool, get dryer, wetter, stormier, and more freak weather is likely. Many of the changes are expected to be detrimental, in particular to those places already vulnerable to climatic circumstance.

Last year was the second warmest on record globally according to the World Meteorological Organization. Dry areas of Africa, prone to crop failure because of sustained drought, could become even dryer. Areas prone to flooding, such as Bangladesh, are likely to be even wetter.

Tropical diseases are already spreading to more moderate climates. And low lying islands, particularly those in the Indian and Pacific Ocean, may disappear completely under rising sea levels.

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