2007May9: “If we look at Darfur, we can see that impact of climate change is not just an issue off in the distant future; it is having an affect on security today. The conflict in Darfur has many root causes, but one of its key instigators was driven by climate. Long periods of drought resulted in the loss of both farmland and grazing land to the desert. The loss of grazing lands led the nomads to migrate southward in search of water and herding grounds. This, in turn, led to conflict with the farming tribes occupying those lands. With the added stress of population growth, and ethnic and tribal differences, the competition for land became violent. It is a perfect case study of how existing marginal situations can be exacerbated beyond the tipping point by climate related factors. It is also why we refer to climate change as a “threat multiplier.” The Darfur region was already fragile and replete with threats – but those threats were multiplied by the stresses induced by climate change,” said General Charles F. Wald, USAF (Ret.) Former Deputy Commander, US European Command testifying before the Committee on Foreign Relations US Senate (Wald, 2007).
Reference: Charles F. Wald testimony before the Committee on Foreign Relations US Senate. http://www.senate.gov/~foreign/hearings/2007/hrg070509a.html
Image Description: Darfur refugee camp in Chad. Photo by Mark Knobil, 2005Mar29. Image Location: Wikimedia Commons. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Darfur_refugee_camp_in_Chad.jpg Image Permission: This file is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License.
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This post is tagged 2000s Climate Change Events, 21st Century and Climate Change, Africa and Climate Change, Agriculture and Climate Change, Climate Change Effects, Desertification, Developing Countries and Climate Change Effects, Droughts, Food Supply and Climate Change, Human Influences on Climate Change, Human Migration and Climate Change, Land Use, National Security and Climate Change, Northern Africa and Climate Change, Population, Sudan and Climate Change, Water Stress
