News Analysis
By FEMI AKINOLA
Global warming has hit Africa hard and the continent is already grappling with many environmental and socio-economic challenges despite the fact that emissions generated elsewhere are responsible for it.
The most dramatic effects observed so far include increased temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, and a rise in extreme weather events—all of which have far-reaching consequences for the environment, agriculture and human living.
ln the past couple of years, temperatures across the continent have risen significantly, with some regions experiencing increases twice the global average rate.
This has compounded the existing problems, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions of Africa.
Today, what is common is prolonged heat waves and severe drought threatening water supplies and agricultural productivity.
Changes in precipitation are another significant impact. Some regions have been experiencing decreased rainfall, while others face more intense or erratic rainfall.
For example, in the Sahel, the semi-arid region south of the Sahara Desert, the region has experienced both prolonged droughts and intense rainfall, leading to flash floods.
These has disrupted farming practices, erode soils and reduce crop yields, exacerbating hunger and poverty.
In addition, extreme weather events is experienced more frequent and severe particularly in the Southern Africa. The current severe drought in Namibia is a good example where the government decided to kill over 700 wild animals for the hungry people to eat.
In northern part of Nigeria, flooding has destroyed people’s homes, crops and farmlands. The extreme rainfall facilitates waterborne diseases.
The long-term climate projections for Africa paint a grim picture. The prediction is that by the end of the 21st century, average temperatures are expected to increase, leading to more severe heatwaves and droughts.
That aside, water scarcity will intensify, particularly in North and Southern Africa, where river flow and groundwater recharge rates are projected to decline.
Also, Agriculture, which employs a large portion of the population, will face dire challenges as staple crops such as maize, sorghum and millet are expected to see reduced yields.
The prediction painted a productivity decline that will threaten food security and could increase dependence on food imports, straining economies further.
Coastal areas are at risk, too, from rising sea levels. The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres recently said cities like Lagos, Nigeria and Alexandria, Egypt are particularly vulnerable to coastal erosion and flooding.
Mangrove ecosystems, vital for coastal protection and fisheries will also be threatened by sea level rise and changing salinity patterns. Biodiversity loss is another critical issue that will become challenge in the continent.
Many of Africa’s unique ecosystems, such as the Congo Basin rainforests and the savannas, could be drastically altered. Species that cannot adapt to rapidly changing conditions face extinction, disrupting ecological balances and affecting livelihoods dependent on natural resources.
“Africa is responsible for less than 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions,” says the World Meteorological Organization’s Secretary-General Petteri Taalas. “But it is the continent which is the least able to cope with the negative impacts of climate change.”
Promoting resilient infrastructure, sustainable agriculture and regional cooperation are crucial to a sustainable future for African people.