Africa feeling the heat of climate change

Africa is one of the richest continent in the world full of natural resources such as rivers, lakes, minerals, mountains, wild and domestic animals and different unique plant species. The population of different species has been declining and even disappear due to climate changes brought about my different factors such as human activities and global warming.

Human activities such as overgrazing, shifting cultivation, deforestation and nomadic pastoralism have been accelerating climate change in Africa. The result of these activities has led into floods, draught, soil degradation and unpredictable rains which affects daily activities of many people for example more frequent flooding has affected coastal systems, with runoff from the storms ending up in the oceans, reducing the salinity of the water and causing fish to move farther offshore. Consequently, fishermen must travel farther to catch fish, or they don’t fish at all.

In Mozambique, coastal erosion due to rising sea levels has significantly altered the coastline. The population of African penguins has dropped precipitously over the last 15 years—some estimates say by 90%—but most agree that climate change is a major factor in the decline of this iconic African species. Another result of climate change is ocean acidification. As the ocean absorbs greater amounts of carbon dioxide, it becomes more acid, and its changing chemistry poses a threat to coral reefs and biodiversity. About 30% of carbon dioxide caused by human activity dissolves into the oceans, and the increased acidity prevents organisms that depend on calcium carbonate from producing shells and skeletons.

African countries often lack the data, the computing power and the analytical ability to act. Also, many people lack knowledge concerning environmental conservation which has led to over exploitation of the resources available and more harmful practices to the environment.

Hence, African’s government should educate their people about different methods of conserving the environment such as waste management, cero grazing, afforestation and soil conversation so as to minimize the problems brought about due to climatic change.

Bibliography

Shepard, D. (2017). African feeling the heat of climate change. New York: African Renewal.