Thursday, December 6, 2007

CLIMATE CHANGE

Indonesia at health risk in climate change

JAKARTA (JP):The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) warned Wednesday that Indonesia could expect more frequent and severe outbreaks of dengue fever and diarrhea as a result of global warming.

"A recent rise in dengue fever cases during the rainy season in Indonesia may be caused by extreme changes in precipitation patterns and warming temperatures," WWF-Indonesia's program director for climate and energy, Fitrian Ardiansyah told a mediagathering Wednesday.

"Bogor in West Java, for instance, recently recorded a significant increase in the number of dengue fever patients, which was previously not the case."

In addition to the impact of global warming on human health in Indonesia, WWF's report, titled Change in Indonesia - Implications for Humans and Nature, shows that climate change has also affected the country's overall water availability, sea levels, biodiversity and ecosystem.

A study conducted by WWF-Indonesia on Lombok Island, for instance, revealed that there was a disturbance to the island's ecosystem and functions, including a significant reduction in the amount of available spring water.

According to WWF-Indonesia's executive director and CEO, Mubariq Ahmad, because climate change's impacts are already noticeable in Indonesia, the country should lead the way in the fight against global warming.

"Indonesia is the fourth most populous nation in the world and home to a staggering amount of biodiversity on this planet. The government must take its role seriously and lead the way," he said.