Climate Change Impact On Sub Saharan Africa Environmental Sciences Essay

mode limiting Impact On Sub Saharan Africa Environmental Sciences EssayThe exposure to modality tack is considered to be high in developing countries over overdue to favorable, frugal and surroundal conditions that amplify susceptibility to negative pretends and contri just nowe to low-down capacity to cope with and adapt to humor hazards. In addition, projected involves of clime change generally ar to a greater extent adverse for low latitudes, where intimately developing countries ar located, than for higher latitudes. The developing countries face many challenges poverty, a high disease burden, rapid population crop, regimen insecurity, and limited pee glide path. humor change is apt(predicate) to drive the majority of the population into destitution, as assets are lost and resources are diverted to deal with emergencies, instead of organism used for development. Historically, the earth has experienced periods of cooling and warming, with mean temperatures remaining relatively stable. These changes were due to the energy balance surrounded by land, sea and atmosphere. However, homo activities such(prenominal) as burning fossil fuels and deforestation have contributed to the add in greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere. These trap much of the heat that would otherwise work from the earth, leading to a generally warmer world. An agricultural expansion seems marvellous and increases in agricultural productivity are needed in rank to avoid additional people being forced into poverty and aridness (Cline 2007).Current modality hazards and the impacts of projected humor change threaten human development (African Development Bank et al, 2003). clime is linked to all the millenary Development Goals, but is intimately directly relevant to the goals to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, reduce child mortality, combat disease, and ensure environmental sustainability (Martin-Hurtado et al, 2002). Agriculture, which is super sen sitive to climate and which is projected to be negatively impacted by climate change in much of the tropics and sub-tropics, is the direct or indirect source of peppylihood for about two-thirds of the population of developing countries and is a substantial contributor to their national incomes. About 70% of the worlds poor live in agrestic areas. Management of climate hazards and climate change impacts in the agriculture sector and rural communities ordain be critical for success.Climate change threatens the basic elements of life for people around the world access to water, food, health, and use of land and the environment.The vulnerability of people to food insecurity, which accompanies poverty, is increased due to the degradation of the rude(a) environment and the products (e.g. fruits, fish, water and range-fed livestock) and services (e.g. regulating climate) that it provides (Biggs et. al., 2004). abasement is due to a number of trends including climate change, soil eros ion, the conversion of ecosystems into croplands, overgrazing and urban expansion, among other factors (Biggs et. al., 2004).Climate change poses a serious threat to ecosystems in the developing countries in both the medium and long term. Increases in temperature will lead, not only to an increase in the frequency of extreme events, but also to severe degradation of biodiversity and the loss of water resources that are already scarce (Biggs et. al., 2004).sub-Saharan Africa is the component most(prenominal) endangered to the impacts of change because of general poverty and low levels of technical development which limits adaptation capabilities. There is sizeable register that climate change is already affecting Africas people and its environment to the greater extend than any other region of the world in terms of their livelihoods (Lindsay, et al 2009).The impacts of climate change are predicted to affect the livelihoods of most people in developing countries and most especia lly in Africa in many ways. By 2020, between 75 and 250 million people are predicted to be exposed to increased water stress due to climate change. By 2020, yields from rain-fed agriculture in some countries could be reduced by up to 50 percent, increasing food insecurity and hunger. By 2080, an increase of 5 to 8 percent of arid and semi-arid land in Africa is projected.Climate change is likely to affect the distribution patterns of infectious diseases for example, there is likely to be an increase in mosquitoes which spread dengue and yellow fever. ocean levels are projected to rise by around 25cm by 2050 Africas coastal areas are already experiencing environmental problems including coastal erosion, flooding and subsidence. (Said Kolawole et al 2009).Alessandra Giannini, et al, 2008, reviews the evidence that connects drought and desertification in the Sahel with climate change past, present and future in the sub-region.Their study concludes that there is a correlation between th e desertification and climate change in the Sahel region of Africa. The African Sahel provides the most dramatic example of multi-decadal climate variability that has been quantitatively and directly measured. Annual rainfall across this region fell by between 20 and 30 per cent between the decades leading up to political independence for the Sahelian nations (1930s to 1950s) and