IMF Warns Climate Impacts on Poor Countries Can Affect Growth and Stability

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released its biannual report on the state of the global economy, predicting that economic growth for several wealthy countries will continue.

"‎The IMF is warning that poor countries don't have the resources to protect against climate-related changes," noted Eric LeCompte, the Executive Director of Jubilee USA and an expert on United Nation finance groups. LeCompte has tracked IMF economic reports since 2010. "We can look at the string of hurricanes that hit poor Caribbean countries to see that poor economies are not equipped to deal with natural disasters."

Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands are among several Caribbean economies struggling to recover from this year's hurricane season.

"Beyond dealing with stronger and more frequent storms, the IMF sees vulnerabilities for poor countries who need to deal with food and poverty issues caused by climate changes," commented LeCompte on the climate elements of the report.

The World Economic Outlook report notes that while growth for some developed countries is on the "upswing," the growth is still lower than expected.

"While some growth is positive, too many poor and developing countries have yet to recover from the global financial crisis," stated LeCompte.‎