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Reporting on climate change is one of the major journalistic challenges of our time. The climate crisis is also one of the most important issues of humanity for SPIEGEL. For this reason, we support an international initiative that seeks to take a look this week: "Covering Climate Now" was initiated by the Columbia Journalism Review and the Canadian newspaper "The Nation", with more than 200 media companies around the world, including the Guardian, El País, La Repubblica, The Times of India, Bloomberg or Vanity Fair. SPIEGEL is dedicating the cover story of the current issue to the climate crisis this week and every day pays special attention to mirror.de
Turkana County is the poorest region in Kenya. Its name is given by the people of Turkana, which makes up a large part of the population there. Over 60 percent of people in Turkana work as shepherds. They live on their goats, camels and donkeys; the climate changes, shepherds feel this more than others. This makes them particularly susceptible to changes in the climate.
The climate in Turkana County has changed dramatically over the past decades: According to Human Rights Watch, the temperature in the region has risen two to three degrees Celsius between 1967 and 2012, far more so than the global temperature increase of about 0 , 8 degrees Celsius. The rains are increasingly difficult to predict. This leads to ever longer droughts, they dry rivers and let huge lakes shrink.
Young Turkana and climate activist Ekai Nabenyo wrote in a guest post in the British Guardian in 2015: "Our lives have become a struggle for survival, and many young Africans have been forced to seek refuge in slums in major cities as a result of climate change. If we do not act now, we could lose our homes and our way of life. "
When huge oil reserves were discovered in Turkana County in 2012, many dreamed of a better future. So far, however, only a few have benefited. Many shepherds' hopes for a job in industry were disappointed. This was followed by isolated attacks on oil facilities and even more insecurity in a region that is already characterized by violence between different tribes.
Italian photographer Maurizio Di Pietro traveled to Turkana County and documented the climate crisis on the ground. His pictures show not only the suffering of the people, but also their enormous adaptability in the fight against drought and heat. "Turkana's Resilience" has named Di Pietro his photo spread, "The Resilience of Turkana".
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This article is part of the project Global Society, for which our reporters report from four continents. The project is long-term and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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Under the title Global Society, reporters from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe will be reporting on injustices in a globalized world, socio-political challenges and sustainable development. The reportages, analyzes, photo galleries, videos and podcasts appear in the Politics Department of SPIEGEL. The project is long-term and will be supported over three years by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).
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