To what extent are LEDCs likely to experience negative impacts of climate change compared to MEDCs (7)
LEDCs (Lower Economically Developed Countries) are much more likely to experience negative impacts of
climate change compared to MEDCs, as seen in the case study of Yemen and UAE. Yemen is a Level 1 LEDC,
while UAE is a Level 4 MEDC. Both of these countries tackle and deal with climate change in different ways
based upon their economic status, which then leads to LEDCs being more likely to experience the negative
impacts of climate change.
Economically, LEDCs have a much more fragmented and weaker economy relative to MEDCs, who have a
much more superior and stronger economy. Taking the example of Yemen, and UAE, Yemen has a GNI of
approximately $1000, while the UAE has a GNI of $67000. This clearly shows the large gap between the
economic growth between different groups of countries, meaning that MEDCs are more likely to afford
technologies to implement in their country as compared to LEDCs. This is because the much more developed
and stronger government has the ability to spend time on the Quaternary sector, since they have additional
net income that can also be used to develop other infrastructure. With the additional time spent on
technological advancements, countries such as the UAE can combat common challenges among the
population around climate change, while countries such as Yemen cannot even escape the cycle of poverty,
since the most prominent impacts of climate change, flooding and droughts, have led to a decline in most of
LEDCs economic growth, meaning that the these countries will have to owe debt to other countries, which
then leads to Level 1/2 countries much more likely to experience the negative impacts of climate change
compared to MEDCs.
Socially, since LEDCs have a much lower concentration of individuals who live above the poverty line, most of
their population is in poverty, relative to MEDCs. Taking an example of Yemen and UAE, Yemen’s GNI is
much lower than UAE’s, meaning that each individual cannot afford basic resources such as water. The lack
of the ability to afford these basic resources is emphasised by the overall country not being able to cope-up
with the challenges of climate change. Taking the example of Yemen, socially, individuals cannot access safe
drinking water essential to the survival of human beings due to the lack of resources Yemen, an LEDC, has
implemented itself in response to climate change. This then leads to famine constantly spreading, leading to
people in poverty to get poorer due to a potential decrease in their source of income, along with the high
prices of medication, while in MEDCs, there is a much lower chance of a famine to spread, since countries
such as the UAE have resources implemented to mitigate the negative impacts of Climate change.
Environmentally, LEDCs are much more impacted than MEDCs. Taking an example of another MEDC, Japan,
they have implemented earthquake and flood proof building to protect their infrastructure, and their land,
however, taking the example of an LEDC, such as Mozambique, most of their fertile land is constantly being
trashed away due to the lack of the ability for the country to deal with droughts. Due to droughts, soil does
not get enough water, and these rise in temperatures cause the land to be dry, also impacting people in
LEDCs negatively since this method is one of their main sources of income. However, due to the
environmental impacts, there is a ripple effect upon the economy, and socially across the country, mainly in
LEDCs. This makes LEDCs much more likely to get impacted by the negative impacts of climate change,
compared to MEDCs.
Describe some solutions and their impacts to tackle climate change (6)
Some solutions that governments took to tackle climate change was organising conferences such as the Kyoto
protocol and the conference of parties, COP, these conferences then make the government implement laws
and policies, and has a mission to decrease the long-term impacts of climate change by decreasing the
increase in temperatures by over 1*C. With this, governments and businesses are also using techniques of
afforestation, which plants large number of trees with the utilisation of drones, consequently increasing the
oxygen output, and decreasing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere in the long run. Alongside this,
solutions to non-renewable energy such as using fossil fuels in power plants are being implemented. An
example of this is Paraguay, which relies on hydroelectric, that is being implemented across countries around
the world. Additionally, countries such as Iceland and the UAE have started to rely upon newer solutions to
tackle climate change, such as Geothermal energy, and solar energy, that use heat and light as a means to
produce electrical energy used to heat homes, etc., leading to net-zero carbon emissions.
These solutions tackle the most carbon-producing industry, electricity, and heat, by introducing sustainable
practises, that significantly decrease the carbon footprint, meaning that less heat-trapping greenhouse gases
will be exerted into the earths atmosphere. Some solutions that the United Nations is coming-up with on a
local scale is minimising the use of inefficient fuel-cars, using bicycles, and relying upon nature to help nature
as a result, by decreasing/minimising carbon dioxide released.
Analyse and explain some causes and 3 main impacts of Climate Change across the world (7)
Climate change causes Global warming, which is all a result of the enhanced greenhouse effect. The enhanced
greenhouse effect is where there are an excess amount of greenhouse gases, which is mainly a result of
human activities. One major activity is burning fossil fuels, which is a major contributor to the large number of
CO2 emissions. To produce energy cheaply on a large scale, fossil fuels, a finite resource, is used, however, this
method produces large amounts of carbon dioxide, which then leads to catastrophic impacts across the
world. With this, fossil fuels are also utilised in over 90% of all cars, since these cars rely on LPG, which releases
Carbon Dioxide as well. Fossil fuels are not only used in transportation, and for most of electricity production,
but it is also used in industrial processes that include the production on cement for construction, cooking, etc.
In addition to this, LEDCs mainly produce Carbon Dioxide and Methane, another greenhouse gas, from
agricultural processes, deforestation and Cattle ranching. Agricultural processes and Cattle ranching are one
of the main sectors that Level 1/2 countries rely upon for economic growth, however, dominates the area for
the most Methane emissions. Alongside this, Deforestation is also one of the major causes for greenhouse gas
emissions, since fire is used to burn land and habitats in order to source wood, producing Carbon Dioxide as a
result. These are some of the many causes of the rise in the number of greenhouse gas emissions overtime.
All of these impacts have devastating impacts, and by looking at the case study of a LEDC, Bangladesh, we
can effectively analyse how Climate change caused the population of this Level 2 country to lose their homes.
Due to the rise in greenhouse gases, more thermal radiation from the sun is trapped in the atmosphere,
meaning that overall global temperatures rise, leading to a rise in sea levels caused by melting ice caps, and
the volume of oceans rising by approximately 4%. As most LEDCs have a very low sea level, they are much
more likely to sink, meaning that the poor populations will have to flee their area, and re-locate, similar to the
case in Bangladesh, and many other countries such as Tuvalu. Alongside this, the rise in humidity is causing
countries to have a wet-bulb temperature, meaning that it is near-impossible to survive.
Economically, SIDS have an even more fragmented economic growth, similar to LEDCs since their
governments are highly likely to owe large amounts of debt to other countries due to the social and
environmental impacts of Climate Change. One common impact of the Climate change is famine as well,
which makes it harder for the population in a specific country to survive. This means that less money will be
invested back into improving or developing the country’s economic growth, resulting to a decline in the
overall country profile, potentially leading to a “dead country”. Environmentally, Climate change is
responsible for the large number of droughts, and constant flooding in most parts of the world, leading to
LEDCs having a decline in their main area for economic growth. The constant flooding leads to soil losing its
nutrients, while droughts lead to a lack of nourishment, consequently, leading to people in poverty losing their
only source of income, showing one of the most devastating negative impacts of climate change.
Define what the greenhouse effect is (1)
Define what climate change and global warming is (1)