21% of Children in Germany Live in Poverty

A man begs as pedestrians walk past at Wilmersdorfer shopping street in Berlin October 9, 2012.
FABRIZIO BENSCH/REUTERS
A man begs as pedestrians walk past at Wilmersdorfer shopping street in Berlin October 9, 2012. FABRIZIO BENSCH/REUTERS
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21% of Children in Germany Live in Poverty

A man begs as pedestrians walk past at Wilmersdorfer shopping street in Berlin October 9, 2012.
FABRIZIO BENSCH/REUTERS
A man begs as pedestrians walk past at Wilmersdorfer shopping street in Berlin October 9, 2012. FABRIZIO BENSCH/REUTERS

A study published on Monday showed that 21% of children in Germany have lived in poverty for a period of at least five years.

According to the study from the Bertelsmann Foundation, 10% of children in the country suffer from poverty intermittently throughout their life, reported the German News Agency (DPA).

Bertelsmann Chairman Joerg Draeger said: “Child poverty is a permanent condition in Germany. Poor people suffer from poverty for a long time. Only few families can escape from poverty.”

Children exposed to poverty in the country are those living with families whose income is less than 60% of Germany's average monthly income, or those who receive social benefits from the state.

The study, which was conducted by the Institute for Work and Employment Research (IWER), included data from a research project entitled "Indexes of Labor Market and Social Security", which has been conducted since 2006 and involved 15,000 people above 15 years of age.



Study: Crops Under Threat as Surprise March Heatwave Hits Central Asia

Agriculture makes up one-fifth of the region's economy. VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO / AFP
Agriculture makes up one-fifth of the region's economy. VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO / AFP
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Study: Crops Under Threat as Surprise March Heatwave Hits Central Asia

Agriculture makes up one-fifth of the region's economy. VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO / AFP
Agriculture makes up one-fifth of the region's economy. VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO / AFP

A surprise heatwave hit Central Asia in March, a new study published Friday showed, putting in danger crops and water supply in a largely rural region already heavily affected by the impacts of climate change.

Temperatures across the month were up to 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) hotter in the region than the pre-industrial average, according to World Weather Attribution, a coalition of scientists that studies the impact of climate change on extreme weather events, which conducted the research.

Climate change intensified the heatwave by about 4 degrees Celsius, the group said, though cautioned that figure "is likely an underestimate."

"This is a heatwave that didn't make headlines –- it happened in spring and in a region that isn't exactly known for blistering heatwaves," said Maja Vahlberg, a technical adviser at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre who took part in the study.

The research was conducted across the five Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

"Our heatwave studies often detect changes of 2 to 4 degrees Celsius (35-39 degrees Fahrenheit), so 10 degree Celsius is quite frankly bonkers," said Ben Clarke from Imperial College London.

"Hotter March temperatures are impacting agriculture harvests and access to water in Central Asia, as well as people's health," said Friederike Otto, co-head of World Weather Attribution.

The melting of thousands of glaciers is a major threat to people in the landlocked region, which already suffers from water shortages.

Between 14 and 30 percent of glaciers in the Tian-Shan and Pamir -- the two main mountain ranges in Central Asia -- have melted over the last 60 years, according to a report by the Eurasian Development Bank.

The heatwave coincides with a crucial agricultural season, when almonds, apricots and cherries bloom and wheat is sowed.

Around half of all workers in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are employed in agriculture, which makes up one-fifth of the region's economy.

In particularly hot spots, temperatures hit 30 degrees Celsius -- highly unusual for March.

Central Asia is typically characterized by exceptionally hot summers and harsh, cold winters.

Climate scientists said early heatwaves in the region would likely continue, seeing it as a trend rather than a one-off event.

"We should expect events like this often," Clarke told AFP during an online briefing.