Dire predictions for the impact of climate change are being realised following a record number of climate-related disasters this year, according to the UN’s emergency relief co-ordinator, Sir John Holmes.

The claim was made after a record number of emergency appeals for aid were issued by the UN’s Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which is responsible for managing the international response following natural disasters. This year, the OCHA has made 13 appeals, 12 of which have been in response to climate-related events, including severe flooding in Africa, North Korea and southern Asia, a hurricane in Nicaragua and extremes of both flood and drought in Bolivia. This number surpasses the previous record of ten appeals in 2005 and amounts to a climate change ‘mega disaster’ that has led to the displacement of some 66 million people, according to Sir John.

OCHA’s appeals rely on public donations to provide relief to affected nations, but as global warming starts to take effect, ‘donor fatigue’ has already hit the organisation’s coffers badly – of the US$338million needed to deal with the 13 appeals, only US$114million had been donated as Geographical went to press.

December 2007