The latest report (Third Assessment Report) of the UNEP/WMO Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) notes a warming of approximately 0.7°C over most of the African continent during the 20th century based on historical records. While the exact nature of the changes in temperature or precipitation, and extreme events are not known, there is general agreement that extreme events will get worse, and trends in most variables will change in response to warming.
By the end of this century, global mean surface temperature is expected to increase between 1.5 ºC and 6ºC. Sea levels are projected to rise by 15 to 95 cm. The expected warming is greatest over the interior of semi-arid margins of the Sahara and central southern Africa. The graphics indicate that temperature rise in Africa corresponds to global temperature rise, and that adverse impacts including extremes, are spread across the diverse environments of Africa, putting a huge proportion of African continent at great risk.
| Note: The graphics collection from this report is available in high resolution formats from the GRID-Arendal Maps & Graphics Library |
Table of contents
- Foreword
- Introduction
- Credits
- Temperature curves global last 1000 years, 140 years and Africa last 100 years.
- Linear trends in warm and cold days (temperature) and rainfall for Zimbabwe
- Increasing temperatures have led to the melting of mountain glaciers on Africa’s major mountains.
- El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon
- ENSO impact on Southern Africa
- Increasing temperatures are a threat to coral reefs
- Land Use Change is resulting in rapid loss of forests and excessive fragmentation: Deforestation in Cote d’Ivoire case study
- Natural disasters affect most of Africa.
- What is the green house effect?
- Anthropogenic influence. The enhanced greenhouse effect.
- The IPCC “TAR” models on forcing
- African emissions: African major sources of GHG, emissions per capita, and comparison with emissions from other countries.
- Coastal zones sea level rise
- Lake Chad
- Water availability in Africa under stress due to increasing population pressure and climate change.
- The Nile delta study
- Biodiversity: Threatened species
- Infectious diseases Extension of ranges.
- Changing biomes in South Africa
- Population and development in Africa
- Africa has low water resources, while the global trend in river runoff points downwards
- Case study of crop plants: Maximum temperature of tolerance
- Uganda: Robusta Coffee study
- Impact on water and water stress
- Aridity
- Food production. Projections
- Malnutrition and famine
- Vulnerability
- Advisory Group of Experts
- Scientific background
