global warming

Global aid agency Oxfam says impoverished communities like Nassapir in Uganda are already being hit hard by the effects of global warming, including increased drought.

Interviews conducted by Oxfam with farmers in 15 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America show that seasons are shrinking in number and variety.

Oxfam programme researcher, John Magrath, says: "We think that 'changing seasonality' may be one of the most significant impacts of climate change for poor farmers, and that is happening now."

The World Wide Fund’s (WWF) Richard Worthington has put President Jacob Zuma and other world leaders on the spot, saying that developing countries have to "rise to the occasion" if the world hopes to counter the rise in global temperatures.

Worthington acknowledged South Africa has set a positive example in international negotiations – but noted the implementation of long term strategies are lacking at national level.

Seventeen interest groups in the United States have urged world leaders to speed up efforts to reach a new global deal on curbing emissions that cause global warming.

The group of environmental, science, health and religious organisations say the US is ready to lead the way towards an international agreement by the end of 2009. It says this will set more stringent caps on countries' polluting emissions.