The fate of the world's poorest hangs in the balance as global leaders gather for climate talks. In the Arara neighborhood of Rio, where summer heat lingers long after sunset, Luis Cassiano, a resident for over three decades, expresses his growing concerns about the intensifying heat waves.
Poor communities like Arara are on the front lines of climate change, facing extreme heat and powerful storms with fewer resources to cope. As world leaders convene in Brazil, the focus is on the urgent need for action, not just pledges. The talks must address the political will to implement emission reduction plans and secure the billions required for adaptation measures.
The United Nations estimates that 1.1 billion people worldwide live in acute poverty, and these climate talks are a chance to address their plight. Belem, a relatively poor city, was chosen as the host, a decision praised by many. Inger Andersen, executive director of the U.N. Environment Programme, emphasized the significance of this location, where climate change intersects with poverty and the realities of the majority impacted.
The collision of poverty and climate change affects not only the poor in developing nations but also those in highly developed countries. A U.N. Development Programme report reveals that 82% of people living in poverty in these countries are exposed to climate hazards such as extreme heat, drought, floods, and air pollution.
Carter Brandon, a senior fellow at the World Resources Institute, highlights the vulnerabilities of the poor to climate change. They lack the financial means to relocate from vulnerable areas or rebuild after disasters, and these challenges are exacerbated by health issues, limited education, and social immobility.
Even in relatively developed countries, farm yields are expected to drop significantly, according to a UNDP analysis. But poorer countries will bear the brunt of these impacts, as Heriberto Tapia, head of research at the UNDP Human Development Report Office, warns. Africa, with over 500 million people in poverty, is a major concern, as many depend on crop yields for their livelihoods.
Ismahane Elouafi, executive managing director of CGIAR, notes that most small agricultural producers are in low- or middle-income countries, working in marginal environments and vulnerable to climate hazards. She believes technology can help alleviate the pressure on these farmers but acknowledges the financial barriers they face.
Brazilian officials chose Belem, on the edge of the Amazon, as a powerful reminder of the daily struggles of millions due to climate change and extreme weather. Nafkote Dabi, climate policy lead at Oxfam, emphasizes the reality check this location provides, contrasting it with the complaints of some negotiators about their accommodations.
Despite the urgency highlighted in the recent UNDP report, some experts remain skeptical about the outcomes of COP. Kimberly Marion Suiseeya, an associate professor at Duke University, questions whether rapid action will emerge from these talks.
Pedro Conceição, director of the Human Development Report Office at the UNDP, points to a stagnation in poverty alleviation efforts, with high numbers that show no signs of budging. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, in a memo ahead of COP30, called for a shift in focus from emission reduction to reducing human suffering.
Conceição emphasizes that poverty reduction and climate action are not tradeoffs but intertwined agendas. The notion that climate change is a future problem or a distant issue, such as melting glaciers, must be replaced with the understanding that these challenges are immediate and interconnected.
As the climate talks progress, the world watches with hope and anticipation, aware that the decisions made here will have profound implications for the most vulnerable among us.
