According to a report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), women, particularly in developing countries, are among the people most influenced by climate change.
Gender factor
The dominance of the male does obviously exist in some developing societies, which substantially impact on women whose work is mainly agricultural.
Birth-controlling, maternal health protection and gender equality enhancement would help mankind better adapt to climate change’s consequences as sea-level rising, typhoons, droughts… And the report also integrates greenhouse gases reduction and population reduction.
Ms. Thoraya Ahmed, UNFPA Executive Director, stressed that there are key questions that we have to address: How climate change influences the lives of men, women, girls and boys in different countries? And do our single behaviors promote or hold back global efforts to prevent the earth from getting warmer?
Any agreement on global warming prevention should integrate individual contribution to cool the environment, she added.
UNFPA report concludes it is forecasted that the rise of average temperature to 2100 would be around 4-6 Celsius degree, which would seriously affect environment, economic activities and human lives. Fat land would become dry destroying crops; many living habitats would vanish; the wave of emigrants would become harsh; the poor would lose their livelihoods. The fate of women, especially in the Third World Countries, would be ominous.
UNFPA report points out that this is the Vicious Circle of Poverty. Women in poor countries are mainly doing agricultural work and have little ability to earn their livings by other ways. They also take primary responsibility in caring families, which limits their freedom in traveling and make them dependent substantially on nature.
Droughts force women to work harder to secure food, water and fuel for their families. UNFPA concluded: While studying about female labors in developing countries, the relationship between agricultural work, gender and climate change should be place in the core, said UNFPA experts.
They added it is easier for countries with better health care system, education… to address climate change. The eradication of gender inequality would help empower women and help them better adapt to climate change.
Population factor
It is obviously that population increase along with rising demand on natural resources, agricultural and industrial development, energy… are cited as man-made influences on surrounding environment and climate change.
Pollution will be more critical in the future due to economic development and population growth. However the foundation for the world development is natural resources and human activities that impact on environment.
To avoid a global biological disaster, there should be absolute changes in production and consumption structure, in which reducing the consumption of essential natural resources (fuel and ore) is the key.
The world population increases by 250,000 people everyday, thanks to developing countries mostly, equal to 90 million people per year. The bloom of population alone could plunge our planet. Severe demand on food, energy and natural resources will put more pressure on our environment.
By T.P (TITC)
Source: The thao & Van hoa