MONTREAL — A new study suggests climate change will have the greatest impact on the populations least responsible for causing the issue.
The McGill University study says countries with low carbon dioxide emissions tend to be more vulnerable to climate change.
Researchers found that people living in hot, low-latitude countries are the most likely to feel the effects over the next several decades.
The study predicts that a small rise in temperature in parts of South America, the Arabian Peninsula and much of Africa will make it difficult to sustain a growing population.
The study combined climate change data with census data covering close to 97 per cent of the world’s population to predict changes in local populations by 2050.
Lead researcher Jason Samson says the data could be useful for decision makers in the ongoing international negotiations around climate change.