Climate Change, Agriculture, and Famine

Heat Advisory ◽  
2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan H. Lockwood
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Critical Temperature ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Hay Fever ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Normal Intelligence ◽  
Temperature Thresholds ◽  
The World ◽  
Sub Saharan

Hotter weather and higher atmospheric CO2 levels will have profound effects on plants. Crops such as corn and soybeans, have critical temperature thresholds above which yields fall precipitously. High CO2 levels will foster the growth of many weeds over crops, threatening yields. Stimulated growth and release of ragweed allergens will threaten hay fever sufferers and asthmatics. The nutrient content of many crops falls in a high CO2 environment. As crop yields fall, prices rise, and undernutrition increases, particularly among children who fail to develop normally who, as a result, may not achieve normal intelligence. In many nations, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, childhood undernutrition already approaches 50%. Feeding the increasing population of the world may become problematic.

scholarly journals THE PLACE OF AN ETHICS OF SOLIDARITY IN MITIGATING THE PROBLEM OF UNEMPLOYMENT IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

2020 ◽  
pp. 182-192
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Human Trafficking ◽  
Vantage Point ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Illegal Migration ◽  
The World ◽  
Theoretical Frame ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Societal Problems ◽  
Failing States

Sub-Saharan Africa like some other parts of the world is plagued by myriads of problems such as environmental degradation, climate change, illegal migration, human trafficking, terrorism, resources conflicts, bad and inept leadership, failing states, armed banditry, drug smuggling, youth restiveness, unemployment, etc. One of these problems, unemployment, has led to the devastation of many human lives and equally made some persons to live in degrading manner that affect environmental resources. Unemployment is not simply about statistics or numbers but about actual human lives who are holders of rights and dignity. Unemployment can impede the exercise of human rights and prevent people from living meaningful lives. In spite of the region’s enormous natural resources and human capital unemployment remains drastically unabated. Why is this situation so? This situation is problematized here. Consequently, this paper critically and analytically examines this problem of unemployment in Sub-Saharan Africa in the light of an ethics of solidarity. The paper hermeneutically interprets the concepts involved in the study. The grave reasons for unemployment in the region will be examined with likely solutions. Besides these possible solutions, the paper sees the issue as also bordering on ethical realities. Many of the factors that causes employment borders on human behaviours and morality. There are ethical dimensions to the issue then. This is why the paper takes the vantage point of an ethics of solidarity to argue for an additional solution to the problem. This is equally the theoretical frame from which the problem of unemployment is examined. Living in solidarity makes individuals to easily collaborate and overcome societal problems like unemployment. The paper finds that unemployment is a pervasive problem in the sub-continent and is causing grave consequences for both human lives and the environment. The paper concludes that an ethics of solidarity can help in mitigating the problem of unemployment in the sub-continent. And that when this is done it will help to create a happier and peaceful sub-continent.

scholarly journals Climate and demographic impacts on wildfire air pollution hazards during the 21<sup>st</sup> century

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Knorr ◽  
Leiwen Jiang ◽  
Frank Dentener ◽  
Almut Arneth
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Southern China ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Anthropogenic Emissions ◽  
Dominant Source ◽  
The World ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract. Wildfires pose a significant risk to human livelihoods and are a substantial health hazard due to emissions of toxic smoke. It is widely believed that climate change, through increasing the frequency of hot weather conditions, will also lead to an increase in wildfire activity. More recently, however, new research has shown that trends in population growth and urbanisation can be as important for fire prediction as changes in climate and atmospheric CO2, and that under certain scenarios, fire activity may continue to decline through most of the 21st century. The present study re-examines these results from the perspective of air pollution risk, focussing on emissions of airborne particulate matter (PM2.5). We combine an existing ensemble of simulations using a coupled fire-dynamic vegetation model with current observation-based estimates of wildfire emissions to predict future trends. Currently, wildfires PM2.5 emissions exceed those from anthropogenic sources in large parts of the world, while emissions from deforestation or peat fires constitute minor sources. We find that for Sub-Saharan Africa and southern China predictions of wildfire pollution risks depend almost entirely on population dynamics, whereas for North Australia and South America, it is mainly determined by climate change, with Southeast Asia lying somewhere in-between. Under a scenario of current legislation of anthropogenic emissions, global high population growth and slow urbanisation, wildfires may seize to be the dominant source in large parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. However, if anthropogenic emissions are strongly reduced, wildfires may both become the dominant source and lie above critical levels for health impacts in large parts of Australia, Africa, Latin America and Russia, and parts of southern China and southern Europe. This implies that controlling anthropogenic emissions will not suffice for attaining the World Health Organization air quality targets.

