Title: Asia, Africa and Climate Modification Word Count: 433 Summary: As often seems the case, less

developed countries seem to receive the bulk of th e impact when it comes to negative world developments. The third world and clima te modification is no different. Keywords: asia, africa, climate, desert, flood, sea level, starvation, famine, disease Article Body: As often seems the case, less developed countries seem to receive the bulk of th e impact when it comes to negative world developments. The third world and clima te modification is no different. Third World and Climate modification By definition, climate modification impacts the globe as a whole. That being sai d, is it possible to predict specific results in certain regions of the world? W hile there is no definitive answer, the impact on third world countries in Asia and Africa has been the subject of much discussion. Let s take a look. Africa is considered a third world continent because a vast majority of the Afri can countries have underdeveloped economies and living standards. Unfortunately, Africa is also believed to be one of the most heavily impacted areas when it co mes to climate modification. More than half the people in Africa live in rural a reas with agricultural economies. These communities rely heavily on naturally oc curring rain resources, to wit, planned irrigation is minimal. This, of course, results in the horrific famines we see on television. Climate modification is pr edicted to devastate Africa because it is believed the greenhouse effect will re duce the amount of rain received on the continent. As the Sahara Desert expands, less land will be available for farming and the problem will grow worse. Malnut rition from famines will lead to weak immune systems and disease will be prevale nt. If the predictions are accurate, Africa could become a living nightmare. Climate modification could devastate Asia as well. You might be surprised to lea rn that over 60 percent of the human population lives in greater Asia. This mass of humanity has stretched agricultural and health resources to the maximum. To top it off, large population centers sit right on the coastline in flat areas on ly a few feet above sea level. If climate modification trends continue, we will be saying goodbye to large chun ks of Asia. Cities such as Jakarta, Tokyo and Bangkok sit at sea level. If the m elting polar caps result in a three foot rise in sea levels as predicted, these cities will be underwater. Countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia and Bangladesh a re expected to lose 37,000 square miles of coastline under a similar situation. Over 34 million people will suddenly have to move to already congested populatio n centers. Economies, health care and food supplies will undoubtedly reach criti cal levels. Is there any good news when discussing the third world and climate modification? Yes. The first step is to put regulations in place that reduce greenhouse gases . Second, proactive planning must be undertaken to account for these potential e ffects of third world climate modification.