2/20/2019 Climate change | UNFPA - United Nations Population Fund

ENGLISH (/CLIMATE-CHANGE)
ESPAÑOL (/ES/CAMBIO-CLIM%C3%A1TICO)
(/)
FRANÇAIS (/FR/CHANGEMENTS-

CLIMATIQUES)

Climate change Search

OVERVIEW 3 4 0 1

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity today. Its effects are already being
felt – from strengthened storms and rising sea levels to changing temperature and weather patterns –
and they will only grow worse. Urgent action is needed to reduce emissions and to mitigate and adapt to
these changes.

Everyone will be impacted by climate change, especially those who are poor, vulnerable and lacking the
resources to adapt. All communities will need to build resilience and sustainability. And with migration
and urbanization taking place on an unprecedented scale, this will require understanding how
populations are changing, and then planning to address people’s current and future needs.

UNFPA is working with governments and other partners to better understand population dynamics, how
they affect the changing climate and how people can become resilience in the face of these changes.
Only with this knowledge can policymakers take on this gravest of challenges.

CLOSE (/CLIMATE-CHANGE)

NEWS ON CLIMATE CHANGE

https://www.unfpa.org/climate-change 1/9
2/20/2019 Climate change | UNFPA - United Nations Population Fund

10 things you should know about women & the world’s humanitarian crises

One month later: Getting critical services to Global leaders launch a new programme to
pregnant women after Fiji’s Cyclone Winston support women in conflict zones

1 2 3 4 5 …

SHOW ALL NEWS (/NEWS-LISTING-PAGE/CLIMATE%20CHANGE)

https://www.unfpa.org/climate-change 2/9
2/20/2019 Climate change | UNFPA - United Nations Population Fund

Population and climate change

Scientists know that climate change is being caused by people, and that people are at the heart of its
solution.

Many people believe slowing population growth in the world’s high-fertility countries could help reduce
global emissions. Yet these countries currently have very low emissions, while countries with slower
population growth – namely, wealthier countries – have much higher emissions. In fact, solving
climate change requires education, innovation and empowerment. 

Population (/world-population-trends), economic growth, and patterns of consumption and

production all play a role in climate change. But a common mistake is to equate more people with
more emissions, while ignoring inequality. Right now, only 2.5 billion people make enough money –
more than $10 per day – to consume enough to contribute to emissions. And among this group, a
small minority is responsible for an overwhelming share of the damage.

While slower population growth would improve the situation in the long term, it would make little
difference to climate change now. Most countries with higher levels of consumption, and therefore
emissions, are already experiencing slow population growth or even population decline. Countries
that are growing rapidly, however, tend to be mired in poverty and have very low levels of emissions.

Moreover, these poor countries have the right to develop and improve their living standards, a feat
that requires higher economic growth and consumption. Unless this process is radically different
than it was for wealthier countries, it will further contribute to climate change. But the elements that
accompany and drive development – such as improved health, education and empowerment – can
also promote sustainability.

Unequal burdens

Climate change threatens the livelihoods and well-being of all people and societies. Yet the impacts
of climate change will likely be worse for the poor and marginalized, who have contributed little to
greenhouse gas emissions but who lack the resources to effectively adapt as droughts, floods and
other consequences take effect.

https://www.unfpa.org/climate-change 3/9
 And because climate change affects ecosystems
2/20/2019
and agriculture, many of the negative effects will
Climate change | UNFPA - United Nations Population Fund

disproportionately burden poor women, who bear the responsibilities of food production and water
collection in many parts of the world.

UNFPA's Demographic Exploration for Climate Adaptation (DECA) programme helps identify communities vulnerable to climate
hazards.

Solutions

To adapt to the changes already underway, and to promote climate-resistant development in the
future, population data needs to be integrated into planning. New technologies must also be
developed and deployed to slow the pace of climate change and to facilitate sustainable
development. Technical cooperation among countries is also needed to shift to greener economies.

And, critically, patterns of consumption must change to slow the frenetic waste of natural resources.
One of the most established, efficient and just ways to change consumption is to invest in universal
public infrastructures and services. This can improve the efficiency of transport, housing and utilities
- three of the major forms of consumption.

Urbanization also offers an opportunity for action. The world is urbanizing at a dramatic rate, and
with the right policies, cities can be made inclusive and sustainable. By improving energy efficiency
and planning for the needs of both current and future residents, urban planning can make cities a
vital part of the solution to climate change.

https://www.unfpa.org/climate-change 4/9
 Individuals – particularly affluent individuals
2/20/2019
– must also engage in more sustainable consumption.
Climate change | UNFPA - United Nations Population Fund

Growing awareness of the risks of climate change, incentives to reduce personal consumption, and
green innovations will all help people make more responsible consumption choices.

UNFPA’s work

UNFPA is working on a variety of levels to address climate change and its consequences.

