Issue One: The Climate

As stated in the earlier post Christian Aid has their funds and resources spread out all across the globe in a variety of different missions. On their website we see that they have five core issues which include; climate change, conflict, HIV, rights and justice, and lastly fair trade. The question that begs to be asked when organizations are this spread out is are they more effective focusing on a few core issues or is a wide spread network more beneficial? Today starts the first day of a series of blogs that will break down every element of those issues and how Christian Aid is involved, then at the end of the series I will diagnose whether I feel this is the most effective coarse of action. The list will not be based on the most important issues to Christian Aid just the format in which they are laid out on their website. Issue number one is climate change.

In many countries the people rely on subsistence farming or farming to make their living. In recent seasons as the dry seasons become longer and harsher the conditions of the soil have become drastically worse. The statistics and implications of this problem is disturbing.

From the Christian Aid website they list these statistics:

• "At the current rate scientist predict that at the current rate of carbon emissions tens of millions more people will go hungry in the next couple of decades as agricultural yields diminish across the globe."
• "If nothing is done to stem a rise of 2% in global average temperature by 2050-they say-250 million people will be forced to leave their home."
• "A one degree Celsius rise by 2020, would see an extra 240 million people experiencing water 'stress'-where supply can no longer be stretched to meet demand.
• "The predicted 1.3 degree Celsius rise by 2025 would see tens of millions more going hungry due to falling agricultural yields in the developing world and rising global food prices"

What is Christian Aid doing about this problem?

Christian Aid right now is partnering with villages in Bolivia, Bangladesh, India, and Tanzania to help create new methods of cultivating soil. Alongside of that they are "campaigning to ensure fair and effective deal for the world's poorest at Copenhagen Climate Conference in December of 2009."