Archive for the ‘Africa’ Category
A news item today from Addis Ababa explains that Africa is preparing to ask for annual climate change compensation at Copenhagen 09 of approximately $67 billion per year.
What do you think? Obviously the devil will be in the details, but what’s your opinion of the basic concept?
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Background Info:
1. ABC News Report about Africa’s climate change compensation announcement.
“The African Union has drafted a provocative resolution to take to the international climate change talks in Copenhagen later this year, asking for compensation.”
2. Map of potential climate change impacts on Africa (click image for full-size)
Africa - Potential Climate Change Impacts
3. BBC News report about current and future climate change impacts in Africa (2006).
“Climate change is already affecting people across Africa and will wipe out efforts to tackle poverty there unless urgent action is taken…..Global warming is set to make many of the problems which Africa already deals with, much, much worse.”
4. Article about need for Africa to shift to renewables.
“Developing countries must wean themselves off oil and fossil fuels and turn as quickly as possible to solar, wind and water power if they are to avoid disastrous climate change effects and continue to develop, says Christian Aid in a report…a shift from fossil fuels to clean energy could result in more jobs and better health and education, and reduce pressure on resources. But if the world’s dependence on oil continues, it says, climate change will devastate poor countries….up to 182 million people in sub-Saharan Africa could die of diseases directly attributable to climate change by the end of the century….due to climate-induced sea level rises, floods, famine, drought and conflict.”
5. Just released article on why Africa’s climate change burden is greater.
“Africa can easily be said to contribute the least of any continent to global warming. Each year Africa produces an average of just over 1 metric ton of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide per person…”
6. Article about the effects of climate change on African food production.
“Sub-Saharan Africa is set to lose U.S. $2 billion a year as the viability of its maize crops declines as a result of changes in global weather patterns. Cash crops such as tea and coffee in East Africa will suffer. And Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Tanzania are likely to be the African counties hardest hit by climate change in the next decade.”
7. Climate Change Adaptation in Africa (part of Canada’s International Development Research Centre) – EXCELLENT!
The Climate Change Adaptation in Africa (CCAA) research and capacity development program supports African countries in their efforts to adapt to the impacts of climate change. It is a program run and executed in Africa by Africans and, to the extent possible, involving the whole of Africa.
8. Information about climate change and conflict in Africa.
“Karamoja, a semi-arid region in northeast Uganda, is in crisis: a potent mix of the impact of climate change – 14 droughts in 25 years – border conflicts, armed cattle-raids, and difficult development and sustainability issues are the main features, delegates at a recent conference on Climate Change and Security in Africa learned….”
Armed cattle raids commonplace in some parts of Africa
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