Climate Change: The Challenge For Africa

The Economist reminds us of Africa, a continent that will also have its problems with the climate changes that are coming. Due to its limited ability to respond (if not null), it projects some important and catastrophic problems.

The United Nations organization that is focused on environmental issues, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, has published a Report that analyzes that continent and the impacts that the coming climate changes will bring.

The continent that can face the least danger is on the precipice of another more widespread and more lasting disaster. If rich countries do not offer aid, we will witness more of the same.

The multiple stresses of health, land use, climate, economics, water, lack of resources, etc. together, they will have a decisive negative impact.

Some of the impacts detailed in the Report include:

  • They estimate that approximately 600,000 square kilometers of arable land will be lost.
  • Persistent droughts will be seen.
  • Existing extremes will get worse.
  • Recent examples of crises demonstrate the limited capacity for response and adaptation.
  • The variability of the rains will affect the variability of the vegetation.
  • Coastal cities are vulnerable to rising ocean levels.
  • These changes will impact fisheries resources and fishing industries.
  • Grain productions will be affected by these climatic impacts and the lack of water.
  • The great African rivers are especially sensitive to variations in climate.
  • The lack of economic and technological resources results from physical and human systems not responding to these environmental changes.
  • A study by the University of Pretoria, Suráfica, estimates losses of € 18.5 billion due to agricultural impacts, on a continent that cannot afford any loss.

We have talked in these pages that it is profitable to invest in new technologies to improve the environment, limiting climate change and its impact. However, this is for the rich countries, those that have the resources to make these investments. Poor countries and continents do not have this ability, and we should not ask them to invest in mitigating problems that we have created.