World Food Program: Rising global average temperature will significantly increase the number of hungry people

　　China News Agency, Beijing, October 16 (Reporter Liu Liang) On the occasion of World Food Day 2021, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) issued an early warning saying that if global action is not taken immediately to help vulnerable communities adapt to climate shocks and Under pressure, the world will face the exponential increase in hunger caused by the climate crisis.

　　An analysis by the World Food Program shows that if the global average temperature rises by 2 degrees Celsius from the pre-industrial level, it will add 189 million hungry people.

The vast majority of people living in fragile communities depend on agriculture, fisheries and animal husbandry for their survival. They have the least impact on the climate crisis, but they have to continue to withstand climate shocks with limited buffers.

　　“From Madagascar to Honduras to Bangladesh, most parts of the world are suffering from the climate crisis. This is a reality that millions of people face every day. The climate crisis is exacerbating the food crisis”, World Food Program Executive Director David Beasley said.

　　Climate change may cause famine-like conditions in many parts of the world. Madagascar is one of them. Tens of thousands of lives in the south are at risk.

According to the World Food Program, the continuous drought has caused nearly 1.1 million people in Madagascar to suffer severe hunger, of which nearly 14,000 are in a similar state of famine, and this number is expected to double by the end of this year.

As many as 63% of the population in the south of the country are small farmers who barely make ends meet. Due to the drought, they can no longer sustain their livelihoods and their only source of food has dried up.

　　The agency pointed out that the climate crisis coupled with serious conflicts have further increased existing vulnerabilities, as well as losses, destruction and despair.

Extreme weather events in conflict-affected areas destroy the already scarce resources of local families.

　　“We cannot continue to hobble in the disaster. What we need to do is not only clean up the mess after the crisis, but also manage climate risk so that it can no longer undermine the food security of vulnerable communities.” Beasley added.

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