Food Archives - Page 29 of 34

Water woes in Pakistan

30/06/2010 Asia, Climate Change, Food, Pakistan by Caritas Communications

By Mumtaz Bashir Bhatti, Caritas Pakistan Pakistan contributes little to global warming – responsible for one 35th of the world’s average carbon dioxide emissions. Temperatures in the country’s coastal areas have risen from 0.6 to 1 degree centigrade since the early 1900s. Over the last 40 years, precipitation has decreased 10 to 15 percent in ...

Lessons from Typhoon Morakot

30/06/2010 Advocacy, Asia, Climate Change, Conflicts and Disasters, Emergencies, Food, Taiwan by Caritas Communications

Typhoon Morakot was the most distressing catastrophe to hit Taiwan in 50 years, devastating several areas in the south of the country. The heavy rainfall on August 8, 2009 caused mudslides and flooding that buried the entire town of Xiaolin. Hundreds of lives were lost and hundreds more were left homeless and displaced. Morakot’s aftermath resulted in billions of dollars in damage to infrastructure, as well as to agriculture that supported the aboriginal people.

Empowering Oceania

30/06/2010 Advocacy, Climate Change, Food, Oceania by Caritas Communications

By Tim Walsh, Caritas Oceania A workshop organized by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) was held during the first week of June in Rarotonga, the capital of the Cook Islands. The aim was to improve the coordination of both the emergency and the gradual response to weather events as ...

Sinking Christmas

26/06/2010 Advocacy, Climate Change, Food, Oceania, Pacific Islands by Caritas Communications

Sea levels in Kiribati have averaged a rise of 3.7 millimetres a year since 1992 (Australian National Tidal centre). With sea levels rising and most of Kiribati only two meters high, the end is in sight for the 98,000 residents.

Disaster prevention in Bolivia as glaciers melt

26/06/2010 Advocacy, Bolivia, Climate Change, Food, Latin America by Caritas Communications

Climate change has direct consequences on Bolivia’s poorest, living in the mountainous regions of the Andes. Natural disasters have become more frequent and melting glaciers endanger the water supply. Caritas has set up model projects in four different climate zones to prevent droughts and flooding due to climate change. The main objective of the Caritas ...

Climate change challenging Bolivia

26/06/2010 Advocacy, Bolivia, Climate Change, Food, Latin America by Caritas Communications

For many people, especially those living in poor countries, climate change feels like a tangible reality they have to cope with every day. Negative effects of climate change are most visible in the world’s developing countries, whereas the industrialized countries mainly contribute to the deterioration of the world’s environment. One hard-hit country is Bolivia. Its ...

Climate change and the risk of conflict in the Middle East

23/06/2010 Advocacy, Climate Change, Conflicts and Disasters, Food, Middle East & North Africa, Peacebuilding by Caritas Communications

Climate models predict that the five countries in the Eastern Mediterranean (Western Asia)– Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan and the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) – will face a hotter, drier and less predictable climate in the coming decades. Temperatures are expected to warm by 2.5 to 3.7oC in the region’s summer months; these higher temperatures will ...

A desert garden in Chad

23/06/2010 Africa, Agriculture, Chad, Climate Change, Food by Caritas Communications

Granite hills mark the horizon. The ground is carpeted with rocks. Apart from the dried up river beds (ouaddis) there is nowhere for vegetation to grow. Thorny shrubs are the only desert plant life. Nature is hostile in Eastern Chad. “Annual rainfall normally varies from 300 to 500 mm,” said Adoumadji, an agricultural technician working ...

Green housing in the USA

23/06/2010 Climate Change, Food, North America, United States by Caritas Communications

The Foundation for Senior Living (FSL) has served the needs of vulnerable seniors and adults with disabilities in Phoenix, Arizona for over 30 years. A member of Catholic Charities USA (part of Caritas Internationalis), FSL builds homes that prioritise safety, comfort, low cost maintainability and gentle impact on the environment. It aims to reduce landfill ...

Prayers and petitions at Copenhagen

23/06/2010 Advocacy, Climate Change, Denmark, Development, Europe, Food, High-Level Meetings and Events by Caritas Communications

The Copenhagen Summit on climate change brought together 119 heads of state and governments. Caritas representatives and bishops came from 25 countries, including Mexico, Zambia, South Africa, USA, India, Kiribati in the Pacific Ocean, Mozambique, Kenya, the UK, Spain, Ireland and Germany.