In Africa, the Sub-Saharan region is identified as the most vulnerable to the changing climate due to its very low capacity to adapt to or mitigate climate change .
Why is Africa most vulnerable to climate change?
Africa will be one of the regions most impacted by the adverse effects of climate change. Reasons for Africa’s vulnerability are diverse and include low levels of adaptive capacity , poor diffusion of technologies and information relevant to supporting adaptation, and high dependence on agro-ecosystems for livelihoods.
Which African countries are most vulnerable to climate change?
Eight African countries were among the 10 most vulnerable, according to the study published in the journal PLOS ONE . Of these, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi and the Central African Republic are the worst off. The two other countries in the top 10 are Bangladesh and Afghanistan in South Asia.
Why is the Sahel region of Africa so vulnerable to climate change?
The scarcity of natural resources is leading to conflict and migration. ... The scarcity of water resources threatens livelihoods. In the Sahel, droughts are becoming more and more intense . Temperatures are rising 1.5 times faster than in the rest of the world.
Is Africa vulnerable to climate change?
Africa, despite its low contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, remains the most vulnerable continent . Africa is the most vulnerable continent to climate change impacts under all climate scenarios above 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Why is Africa more vulnerable to drought?
Because of heavy dependence on rainfed agriculture , about 60% of Sub-Saharan Africa is vulnerable to frequent and severe droughts (Esikuri, 2005). ... Furthermore, unsustainable use of land and other resources increase the vulnerability of people in SSA.
Which continent is the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change?
Africa is one of the most vulnerable continents to climate change and climate variability, a situation aggravated by the interaction of ‘multiple stresses’, occurring at various levels, and low adaptive capacity (high confidence).
What is the climate of sub-Saharan Africa?
With the exception of Southern Africa, virtually the entirety of the sub-Saharan region lies in the tropics and, as such, generally tends to exhibit the characteristics of tropical and subtropical climatic zones . ... Here, humid tropical conditions are more pronounced, particularly during the summer months.
Why is the Sahel vulnerable to drought?
Since the 1970s, the Sahel has experienced drought conditions on a regular basis. This is down to physical and human factors: Overgrazing and deforestation on marginal land can lead to desertification . With less vegetation there is less transpiration and evaporation from the soil, causing less rainfall.
What environmental issue is most impacting the Sahel?
The Sahel is particularly vulnerable to rainfall variability, land degradation, and desertification due to its high dependence on rain-fed agriculture and livestock, according to a study by the UN Environment Program. Climate change is introducing even more unpredictability in water and food availability.
How much does Africa contribute to climate change?
While Africa has contributed negligibly to the changing climate, with just about two to three percent of global emissions , it stands out disproportionately as the most vulnerable region in the world. This vulnerability is driven by the prevailing low levels of socioeconomic growth in the continent.
Why Africa experiences a variety of climate?
Owing to Africa’s position across equatorial and subtropical latitudes in both the northern and southern hemisphere , several different climate types can be found within it. ... The equator runs through the middle of Africa, as do the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, making Africa the most tropical continent.
Why is the population of the Sahara and the Sahel so low?
Why is the population of the Sahara and Sahel so low? Because the Sahel is experiencing less and less rainfall each year , what are many Africans having to do? How do people living in areas around Africa’s rainforest usually make their living? ... In what region are some of Africa’s most populated cities located?
Where the risk of drought is in Africa?
Niger and Chad indicate the highest drought risk ratios among other African countries, which is attributed to substantial population growth as well as increasing drought hazard due to climate change.
What are the most vulnerable countries to climate change?
According to this analysis, based on the impacts of extreme weather events and the socio-economic losses they cause, Japan, the Philippines and Germany are the most affected places by climate change today.
Is South Africa vulnerable to climate change?
Like many other developing countries, South Africa is especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change (Kreft, Eckstein and Melchior, 2017). ... South Africa has been experiencing a serious drought since 2015, with associated crop losses, water restrictions, and impacts on food and water security.
Why is Sub-Saharan Africa a region?
Sub-Saharan Africa forms its own climatic zone , which is ecologically, culturally, and ethnically separated from northern Africa by the Sahara and the Sahel. ... For this reason, supra-regional languages – such as Kiswahili in East Africa – were developed early on and are still spoken today.