With the International Institute for Environment and Development (http://www.iied.org) and Wolfram
Research (http://www.wolframresearch.com), UNFPA has developed Demographic Exploration for
Climate Adaptation (http://www.popclimate.net/DECA) (DECA), an automated geographic analysis
system that combines population data – including location, gender, age, and availability of services –
with the geography of climate hazards. DECA enables policymakers to see, at a detailed level, where
vulnerable populations are, what hazards they might face, and what resources are available to
encourage greater resilience. This information can form the basis of policies for planning more
sustainable infrastructure and reducing disaster risks.

UNFPA’s work on sexual and reproductive health, education, and violence prevention also helps
promote resilience among vulnerable populations. Access to voluntary family planning, maternal
health care and quality education are key ways to empower vulnerable women and young people,
making them better equipped to prepare for and respond to climate-related crises.

UNFPA also helps address the effects of climate change, especially the humanitarian consequences
(/emergencies). Climate change increases the magnitude and frequency of natural disasters. In these
crises, women and girls often lose access to vital health services, including sexual and reproductive
health care, and they face a heightened risk of gender-based violence. UNFPA provides critical sexual
and reproductive health services, raises awareness of the increased risks, and provides psychosocial
support to survivors of violence.

Updated 10 October 2016.

CLOSE (/CLIMATE-CHANGE)

PUBLICATIONS ON CLIMATE CHANGE

https://www.unfpa.org/climate-change 5/9
 2/20/2019 Climate change | UNFPA - United Nations Population Fund

(/publications/population-matters-sustainable-

(/publications/climate-change-connections) (/publications/state-world-population-2009)
https://www.unfpa.org/climate-change 6/9
 2/20/2019 Climate change | UNFPA - United Nations Population Fund

1 2 3

SHOW ALL PUBLICATIONS (/PUBLICATIONS-LISTING-PAGE/CLIMATE%20CHANGE)

RESOURCES ON CLIMATE CHANGE

UNFPA 2017 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory Management Plan (/resources/unfpa-2017-

greenhouse-gas-ghg-inventory-management-plan)
This 2017 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Management Plan (IMP) provides a detailed foundation for the UNFPA
comprehensive effort to measure and manage greenhouse gas emissions from its internal global operations.

(/resources/framework-assessment-population-risk-and-resilience-climate-change)
A Framework for the Assessment of Population Risk and Resilience to Climate
Change (/resources/framework-assessment-population-risk-and-resilience-
climate-change)
Building on the INFORM framework and index, UNFPA developed a Population Risk and Resilience
Assessment Framework, and a tool (DECA) to consolidate information essential for building resilience
and sustainability in communities, and particularly among women and girls. The framework aligns UNFPA’s targeted
vulnerable population with disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, and complements INFORM by adding
a demographic perspective. This approach has been applied in a range of countries, including Malawi and Indonesia.

Urbanisation, Demographics and Adaptation to Climate Change in Semarang, Indonesia

(/resources/urbanisation-demographics-and-adaptation-climate-change-semarang-
indonesia)
Addressing the impacts of climate change is a strategic issue that requires a comprehensive and sustainable approach.
As a result of climate change, global temperatures are expected to continue to rise, resulting in sea level rise and an
increase in the frequency of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, landslides and storms.

(/resources/population-dynamics-and-climate-change)

https://www.unfpa.org/climate-change 7/9
 2/20/2019
Population Dynamics and Climate Change (/resources/population-dynamics-
Climate change | UNFPA - United Nations Population Fund

and-climate-change)
This book broadens and deepens understanding of a wide range of population-climate change linkages.

SHOW ALL RESOURCES (/RESOURCE-LISTING-PAGE/CLIMATE%20CHANGE)

SELECTED LINKS

Demographic Exploration for Climate Adaptation (http://www.popclimate.net/DECA)

Urbanization, Demographics and Adaptation to Climate Change in Semarang, Indonesia

(http://pubs.iied.org/10632IIED.html)

On Vulnerability to Climate Change (http://www.thestraddler.com/201513/piece6.php)

VIDEO

Sustainable Development Goal 11Cities

Stay Connected

https://www.unfpa.org/climate-change 8/9
 2/20/2019 Climate change | UNFPA - United Nations Population Fund
Signup for the UNFPA Newswire

Events (/events) Subscribe to newsletter Campaign to End Fistula

Videos (/videos) (https://visitor.r20.constantcontact. (http://www.endfistula.org/public
com/d.jsp? /)
Photo library
llr=veamsdpab&p=oi&m=11157376 Safe birth. Even here.
(https://photolib.myunfpa.org/#/gal
86165&sit=r6qpwakib&f=19e97576 (http://www.safebirthevenhere.or
lery_public)
-911d-4153-b40c-b1c7e82f1efd) g/)
Worldwide (/worldwide)
Access to information Too Young to Wed
Transparency Portal (/information-disclosure-policy) (http://tooyoungtowed.org/)
(http://www.unfpa.org/transparenc
Report wrongdoing
y-portal)
(http://web2.unfpa.org/help/hotline
ICPD (/icpd) .cfm)
Site map (/sitemap)
Contact (/contact)
Terms of use (/terms-use)
Transparency (/transparency)

https://www.unfpa.org/climate-change 9/9