Madagascar is on the brink of a famine due to climate change, according to aid workers in the country. “Malnutrition rates have been multiplied by four,” said Jean-Benoit Manhes, deputy representative of Unicef in Madagascar, in a phone interview from capital city Antananarivo. The global coronavirus pandemic also affected the government response and the level of international funding available, exacerbating the situation. A crisis will turn into famine if nothing is done.”On top of that, water shortages mean many are drinking contaminated water. ‘Cause and consequence’Mr Manhes said climate change is both a “cause and a consequence” of poverty.

Source: The Irish Times May 18, 2021 18:09 UTC