in our day. Its worst impact will probablybe felt bydeveloping countries in comingdecades. Manyof
the poor live in areas particularly affected by phenomena related to warming, and their means of
subsistence are largely dependent on natural reserves and ecosystemic services such as agriculture,
fishing and forestry. They have no other financial activities or resources which can enable them to
adapt to climate change or to face natural disasters, and their access to social services and protection is
very limited. For example, changes in climate, towhich animals and plants cannot adapt, lead them to
migrate; this in turn affects the livelihood of the poor, who are then forced to leave their homes, with
great uncertainty for their future and that of their children. There has been a tragic rise in the number
ofmigrants seeking to flee from the growing poverty caused by environmental degradation. They are
not recognized by international conventions as refugees; they bear the loss of the lives they have left
behind, without enjoying any legal protection whatsoever. Sadly, there is widespread indifference to
such suffering, which is even now taking place throughout our world. Our lack of response to these
tragedies involving our brothers and sisters points to the loss of that sense of responsibility for our
fellowmen andwomenuponwhich all civil society is founded.
26.
Many of those who possessmore resources and economic or political power seemmostly to be
concerned with masking the problems or concealing their symptoms, simplymaking efforts to reduce
some of the negative impacts of climate change. However, manyof these symptoms indicate that such
effects will continue to worsen if we continue with current models of production and consumption.
There is an urgent need to develop policies so that, in the next few years, the emission of carbon
dioxide and other highly polluting gases can be drastically reduced, for example, substituting for fossil
fuels and developing sources of renewable energy. Worldwide there is minimal access to clean and
renewable energy. There is still aneed to develop adequate storage technologies. Some countries have
made considerable progress, although it is far from constituting a significant proportion. Investments
have also beenmade inmeans of production and transportationwhich consume less energy and require
fewer raw materials, as well as in methods of construction and renovating buildings which improve
their energy efficiency. But these goodpractices are still far fromwidespread.
II.
THE ISSUEOFWATER
