The double challenge of adapting to climate change while accelerating development in sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACTAccelerating economic growth and social development is necessary to reduce the vulnerability and enhance the adaptive capacity of sub-Saharan Africa to cope with the consequences of predicted unfavorable future climate. This requires major investments and policy reforms to induce a needed radical transformation of the way development is currently pursued to a more climate-sensitive path of low carbon growth. Key gaps in the current knowledge base that call for major investments and urgent attention include the ability to forecast more robust local future climate and to account for the uncertainties associated with climate risks for ecosystems' functions and probable nonconvexities in future impacts to project more plausible scenarios for future development in sub-Saharan Africa and provide better information on the costs and benefits of potential actions to avert the negative consequences of climate change.

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Coping better with current climatic variability in the rain-fed farming systems of sub-Saharan Africa: An essential first step in adapting to future climate change?

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment ◽

10.1016/j.agee.2008.01.007 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 126 (1-2) ◽

pp. 24-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 415

Author(s):

P.J.M. Cooper ◽

J. Dimes ◽

K.P.C. Rao ◽

B. Shapiro ◽

B. Shiferaw ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Climatic Variability ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Future Climate ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Future Climate Change ◽

Sub Saharan

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Is migration an effective adaptation to climate-related agricultural distress in sub-Saharan Africa?

Population and Environment ◽

10.1007/s11111-021-00393-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kira Vinke ◽

Sophia Rottmann ◽

Christoph Gornott ◽

Pascal Zabre ◽

Patricia Nayna Schwerdtle ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Climate Change Adaptation ◽

Qualitative Interviews ◽

Adaptation Strategy ◽

Seasonal Migration ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

First Time ◽

Western Burkina Faso

AbstractMigration is often considered a form of climate change adaptation by which individuals, households, and communities seek to reduce the risks associated with climate change. In this study, we examine first-time seasonal migration out of a village in North-Western Burkina Faso to neighbouring countries, triggered by more irregular rainfall patterns. Through a set of 52 qualitative interviews, we analyse the perceptions of migrants themselves as well as the sending community regarding migration consequences. Men migrated in the off-season, whereas women stayed behind. Most migrant men and wives of migrants perceive migration to have negative consequences for their socio-economic situation and their health. Despite this, a lack of options and deteriorating environmental conditions might force the men to move again. We interpreted the range of narratives provided by women and men against the background of the scientific literature on migration as climate change adaptation. While migration could be beneficial, this study challenges the notion of migration as an effective adaptation strategy for people in climate-vulnerable settings, who lack other options.

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Green Sukuk, Energy Poverty, and Climate Change: A Roadmap for Sub-Saharan Africa

10.1596/1813-9450-8680 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Dalal Aassouli ◽

Mehmet Asutay ◽

Mahmoud Mohieldin ◽

Tochukwu Chiara Nwokike

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Energy Poverty ◽

Sub Saharan

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Conflicts in Biafra, Katanga and Cabinda as a result of the geopolitical legacy of colonialism

OOO Zhurnal Voprosy Istorii ◽

10.31166/voprosyistorii202010statyi60 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 (10-3) ◽

pp. 238-246

Author(s):

Olga Dzhenchakova

Keyword(s):

Democratic Republic ◽

Economic Factor ◽

Colonial Period ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Post Colonial ◽

Republic Of The Congo ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

The Republic ◽

The Impact

The article considers the impact of the colonial past of some countries in sub-Saharan Africa and its effect on their development during the post-colonial period. The negative consequences of the geopolitical legacy of colonialism are shown on the example of three countries: Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Angola, expressed in the emergence of conflicts in these countries based on ethno-cultural, religious and socio-economic contradictions. At the same time, the focus is made on the economic factor and the consequences of the consumer policy of the former metropolises pursuing their mercantile interests were mixed.

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Managing African Urbanization in the Context of Environmental Change

INTERdisciplina ◽

10.22201/ceiich.24485705e.2014.2.46528 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Shuaib Lwasa

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Economic Growth ◽

Social Services ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Urban Governance ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

African Countries ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Urbanization Rate ◽

Development And Management

Africa’s urbanization rate has increased steadily over the past three decades and is reported to be faster than in any other region in the world . It is estimated that by 2030, over half of the African population will be living in urban areas . But the nature of Africa’s urbanization and subsequent form of cities is yet to be critically analyzed in the context of city authorities’ readiness to address the challenges . Evidence is also suggesting that urbanization in African countries is increasingly associated with the high economic growth that has been observed in the last two decades . Both underlying and proximate drivers are responsible for the urbanization, and these include population dynamics, economic growth, legislative designation, increasing densities in rural centers, as well as the growth of mega cities such as Lagos, Cairo and Kinshasa, that are extending to form urban corridors . With the opportunities of urbanization in Sub–Saharan Africa, there are also challenges in the development and management of these cities . Those challenges include provision of social services, sustainable economic development, housing development, urban governance, spatial development guidance and environmental management, climate change adaptation, mitigation and disaster risk reduction . The challenge involves dealing with the development and infrastructure deficit, in addition to required adaption to and mitigation of climate change . This paper examines the current state of urban management in Africa .

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