Human climate change big factor in Somali famine

A new study has found that human-induced climate change contributed to low rain levels in East Africa in 2011, making global warming one of the causes of Somalia's famine and tens of thousands of deaths.

Climate scientists with Britain's national weather service studied weather patterns in Somalia in 2010 and 2011 and found that yearly precipitation known as the short rains failed in late 2010 because of the natural effects of La Nina.

But Peter Scott, one of the study's authors, said the lack of long rains in 2011 was a result of climate change.

Britain has said up to 100,000 people died from the famine. But global warming wasn't the only cause. Al-Shabab Islamic extremists stopped aid groups from distributing food in its territory, contributing to the deaths.

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