Demography and the Future of Democracy

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 867-880
Author(s):  
Jack A. Goldstone ◽  
Larry Diamond
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Global Democracy ◽  
Liberal Democratic ◽  
The World ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Long Term Trend

The world is in the midst of a demographic recession. This counters what should be a long-term trend toward greater democracy. Recent research has shown that progress toward stable democracy is strongly associated with progress in the demographic transition. Since most of the world is rapidly dropping in fertility as more countries complete this transition, democracy should be spreading. However, a resurgence of anxiety, nationalism, and support for strong-man governance is associated with sudden waves of immigration from unfamiliar sources. Because certain parts of the world—mainly Central America, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East—still have very young and rapidly growing populations who suffer from poor economic prospects, adverse climate change, and bad governance, those regions are sending waves of migrants seeking asylum to Europe and the United States, raising anxieties that undermine liberal democratic governance. Global democracy is thus being tugged in opposing directions by current demographic trends. Improving governance in poorer countries to cope with the negative impact of climate change and to create better economic prospects, as well as efforts to reduce fertility, are essential to diminish the surges of migrants and restore the impetus toward democracy that should prevail in mature societies.

scholarly journals Towards Sustainable Shifts to Healthy Diets and Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa with Climate-Resilient Crops in Bread-Type Products: A Food System Analysis

Foods ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 135
Author(s):  
Martijn W. J. Noort ◽  
Stefano Renzetti ◽  
Vincent Linderhof ◽  
Gerrie E. du Rand ◽  
Nadéne J. M. M. Marx-Pienaar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
System Analysis ◽  
Food System ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Food Product ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Double Burden ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
Sub Saharan

Massive urbanization and increasing disposable incomes favor a rapid transition in diets and lifestyle in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). As a result, the SSA population is becoming increasingly vulnerable to the double burden of malnutrition and obesity. This, combined with the increasing pressure to produce sufficient food and provide employment for this growing population together with the threat of climate change-induced declining crop yields, requires urgent sustainable solutions. Can an increase in the cultivation of climate-resilient crops (CRCs) and their utilization to produce attractive, convenient and nutritious bread products contribute to climate change adaptation and healthy and sustainable diets? A food system analysis of the bread food value chain in SSA indicates that replacement of refined, mostly imported, wheat in attractive bread products could (1) improve food and nutrition security, (2) bring about a shift to more nutritionally balanced diets, (3) increase economic inclusiveness and equitable benefits, and (4) improve sustainability and resilience of the food system. The food system analysis also provided systematic insight into the challenges and hurdles that need to be overcome to increase the availability, affordability and uptake of CRCs. Proposed interventions include improving the agronomic yield of CRCs, food product technology, raising consumer awareness and directing policies. Overall, integrated programs involving all stakeholders in the food system are needed.

scholarly journals THE PLACE OF AN ETHICS OF SOLIDARITY IN MITIGATING THE PROBLEM OF UNEMPLOYMENT IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

2020 ◽  
pp. 182-192
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Human Trafficking ◽  
Vantage Point ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Illegal Migration ◽  
The World ◽  
Theoretical Frame ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Societal Problems ◽  
Failing States

Sub-Saharan Africa like some other parts of the world is plagued by myriads of problems such as environmental degradation, climate change, illegal migration, human trafficking, terrorism, resources conflicts, bad and inept leadership, failing states, armed banditry, drug smuggling, youth restiveness, unemployment, etc. One of these problems, unemployment, has led to the devastation of many human lives and equally made some persons to live in degrading manner that affect environmental resources. Unemployment is not simply about statistics or numbers but about actual human lives who are holders of rights and dignity. Unemployment can impede the exercise of human rights and prevent people from living meaningful lives. In spite of the region’s enormous natural resources and human capital unemployment remains drastically unabated. Why is this situation so? This situation is problematized here. Consequently, this paper critically and analytically examines this problem of unemployment in Sub-Saharan Africa in the light of an ethics of solidarity. The paper hermeneutically interprets the concepts involved in the study. The grave reasons for unemployment in the region will be examined with likely solutions. Besides these possible solutions, the paper sees the issue as also bordering on ethical realities. Many of the factors that causes employment borders on human behaviours and morality. There are ethical dimensions to the issue then. This is why the paper takes the vantage point of an ethics of solidarity to argue for an additional solution to the problem. This is equally the theoretical frame from which the problem of unemployment is examined. Living in solidarity makes individuals to easily collaborate and overcome societal problems like unemployment. The paper finds that unemployment is a pervasive problem in the sub-continent and is causing grave consequences for both human lives and the environment. The paper concludes that an ethics of solidarity can help in mitigating the problem of unemployment in the sub-continent. And that when this is done it will help to create a happier and peaceful sub-continent.

scholarly journals Deadly Heat Exposure in an Urbanized World

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steffen Lohrey ◽  
Camilo Mora ◽  
Diana Reckien ◽  
Felix Creutzig
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Heat Exposure ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
World Population ◽  
Humanitarian Crisis ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
The World ◽  
Sub Saharan

