The effects of global warming on economic development in Africa , particularly among the poorest people, were highlighted in a World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) paper at the Scientific Symposium on Stabilisation of Greenhouse Gases held in Exeter in February.

The paper revealed the detrimental effect global warming will have on human and economic development – by threatening people’s health and their ability to deal with illness, people’s ability to feed themselves, girls’ ability to attend school and undermining people’s ability to earn a living.

“Every record shows that climate change is happening, both past records and predictive models,” said the paper’s author, Dr Anthony Nyong from the University of Jos, Nigeria. “What is less well discussed or studied is the potential devastating impact of climate change on poverty eradication. The reality is that they go hand in hand and can not be separated.”

While the majority of the impact studies have concentrated on extreme events such as floods and droughts in Africa , few have focused on the gradual, accumulating impacts of global warming on livelihoods and economic development on the continent.

“In Africa, studies have shown that a warming of up to 2 degrees Celsius would bring with it a set of impacts to the continent’s rich but fragile ecosystem,” said Dr Catarina Cardoso, Head of Climate Change at WWF-UK. “If global warming is not tackled, the viability of millions of people’s livelihoods in Africa will be undermined. Without significant new resources, millions of others won’t be able to adapt to changes that are already happening.”

Global warming will increase the incidence of floods, warming and drought – all of which are factors in disease transmission. In South Africa , it is estimated that the area suitable for malaria will double and that 7.2 million people will be at risk – an increase of 5.2 million. This could also damage economies, with resources being redirected away from economic development to maintain people’s health.

It is expected that the change in climate will also impact on people’s ability to tackle illness through the extinction of plant species used in traditional medicines. The World Health Organisation estimates that 80 per cent of the world’s population in developing countries rely on these plants for primary health care.

By the 2080’s climate change is estimated to place an additional 80-120 million people at risk of hunger – 70 to 80 per cent of these will be in Africa . Poor people, especially those living in marginal environments and in areas with low agricultural productivity in Africa , depend directly on genetic, species and ecosystem diversity to support their livelihoods. As a result of this dependency, any impact that climate change has on natural systems threatens the livelihoods, food intake and health of poor people.

Another impact will be an increased scarcity of fuelwood and water, beyond the losses caused by deforestation and farming practices. Women’s traditional role in the household means that they will bear the brunt of this climate-induced scarcity. Tasks such as collecting water and wood from ever further distances, all make it more difficult for girls to attend school.

Dr Nyong concluded: “Industrialised countries need to rapidly speed up their efforts to cut down greenhouse gas emissions to avoid dangerous climate change that will have a disproportional impact on Africa’s people.”

Image © Chris Keulen/Panos Pictures

More information at
WWF Climate Chaos