Malawi

It takes only eight days for the average Canadian to produce as much greenhouse gases as the average Malawian will produce over the course of the entire year.  Therefore, January 8th (eight days into the year) is "Climate Change Impacts in Malawi Day."

Climate change impacts are being felt in Malawi now.  Farmers and fishermen used to be able to rely on wind and weather patterns in order to tell them when to plant crops and where to look for fish.  Now the wind and rainfall is unpredictable.  There are long dry spells, and there are heavy rainfalls.  The pressure caused by these changes has led to an increase in deforestation, as people struggle to earn a living.   Unfortunately, the combination of long dry spells, intense rainfall, and deforestation has increased the vulnerability of Malawi to both drought and floods.

For more information about climate change impacts in Malawi, see Oxfam International’s report, “The winds of change: Climate change, poverty and the environment in Malawi”.