How Can We Help The Poorest Countries Affected Most By Climate Change?

After the Paris climate agreement that has made 195 nations pledge to reduce their carbon emissions, the most significant issue is determining how the most vulnerable and poorest countries respond to the change.

A global index managed by the University of Notre Dame discloses the effects of climate change hitting the following five countries the most: Eritrea, Chad, Central African Republic, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

These findings  have been prepared after 25 years of information gathering, taking into account their preparedness for risks through factors such as overcrowding, food insecurity and civil conflicts.

Countries that have been affected the least are New Zealand, Norway, Denmark, the United Kingdom and Germany. They would ideally be the nations to help the deprived ones the most so that they can adapt to climate change.

At the Paris Conference of Parties climate talks, about $100 billion through 2020 have been promised to the least developed countries, so that they can fight off the negative effects of climate change. The money is expected to flow through the Green Climate Fund.

"We will not leave the most vulnerable nations among us to weather the storms alone," said John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, shortly after announcing that the U.S. plans to double its grant money over the next four years with the goal of aiding vulnerable countries in their response to climate change.

Still, apart from finances, climate change is expected to alter various aspects of each nation.

"Many countries are grappling with a hierarchy of needs that puts climate risk close to the bottom," said  Joyce Coffee, managing director of the global index, suggesting that the least developed countries need to grapple with widespread poverty, which can influence other factors such as health and corruption. "While I believe very strongly that solutions to climate come from within a country, they won't come until leaders embrace the changes that are coming."

The aid that has been offered is expected to help them fight poverty and adapt to global climatic problems.