Climate-change exposes an increasing share of the world population to potentially lethal heat, a threat accentuated by rapid urbanization. Here, we project occurrence of future deadly heat for urban agglomerations around the world until 2080 by using CMIP6 climate model projections of temperature and relative humidity, urbanization prospects and GDP projections from the SSP scenarios. We show that while nearly all regions within latitudes 35°S - 45°N experience an increase in days of deadly heat, Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeastern Asia are particularly exposed, a trend exacerbated by rapid urbanization. By 2080, between 2.3 (59\%) (SSP1-2.6) and 3.0 (75\%) (SSP5-8.5) billion urban dwellers will experience more than 30 annual days of deadly heat, including 477 (66\%) - 546 (77\%) million in Sub-Saharan Africa and 988 (93\%) - 993 million (94\%) in South and South-Eastern Asia. The exposure to heat is highly unequal, with some of the poorest regions affected the most. Our results imply that jointly mitigating climate change, planning for well-ventilated cities, and combating poverty to enable economic access to air conditioning is required to avert a global-scale humanitarian crisis.

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

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dalal Aassouli ◽  
Mehmet Asutay ◽  
Mahmoud Mohieldin ◽  
Tochukwu Chiara Nwokike
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Energy Poverty ◽  
Sub Saharan

Christianity in the Twentieth Century

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Stanley
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Racial Identity ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Central Importance ◽  
Regional Survey ◽  
History Of Christianity ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Different Parts

This book charts the transformation of one of the world's great religions during an age marked by world wars, genocide, nationalism, decolonization, and powerful ideological currents, many of them hostile to Christianity. The book traces how Christianity evolved from a religion defined by the culture and politics of Europe to the expanding polycentric and multicultural faith it is today—one whose growing popular support is strongest in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, China, and other parts of Asia. The book sheds critical light on themes of central importance for understanding the global contours of modern Christianity, illustrating each one with contrasting case studies, usually taken from different parts of the world. Unlike other books on world Christianity, this one is not a regional survey or chronological narrative, nor does it focus on theology or ecclesiastical institutions. The book provides a history of Christianity as a popular faith experienced and lived by its adherents, telling a compelling and multifaceted story of Christendom's fortunes in Europe, North America, and across the rest of the globe. It demonstrates how Christianity has had less to fear from the onslaughts of secularism than from the readiness of Christians themselves to accommodate their faith to ideologies that privilege racial identity or radical individualism.

Crowdsourcing Covid-19 signals in sub-Saharan Africa: Leveraging digital contributor networks for participatory surveillance of Covid-19 symptoms and deaths (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ngozi A Erondu ◽  
Sagal A Ali ◽  
Mohamed Ali ◽  
Schadrac C Agbla
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Local Networks ◽  
The World ◽  
Sub Saharan

BACKGROUND In sub-Saharan Africa, underreporting of cases and deaths has been attributed to various factors including, weak disease surveillance, low health-seeking behaviour of flu like symptoms, and stigma of Covid-19. There is evidence that SARS-CoV-2 spread mimics transmission patterns of other countries across the world. Since the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way research can be conducted and in light of restrictions on travel and risks to in-person data collection, innovative approaches to collecting data must be considered. Nearly 50% of Africa’s population is a unique mobile subscriber and it is one of the fastest growing smart-phone marketplaces in the world; hence, mobile phone platforms should be considered to monitor Covid-19 trends in the community. OBJECTIVE We demonstrate the use of digital contributor platforms to survey individuals about cases of flu-like symptoms and instances of unexplained deaths in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, and Zimbabwe. METHODS Rapid cross-sectional survey of individuals with severe flu and pneumonia symptoms and unexplained deaths in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia and Zimbabwe RESULTS Using a non-health specific information platform, we found COVID-19 signals in five African countries, specifically: •Across countries, nearly half of the respondents (n=739) knew someone who had severe flu or pneumonia symptoms in recent months. •One in three respondents from Somalia and one in five from Zimbabwe respondents said they knew more than five people recently displaying flu and/or pneumonia symptoms. •In Somalia there were signals that a large number of people might be dying outside of health facilities, specifically in their homes or in IDP or refugee camps. CONCLUSIONS Existing digital contributor platforms with local networks are a non-traditional data source that can provide information from the community to supplement traditional government surveillance systems and academic surveys. We demonstrate that using these distributor networks to for community surveys can provide periodic information on rumours but could also be used to capture local sentiment to inform public health decision-making; for example, these insights could be useful to inform strategies to increase confidence in Covid19 vaccine. As Covid-19 continues to spread somewhat silently across sub-Saharan Africa, regional and national public health entities should consider expanding event-based surveillance sources to include these systems.

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