Weather is more than just a talking point

As the snow steadily falls this week it's more difficult than usual to ignore the weather. News bulletins and websites are deluged with the latest stories about the impact it's having across the UK.

Transport systems grind to a halt, schools close down, cars tentatively skate on treacherous roads and we hear stories about how the economy has lost over £3.5 billion as a result - how the number crunching boffins work that one out we'll never know. And let's be honest, we quite enjoy the whole thing as long as we're not stranded on some country lane.

It got us thinking, as we slipped along the pavement while walking to work, that if a few days of snow can have such a massive impact in a relatively rich country, then what difference is unpredictable weather having on people's lives in developing countries? In some places adverse weather means a bit more than a few days off.

Our 'Sisters on the Planet' film highlighted how climate change means that people have to cope with more unpredictable weather year after year. When Saheena hears over the radio that the monsoon is causing rising water levels in India, she knows that serious floods are heading her way. Her community, like many in Bangladesh, is being ravaged by floods and cyclones, which are becoming stronger and more regular. While we're still addicted to carbon, their prospects look even bleaker.

If two days of snow cost the UK billions, imagine the cost of droughts, floods, rising sea levels and other disasters. We all know that our inconvenience will be over in the next week or so and then life will return to normal. Unfortunately, not everyone is so lucky.

In Britain we talk endlessly about the weather and it's effects on our day-to-day lives. In some parts of the world, the weather isn't just an icebreaker over a cup of tea, it's literally the difference between life and death.

Have a look at the videos and leave a comment letting us know what changing weather will mean in your life.