climatechange: voices from communities affected by climate change

This report by Friends of the Earth International presents testimonies from nine countries to illustrate the human impact of climate change. It emphasizes that Indigenous Peoples and communities in the global South are most vulnerable due to their reliance on land and water. The document argues for a global movement to achieve climate justice by challenging the economic systems driving unsustainable production and consumption.

• Australia is experiencing intensified water security problems and extreme weather. A seven-year drought and unusually ferocious bushfires in 2006 caused significant agricultural losses, including the loss of family farms and the need for farmers to shoot livestock to prevent starvation. The IPCC projects that heat-related deaths in major urban centres could become five times more frequent by 2050.
• In Brazil, Hurricane Catarina in 2004 served as a warning of extreme climate risks, causing over USD 470 million in damages and killing four people. The storm destroyed 40,000 homes and devastated crops, with corn losses reaching 90%. Local adaptation efforts include regional forums and workshops to develop emergency planning and sustainable agricultural practices like crop diversification.
• Honduras faces extreme vulnerability to climate change, exemplified by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed roughly 7,000 people and left one quarter of the population homeless. The aftermath saw an increase in corporate exploitation, specifically through the General Mining Law, which reduced environmental regulations and led to the contamination of waterways with heavy metals like mercury and arsenic.
• Malaysia is seeing increased flooding and threats to its agricultural sector. The December 2006 floods were the costliest in the nation's history, with damages of USD 440 million. Climate change threatens grain yields, with a projected 9-10% loss for every 1°C rise in temperature. Grassroots adaptation includes replanting mangroves to buffer storm surges and returning to traditional 'cedung' paddy farming.
• Mali is highly dependent on agriculture and is facing severe desertification and reduced rainfall. Average temperatures could increase by up to 4.5°C by 2025, and the growing season is predicted to shorten by 20% by 2050. This threatens food security, with a projection that two thirds of Malians could be undernourished by 2030.
• Peru is identified as one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, primarily due to the rapid retreat of tropical glaciers. Over the last 35 years, nearly a quarter of Peru's total glacier area has been lost. This threatens the water supply for 60% of the population and risks the hydroelectric power supply, as the Mantaro River feeds a plant providing 40% of the country's power.
• Swaziland is experiencing increased temperature extremes and severe drought, leading to a state of national disaster in 2007 after the worst-ever harvest. Approximately 400,000 people (40% of the population) required food assistance. The country's carbon neutrality does not protect it from these impacts, and there is a noted lack of political priority given to climate adaptation.
• Tuvalu faces an existential threat from sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion. Rising seas are poisoning gardens and the freshwater lens, leading to a decline in local food security and a shift toward imported foods. The nation's highest ground is only 4.5 metres above mean tide level, making the prospect of Tuvaluans becoming 'climate refugees' a real possibility.
• In the United Kingdom, the village of Selsey is threatened by sea-level rise and storm surges, with sea levels potentially rising 74 centimetres by 2080. The community faces a potential bill of over USD 67 million for coastal protection, while the government has proposed 'managed retreat,' which residents view as abandonment.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2007). climatechange: voices from communities affected by climate change. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/climate-testimonies-EN.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. climatechange: voices from communities affected by climate change. 2007. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/climate-testimonies-EN.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=climatechange: voices from communities affected by climate change |date=November 2007 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/climate-testimonies-EN.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2007climatechange, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{climatechange: voices from communities affected by climate change}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2007}, month = nov, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/climate-testimonies-EN.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }