Africa’s emissions of greenhouse gases are among the lowest in the world, yet it is, and will be the most gravely affected by climate change.
Source: michellew54 flickr.com
Climate change is intimately connected to all of our lives. It will, and already is affecting each of us. Populations in certain areas are more vulnerable than others however, especially those who rely directly on the land for food, water and shelter, and those who live in regions with lower adaptive capacity. These factors are present in much of the African continent, as most governments do not prioritize climate change, and hundreds of millions of people depend on rainfall, fertile soil and the health of natural resources for their survival.
Last year, the waters of Lake Victoria came up so high that shoreline communities in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda were flooded out of their homes. There are a few factors that have caused this, including above average rainfall, the lake basin climate, and human activities. In Uganda, it is primarily the unusually high levels of rainfall that are causing concern. The dangerously high water levels lead to flooding in cities, damaging of crops and the spread of pollution. Over 200,000 people have already been displaced since the water level started increasing.Some claim that the lake’s levels have not risen this high for 50 years. The lake supports agriculture, fisheries, hydropower and domestic water supply and industry. Essential resources including drinking water, sanitation systems, health facilities and even hydropower stations have been affected. Water-borne illnesses such as cholera, dysentery and schistosomiasis will likely become even more significant health concerns, putting strain on health infrastructure that is already overwhelmed.
This is a small part of what is to come and what is already happening in Uganda and other tropical countries. The high water levels are projected to ascend even higher as a result of increased rainfall; it is predicted that between 2036 and 2065 there will be 25% more rain on the eastern side of the Lake Victoria catchment area. These rainfall projections are made based on greenhouse gas increase models, meaning that as greenhouse gas levels continue to increase, so too do extreme weather patterns. "One or two degrees of warming at the Equator has a much bigger impact on climate and water budgets than one or two degrees of warming in London, Paris or New York" Richard Taylor, a geographer at University College London told the BBC.
This is one of many examples indicating that climate change is not a future fear; it is happening now, and the effects are one hundred percent visible. Uganda’s Rwenzori Mountains used to boast snow-capped peaks, which are now almost invisible, as the glacier is receding. The ice field shrunk from 6.5 square kilometers in 1901 to less than one square kilometer in 2003. It has become difficult for communities living in the foothills of the mountains to sustain themselves because of recurring floods and droughts. Floods have destroyed homes and livelihoods as well as traditions through the destruction of spiritual sites. Last year, after rivers swollen by heavy rains and ice melt cascaded down the mountain, the entire town of Kalembe was annihilated.
Ironically, Africa’s emissions of greenhouse gases are among the lowest in the world, and pale in comparison to those of developed and larger developing countries in other continents. According to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNCCC), Africa accounts for only about 2-3 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, yet is indisputably the continent most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
North Africa, which is already water-deficient, will face even higher demands for water as the climate continues to warm. Desertification in the Sahel region, stretching from Mauritania to Eritrea, is already a matter of urgent concern as populations struggle to farm for themselves, and have already been victim to famine and drought. 75% of the region is already too dry to sustain pastoralists, yet 20 million depend on livestock farming as their livelihood. Temperatures in the Sahel are rising 1.5 times faster than the rest of the world. Climate change has also been causing intermittent heavy rain, which leads to flooding as the land is too dry to absorb the large volume of water. These events lead to the land losing its fertility, making food production even more difficult.
Not only is Africa more geographically vulnerable to the effects of climate change, but sociological factors including poverty and people’s dependence on land for farming render the consequences for Africa more dire. Many regions, like those mentioned above, have limited financial and infrastructural resources at their disposal to combat the climate issues they are experiencing. The countries emitting the most greenhouse gases- China, the United States, India- must do their part in firstly reducing their emissions, and mitigating the impacts on African countries. Climate change is intimately related to basic human rights, most notably the rights to health, food, water and shelter, and as unfair as it may seem, the African continent is already experiencing the adverse effects of the shifting climate.
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