Which region in Africa is most negatively affected by deforestation?
Deforestation in the Congo Rainforest . Central Africa’s deforestation rate since 1990 has been the lowest of any major forest region in the world. However there are still a number of threats to the health of the Congo rainforest and its residents.
What is unique about Sub-Saharan Africa?
In addition to an array of landforms from rift valleys to mountains to deserts, Sub-Saharan Africa contains a wide variety of climate zones and precipitation patterns . In general, the continent is relatively hot with temperate climates in the higher elevations.
Why is the region called Sub-Saharan Africa?
Arab writers referred to the region south of the Sahara as bilad al-sudan, or “land of the blacks”. The term was used to describe a larger area than modern-day Sudan , stretching roughly from Senegal to Ethiopia. Some 18th-century British mapmakers simply translated it as “Negroland”.
Why are developing countries more vulnerable to drought?
Developing countries are particularly vulnerable to drought because of their geography and strong dependence on subsistence agriculture . The highly diversified economies of developed countries mitigate its effects, but do not eliminate human stress and major economic loss.
What impact did the drought have on West Africa?
A severe drought is causing increasing hunger across the Eastern Sahel in west Africa , affecting 10 million people in four countries, aid agencies warned today.
How does climate change affect desertification in the Sahel?
Since the Sahelian ecosystem largely depends on rainfall, global warming – if it reduces rainfall – may lead to desertification and resource scarcity in the long run. ... In fact, since the drought years of the 1980s the Sahel has seen more rainfall.
What is happening in the Sahel region of Africa?
The arid belt of the Sahel stretches from Senegal on the coast of West Africa to Djibouti on the east. Hundreds of millions of people call the region home, but for years, this area has suffered the effects of frequent drought, desertification and other symptoms of a changing climate .
How have environmental changes in the Sahel affected local communities within the region?
The environmental crisis
Things have gotten worse in recent decades, experts say. Between 1970 and 1993, the region recorded 20 years of severe drought. The frequency and severity of droughts and floods has increased over this period. FAO reports that over 80% of the region’s land is degraded .
Why is Africa’s Sahel region decreasing in size?
The researchers noted that the region is already under pressure because of its susceptibility to drought , as demonstrated by a long series of famines over recent decades. Climate change further increases the vulnerability of the Sahel, in the view of the researchers.
How is Sub-Saharan Africa affected by climate change?
Warming in Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to be higher than the global average , and many regions of the continent will get less rainfall. Reduced rainfall will be particularly devastating in those countries that are heavily dependent on rain for agricultural production.
How has Africa been affected by climate change?
West Africa has been identified as a climate-change hotspot, with climate change likely to lessen crop yields and production , with resultant impacts on food security. Southern Africa will also be affected. ... West and Central Africa will see particularly large increases in the number of hot days at both 1.5° C and 2° C.
How is climate change impacting African societies?
Evidence shows that the change in temperature has affected the health, livelihoods , food productivity, water availability, and overall security of the African people. ... Africa has seen a decrease in rainfall over large parts of the Sahel and Southern Africa, and an increase in parts of Central Africa.
What is the major difference between the Sahara and Sahel?
Which of these is a major difference between the Sahara and the Sahel? The Sahara has larger forests . The Sahel receives more rainfall.
What are some reasons why the areas around rivers are so heavily populated?
Many cities were built near rivers, because the first settlers wanted somewhere close to water to start a society, so areas around rivers often have a high population density . Some places, such as cities, have very high population densities, so they are quite crowded.
What is the effect of the current drought in South Africa on environmental impact?
| Primary impacts Secondary impacts | Reduced forest, crop, and range land productivity Reduced income and food shortages | Reduced water levels Lower accessibility to water | Reduced cloud cover Plant scorching | Increased daytime temperature Increased fire hazard |
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What is the effect of the current drought in South Africa on economic impact?
Declining agricultural production could lead to shortages of some food items like maize, wheat and some protein sources such as meat and eggs . This could, in turn, force South Africa to import more. Thirdly, a shortage of local produce could push up prices.
What African countries are affected by droughts today?
And it’s a fact that this region has been suffering an unrelenting drought for the past two years that many have estimated to be the worst since 1951. The countries worst affected by its devastating consequences are, for now, Somalia, Kenya, Djibouti and Ethiopia .
