Bloomberg Businessweek Europe - November 04, 2019

34

Bloomberg Businessweek ○ The New Economy November 4, 2019

Climate change becomes

a vicious circle. Namasiku

Imasiku cuts down trees, cov-

ers the wood in sand, and

burns it to make charcoal

that she bags and sells in

town, three hours away. More

people are doing the same as

rural incomes slide, causing

prices to plunge and acceler-

ating deforestation, a major

contributor to global warm-

ing. With the water so low,

dams are generating far less

electricity, so there are plenty

of buyers for the charcoal,

which they need for cooking.

In Mozambique, heavy rains

along the Zambezi flooded

cornfields late in the growing

season, rotting the roots and

decimating the harvest. And

this was before two Category 4

cyclones hit Mozambique

in consecutive months—the

first time in recorded history

that has happened. Floods

killed more than 700 people

in the country and ruined

300,000 acres of crops.

34

BloombergBusinessweek ○TheNewEconomy November 4, 2019

Climatechangebecomes

a viciouscircle.Namasiku

Imasikucutsdowntrees,cov-

ersthewoodinsand,and

burnsit tomakecharcoal

thatshebagsandsellsin

town,threehoursaway.More

peoplearedoingthesameas

ruralincomesslide,causing

pricestoplungeandacceler-

atingdeforestation,a major

contributortoglobalwarm-

ing.Withthewatersolow,

damsaregeneratingfarless

electricity,sothereareplenty

ofbuyersforthecharcoal,

which they need for cooking.

In Mozambique, heavy rains

along the Zambezi flooded

cornfields late in the growing

season,rottingtherootsand

decimatingtheharvest.And

thiswasbeforetwoCategory 4

cyclones hit Mozambique

in consecutive months—the

first time in recorded history

that has happened. Floods

killedmorethan 700 people

in thecountryandruined

300,000acres of crops.