the decades since (1970s to 1990s).Lindsay, et al 2009, further throws more than light on the impacts of climate change, drought and desertification and how they are closely interlinked, and most acutely experienced by populations whose livelihoods depend principally on natural resources.Their paper examines three interlinked drivers of adaptation climate change, desertification and drought, assessing the extent to which international and national policy supports local adaptive strategies.2. Problem StatementThe unimpeded growth of greenhouse gas emissions is raising the earths temperature. The consequence s include melting glaciers, more precipitation, more and more extreme weather events, and shifting seasons. The accelerating pace of climate change, combine with ball-shaped population and income growth, threatens food security everywhere. Agriculture is extremely vulnerable to climate change. Higher temperatures eventually reduce yields of desirable crops while promote weed and pest proliferation.Changes in precipitation patterns increase the likelihood of short crop failures and long-run production declines. Although there will be gains in some crops in some regions of the world, the overall impacts of climate change on agriculture are expected to be negative, threatening global food security. Populations in the developing world, which are already vulnerable and food insecure, are likely to be the most seriously affected. In 2005, nearly fractional of the economically active population in developing countries-2.5 billion people-relied on agriculture for its livelihood. Today, 75 percent of the worlds poor live in rural areas. (Gerald C. et al 2009).Climate change issues require multiple stakeholders, global challenges and social sustainability issues. This is because there are varying debates on the causes, impacts of climate, adaptation and mitigation issues when identifying sustainable solutions on the topic.The presence of significant uncertainties has led investigateers to emphasize the analysis of regional and national effects (Mendelsohn Dinar, 2004). The issue of climate change is without doubt in-chief(postnominal) for developing countries with an agrarian economy and very difficult to apprehend sanitary as it is multi- faceted in approach.The topic is very complex, transnational in nature and integrated in perspective and approach. The linkage of social impact of climate change in the developing countries have not been well researched and most especially in connection with Sub Saharan Africa and non-Sub-Sahara Africa (NSSA) countries.Clima te Change has several livelihood impacts in developing countries as it reduces yields, crime syndicate incomes, health issues, environmental problems and the vulnerability of the disadvantages in rural communities.3. HypothesisThe socio-economic impact of climate change is much more likely to affect Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) than non-Sub-Sahara Africa (NSSA) countries and socio-economic dimension of adaptation respectively.4. Overall ObjectiveTo undertake a comparative degree studies on the socio-economic impact of climate change and their socio- economic dimensions of adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and non-Sub-Sahara Africa (NSSA) countries.5. Empirical Research Questions1. To review literature on the socio-economic impacts of climate change in the developing countries.2. To identify the linkages between Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and non-Sub-Sahara Africa (NSSA) countries in terms of climate change socio-economic impacts.3. To prove the socio-economic dimensions of adaptati on in these countries, victorious into account, pro-poor adaptation, microfinance, safety net, new technologies, index insurance and livelihoods.6. Theoretical and Conceptual IssuesA substantial amount of research has been conducted on the potential effects of climate on agricultural productivity (Parry, 1990 Leemans Solomon, 1993). Some studies have used climate induced changes in crop yield to estimate potential global economic impacts (Kane et al., 1992), while others have examined the indirect impact on economic variables such as farm revenue and income (Lang, 2001 Molua, 2003). Schimmelpfennig et al. (1996) present a saucer-eyed taxonomy that classifies the method of analysis as either structural (Adams et al., 1990, 1995, 1998) or spacial analogue (Darwin et al., 1999 Kurukulasuriya Ajwad, 2007).This study would employ some institutional economics theories and the sustainable livelihoods framework analysis in doing the comparative studies.7. MethodologyThe study would st ring use of quantitative and qualitative reviews of literature from secondary sources and data already collected from the various regions and undertake the comparative review and analysis. The study would as well make use of participatory rural appraisal methods when tour the field for data collection to get first hand education on the impacts of climate change and adaptation in the various regions. three-figure analysis and econometrics methods would be applied in this study as well. information analysis would as well be made with reference to the research problems and objectives. Data collected would be classified after the collection summons and Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) would be used to analyse all the data collected in the field.