December 04, 2007

Africa and Climate Change the bald truth

Africa: Climate Change Impact Report


There is evidence that climate is modifying natural mountain ecosystems via complex interactions and feedbacks including, for example, solar radiation

(Washington, DC)

Washington, DC

"Climate disasters are heavily concentrated in poor countries. Some 262 million people were affected by climate disasters annually from 2000 to 2004, over 98 percent of them in the developing world. ...

In [rich] countries one in 1,500 people was affected by climate disaster. The comparable figure for developing countries was one in 19." - UNDP Human Development Report


This global inequality cited by the UNDP report (excerpted in another AfricaFocus Bulletin sent out today). is echoed in the extensively documented Africa chapter of latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), excerpted below, and available in full at http://www.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/ar4-wg2.htm

Both reports were released last month in time for the UN Climate Change Conference, scheduled for Bali, Indonesia, 3-14 December 2007. The climate change crisis, both reports stress, is not just an issue for the future. The changes are already adding to the impact of other stresses to increase risks to survival in areas and population groups that are already vulnerable.

The changes include dramatically visible ones, such as the rapid drop in the snow and ice cover on the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, as well as others with effects that show up in statistical studies.

See http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/stories/kilimanjaro_20021216/ for photos of Mt. Kilimanjaro, and the extensive documentation in the IPCC chapter on a wide range of effects.

Previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on climate change issues include:

Africa: Neglecting Agriculture, 2

http://www.africafocus.org/docs07/ag0710b.php

Sahel: Beyond Any Drought?

http://www.africafocus.org/docs07/sah0709.php

Africa: Up in Smoke?

http://www.africafocus.org/docs06/clim0611.php

Africa: Economics of Climate Change

http://www.africafocus.org/docs06/ster0611.php

Africa: Environmental Threats/Opportunities

http://www.africafocus.org/docs06/unep0609.php

Africa: Africa's Lakes

http://www.africafocus.org/docs06/lake0609.php

East Africa: Dams and Lake Victoria

http://www.africafocus.org/docs06/vic0602.php

PCC Fourth Assessment Report

Working Group II Report "Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability"

Introduction to the Report

Summary for Policymakers

Technical Summary

Chapter 1: Assessment of Observed Changes and Responses in Natural and Managed Systems - [ Supplementary Material ]

Chapter 2: New Assesment Methods and the Characterisation of Future Conditions

Chapter 3: Fresh Water Resources and their Management

Chapter 4: Ecosystems, their Properties, Goods and Services

Chapter 5: Food, Fibre, and Forest Products

Chapter 6: Coastal Systems and Low-Lying Areas

Chapter 7: Industry, Settlement and Society

Chapter 8: Human Health

Chapter 9: Africa

Chapter 10: Asia

Chapter 11: Australia and New Zealand

Chapter 12: Europe

Chapter 13: Latin America

Chapter 14: North America

Chapter 15: Polar Regions (Arctic and Antarctic)

Chapter 16: Small Islands

Chapter 17: Assessment of Adaptation Practices, Options, Constraints and Capacity

Chapter 18: Inter-Relationships Between Adaptation and Mitigation - [ Supplementary Material ]

Chapter 19: Assessing Key Vulnerabilities and the Risk from Climate Change

Chapter 20: Perspectives on Climate Change and Sustainability

Cross-Chapter Case Studies

Appendices I-V: Glossary, Contributors, Reviewers, Acronyms, Permissions

Index

Figures

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