Meenakshi, 20, polishes solar panels in her village in Orissa, India. Picture: Abbie Trayler-Smith/Panos
Climate change is already affecting the world's poorest countries - from increased frequency and severity of flooding in Bangladesh to changing rainfall patterns across Africa, bringing drought and crop failure to countries like Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.
As well as being hit first, the poorest are also hit hardest because they are less equipped to cope with the effects of climate change.
With a two degree increase in temperature we could see:
- increased weather variability
- more frequent and intense extreme events
- greater exposure to coastal storm surges leading to a much higher risk of catastrophic and irreversible impacts
- between 100 million and 400 million more people could be at risk of hunger
- 1-2 billion more people facing water shortages
- a permanent loss of 4-5% GDP in Africa and South Asia.
That's why international support is needed to help communities adapt to the impacts of climate change and to help countries develop infrastructure that supports growth and withstands future climate instability.
Our work
DFID is working to ensure that aid addresses both the causes and likely effects of climate change so that current and future progress in tackling poverty continues.
We are climate-proofing all our aid programmes.
We are supporting developing countries to adapt to climate change - for example, through practical on-the-ground support, by building climate knowledge and capacity in vulnerable countries and by helping to ensure countries get access to sufficient finance.
We are also supporting the development of low carbon technology and the increased use of renewable energy to ensure that developing countries can move to a low carbon future that supports economic growth.
The UK has also confirmed its commitment to £1.5 billion in "Fast Start" finance over three years (2010-2012).
By 2015, we will:
- help millions of poor people protect their lives and livelihoods from the impacts of climate change
- support poor countries to develop in ways that avoid or reduce harmful emissions of greenhouse gases
- help millions of poor people secure clean energy
- give more protection to the world's forests and the 1.2 billion people who depend on them.