Famine is not only caused by poverty
Three news stories in recent weeks highlight how the climate crisis is contributing to famine. In Somalia, 230,000 people are living in famine conditions1. Over 1 million are facing severe hunger in Madagascar2. More than 4 million are food insecure in Kenya3. The warming of the planet is not the only cause of famine in these places but it’s making desperate situations worse.
Somalia has been hit by a trio of calamities: state dysfunction, Russia’s fossil-fuel-powered war in Ukraine, and the climate emergency. The government doesn’t control parts of the country. Endless cycles of violence since the early 1990s make it impossible for most agriculture to develop. The trigger of this violence was the toppling of a Soviet, then US-backed dictator in 1991. Siad Barre led his people into pointless wars and was viciously oppressive. Somalia’s path to prosperity was always threatened by oil-powered superpowers propping up dictators. This all means Somalia imports 80% of its food. Russian ships blocking Ukrainian grain have hiked food prices and shipping costs. Not only is food unaffordable but remittances from city-dwellers and Somalis living abroad are in decline. To make matters worse, the climate crisis has caused the worst drought in 40 years. The drought is also affecting Somalia’s neighbour, Kenya. For two years there has been very little rain. This is bringing people into conflict as they fight over scarce resources4. Somalia and Kenya are yet more countries bearing the brunt of the consequences of rich world fossil fuel burning.
There is debate over whether the famine in southern Madagascar is caused by our warming planet or other factors are at play. Some blame government neglect and poverty. Malagasy often chop down trees for fuel furthering deforestation that may affect rain patterns. But many of these causes have their roots in a global economy that serves rich countries at the expense of poorer ones. The legacy of colonial climate abuses rears its ugly head too. Deforestation in Madagascar is not only for fuel. The rosewood species of tree is prevalent on the island and cut down for export around the world for use in luxury furniture5. Forests are cleared for mining of gemstones that fetch high prices on the international market6. After colonising the country in 1896 France unleashed a wave of deforestation and expropriated the best farmland.
While the climate emergency wreaks famine across the poor world, the rich world continues burning and profiting from fossil fuels. Shell, BP, and ExxonMobil are making money as fast as the oil and gas they pump from the ground. In trying to be more green America is still allowing new fossil fuel projects7. And providing almost nothing to help transition to more environmentally-friendly ways of living. The leaders of Britain and France start a bromance with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince; the ultimate owner of the biggest oil-producing company on the planet and purveyor of famine in Yemen.
When are we in the rich world going to wake up? The heatwaves, droughts, and natural disasters occurring in North America and Europe are close to causing blackouts and water shortages. Without drastic action do not underestimate the possibility that hunger could visit our shores too.