Climate Change - Africa Flashcards
What is Africa’s population vulnerable to
The impacts of global warming
What does Africa have a range of
Climates
Dry deserts to tropical rainforests
Does global warming have the same impact if every area
Different impacts of different areas
How does global warming affect dry (arid and semi arid environments) areas
They are getting drier
How does global warming after wetter (tropical and sub tropical environments) areas
They are getting wetter
What is the whole continent getting
Warmer
0.5degrees c warming in last century
How is Africa’s population vulnerable
Poor countries and people
What does Africa’s population being vulnerable lead to
Complex economic impacts and the relative financial costs are massive
Example of how poor people have a reduced capacity to cope
Subsistence farmers (only grow enough to meet demands of the family and have no income) will be at risk of starvation if climate change affects their crops
What are poorer countries less able to do
Prepare and respond to the impacts of climate change
What can political turmoil mean
The appropriate responses are not made, making the impacts of climate change worse
Where in Africa is global warming causing desertification and what does it lead to
Major problem in the Sahel region (between the Sahara desert and the fertile area to the south)
Causes a decrease in agricultural production, leads to more poverty, unemployment, malnourishment and starvation
What is desertification
Fertile land becomes unstable for agriculture
Where in Africa is global warming causing reduced growing period and what does it lead to
Over much of the continent
This decreases agricultural production
In the Sahel region agriculture forms 70% of employment, so reduction leads to increased unemployment, poverty, malnourishment and starvation
Where in Africa is global warming causing a more erratic climate and what does it lead to
Eg Mozambique suffered a drought and widespread crop failure in 1995, then flooding in 2000, which displaced lots of people
Homes and infrastructure are destroyed in areas where people are unable to rebuild and recover
Global warming may have improved conditions in some parts of Africa for what and what does it lead to
Mosquitos that spread malaria (disease that kills over a million people a year)
The cost of health care and the reduction in productivity mean the economies are put under pressure/strain and prevented from growing
What has global warming lead to in tropical areas
They are experiencing longer growing periods, and may financially benefit from better agricultural conditions
How is the world unfair
The poorest people in Africa have contributed little to the causes of global warming and yet suffer the most
The economic losses that would be minor in well developed countries can have more disastrous consequence in poor countries, resulting in loss of life
