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Africa, Climate change and Asylum - Charlie Bolton, 8 April 2005

To: Western Daily Press

Dear Sir

G Griffin hits the nail on the head when she/he links the problems in Africa to climate change ('Will aid increase Africa's problems?', letters, 8/4/2005)

Not only do African nations get the worst of it now, but they face devastation if even some of the more moderate predictions of climate change are borne out.

We already see drought and starvation on a massive scale. Climate change is predicted to lead to 150 million environmental refugees by the year 2050. Those who complain about refugees now - well, that is just a drop in the ocean of the scale of problem we are creating.

And, of course, it is us in the West who are creating the problem. It is our pollution and greenhouse gas emissions which are causing climate change. Most of Africa is too poor to be able to do so. And it is the poverty they are in which prevents them from being able to mitigate the worst consequences of climate change.

We hide behind our national borders in the UK - when it comes to issues to do with asylum seekers, refugees and climate change. We are not only an extremely wealthy nation, but also need to face up to our responsibilities on all of these issues.

That means taking serious action to tackle climate change, providing proper levels of aid to third world countries and treating asylum seekers as victims and not criminals.

Yours

Charlie Bolton
Parliamentary candidate
Bristol South Green Party