Countries Where Climate Change is Very Real
Floods, droughts, heat waves, and typhoons are just some of the effects of climate change. Unfortunately, some portions of the world are experiencing it worse than others, presenting new challenges to the people living there whose daily lives are shaped by it. Here are the 20 countries where global warming is hitting the hardest.
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1. Chad
This central African nation is experiencing climate change at an accelerated rate, represented by the drying of Lake Chad. The country is warming faster than the rest of the world and desertification, soil degradation, and the disappearance of certain species is rampant.
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2. Somalia
Climate change in Somalia is characterized by more severe and frequent droughts, floods, and extreme weather events. For a country where the majority of the population depends on agriculture, the effect is disastrous.
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3. Afghanistan
In Afghanistan, unpredictable rainfall, droughts, and frosts even in summer are devastating the local population by destroying crops and jacking up market prices. Scientists are predicting widespread desertification in this region over the next few decades.
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4. Syria
In the past five years, Syria has been experiencing extreme drought, affecting the accessibility of food and water. Soil erosion, deforestation, and water pollution from dumping raw sewage are major problems here.
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5. Democratic Republic of Congo
The DRC has long dealt with recurrent floods and droughts, but these things are only getting worse with climate change. The country which is plagued by civil war has been unable to protect its wildlife and many species are at risk of being poached, hunted, or dying off due to deforestation.
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6. Bangladesh
In the next few decades, Bangladesh will lose an estimated 17 percent of its land to rising sea levels. Each year the country experiences more extreme weather events like cyclones, floods, and erosion.
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7. Maldives
Maldives is a low-lying island nation at risk of being swallowed up by the rising ocean surrounding it. By 2050, 80 percent of the island is likely to be underwater, and by 2100, it could be completely submerged.
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8. Haiti
Extreme weather events in Haiti resulting from global warming are already having a dramatic effect on the population. Decreasing annual rainfall and rising temperatures are killing crops and water sources are becoming more scarce while frequent landslides devastate towns and villages.
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9. Madagascar
Madagascar is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change which is causing more frequent and extreme cyclones and droughts. The country’s native species such as lemurs are under threat as well as the coral reefs and forest habitats.
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10. Pakistan
In 2022, Pakistan experienced a climate change-induced heatwave during which temperatures reached 123 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s one of the most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change despite contributing less than 1 percent to global greenhouse gas emissions.
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11. Indonesia
Thanks to climate change, Indonesia is experiencing more intense and destructive tropical storms than ever. The country’s capital, Jakarta, is rapidly sinking due to an over-reliance on groundwater and sea-level rise.
12. Japan
Japan is a country already at risk of natural disasters due to its location and exposure to diverse weather systems but global warming is only making matters worse. Last year temperatures in Japan hit record highs and droughts, tsunamis, and typhoons are becoming more common.
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13. Vanuatu
This small Pacific island nation is experiencing significant sea level rise, ocean acidification, and erosion due to global warming. The changes are affecting not only the biodiversity and availability of food, but they’re also devastating the country’s main industry, tourism.
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14. Nepal
Nepal has been experiencing dramatic flooding due to snow and ice-melt in the mountains and monsoon-like rainfall. Millions of Napalese are already being affected by food insecurity, loss of biodiversity, agriculture, and infrastructure damage due to climate change.
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15. Niger
80 percent of Niger’s population is reliant on agriculture for their livelihoods but recurrent drought and floods brought on by climate change are causing land degradation and desertification. Temperatures are increasing and thunderstorms, bushfires, and landslides are becoming more frequent.
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16. Australia
Climate change is causing Australia to become hotter and experience more extreme weather patterns. Droughts, forest fires, and floods are more frequent than they used to be and rising sea levels threaten its coastal cities.
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17. Kiribati
This Pacific island nation is likely to be the first country completely submerged under the rising sea. Its inhabitants have already started to emigrate to escape the seemingly unavoidable reality of their disappearing homeland.
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18. Tuvalu
Tuvalu is a Polynesian island nation that’s also likely to be completely swallowed up by the rising sea in the future. Its freshwater sources are being overtaken by saltwater and coastal erosion and increasing water-borne diseases are slowly making the island inhabitable.
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19. China
China’s reliance on coal power has polluted the air, particularly in major cities. The sea level rise is causing the degradation of coastal areas and coral reefs, and the nation’s megacities are becoming more inhabitable with frequent extreme storms, floods, and heat waves.
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20. Netherlands
The Netherlands is near sea level making it very vulnerable to sea level rise. Droughts and torrential downpours are affecting the country’s agriculture and infrastructure. Thanks to all its cows, The Netherlands is Europe’s fourth largest greenhouse gas emitting country, but they’ve pledged to reduce emissions by 49 percent in the next six years.
