Climate: Africa ravaged by changes it didn't cause

Re: “Worst humanitarian crisis hits as Trump slashes foreign aid,” (TNT, 3/28).

Somalia, South Sudan, Nigeria, and other African countries are already experiencing famine or what is politely called “food stress.” Among the causes, the article mentions climate change as a factor. Scientists have long predicted that one of the effects will be widespread famine and death.

Climate change affects the poorest in the world first. They have relatively few vehicles, and almost no industry. With warming climates and fewer rains, they suffer from vehicle emissions, industry and power plant pollution produced by the world’s advanced economies.

Citizen’s Climate Lobby, a non-partisan, non-profit grass roots international organization is proposing federal legislation featuring a revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend that would tax carbon at its source. The U.S. is the world’s second-largest polluter; putting a tax on carbon would hasten the development of cleaner domestic energy sources, and lessen the suffering of the world’s poor.

This story was originally published April 16, 2017 at 5:04 PM with the headline "Climate: Africa ravaged by changes it didn't cause."