Various parts of Africa are faced by similar but quiet diverse effects of Global Warming. West Africa is most affected by high temperatures and irregular rainfall patterns accompanied with sea level rise. In East and Central Africa, major effects of global warming is in the word ‘warming’. That part of Africa is extremely warm which is resulting to droughts and hunger in a long term, it is affecting the agricultural sector and standard of life for rural livelihoods. In South and North Africa, global warming is affecting coastal resources through sea level rise and also rising temperatures.
Global Warming which known worldwide as the rise in the average global temperatures due to excess organic (methane, butane, hexane, other hydro carbons) and inorganic pollutants (oxides of Carbon, Nitrogen and Sulphur) in the atmosphere –which continuously form secondary pollutants in the atmosphere.
In our current century, background concentration of some Greenhouse Gases have exceeded their natural or previous levels. This is greatly attributed to modernization and urbanization in recent times. The use of sophisticated technology for daily activities and high volume of waste which neither recycled nor re-used. In Africa, our contribution towards global warming comes largely from land use and forestry sector. Deforestation and land degradation has been a major factor for almost all parts of Africa. In Ghana, Togo, Benin, Central Africa Republic, Burkina Faso, and other parts of Africa, rural folks resort to cutting down trees for fuel – mainly firewood for cooking. Illegal chainsaw logging of forest timber and woody trees has also been a challenging factor as these trees plays a vital role in carbon reduction. Additionally, power generation in Africa has mostly been dependent of fossil fuel with a marginal generation source from hydro. The generation of power or electricity from fossil fuel has also added up to global warming.
Measures to Combat Global Warming
Ghana has a vision to generate 20% of its energy from renewable sources it’s already 2016 and nothing is being done towards that policy and vision. The country currently generate its power from thermal plants and hydro sources, but we are hopeful during this period Ghana will be able to achieve its goal. In Morocco, there is great news and efforts to combat global warming. Morocco will host the world’s largest solar plant (Ouarzazate) in 2020 before UAE completes its mega solar project. Morocco will produce 580 Megawatts from solar which will cease the country from depending on fossil fuel. Nigeria has also entered into a new agreement which is expected to produce over 100 Megawatts of solar by 2030. South Africa is leading in Sub-Sahara Africa when it comes to renewable energy, that is a good effort towards a clean future and fighting Global Warming.
In West Africa, there are lots of initiatives in Ghana, Nigeria and other parts to replace biofuel with clean cooking stoves. Instead of cutting trees as firewood for cooking, there are are initiatives supported by the World Bank, UNDP and other larger organizations which introduces sustainable cooking stoves that uses an efficient way of using charcoal or Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) for cooking.
In addition to these efforts, REDD+ in Kenya, Uganda and other is helping to reduce carbon content in the atmosphere through its carbon trade system called REDD+.
Farmers/communities have the chance to plant trees and get paid for the amount of carbon the trees sequestrate from the atmosphere – amazing right!
Also, as an environmental activist, I have spearheaded Global Warming education programmes for junior high schools in rural schools where there are lots of forest reserves. More so, I have conducted education events which focuses on energy efficiency. Through my many events, I educate children to save energy by advising their parents/guidance to purchase energy saving bulbs putting television sets off before sleeping ironing lights cloths before heavy ones during ironing and using ironing bulk clothes rather than ironing individual clothes at different times.
Besides these, there are other great initiatives in other parts of Africa – like Angola’s new laws to protect forests as part of their vision to stop illegal wildlife trade. Congo’s new national park spanning over two million acres which will reduce illegal chainsaw timber logging and Ghana’s Forestry Commission introducing a 200 Ghana cedi’s (equivalent to $50) for individuals who report illegal chainsaw timber logging activities.
In conclusion, there is no doubt that Global Warming affects Africa. As a matter of fact, tropical Africa is very prone to Global Warming than most temperate regions and semi-tropics. We need a collaborative effort to save our continent and planet.
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13 Comments
Heonjun Park, thank you for your additions. We really need to act fast on global warming
Posted 10-08-2016 21:30
That last graph pinpoints the hardships we already face and I think it's only the beginning! The heat is unbearable where I live and as you already know, world meteorological organization announced this year will be the toughest year with the record high temperature all around the globe. And news of people dying of heat in this and that countries, usually in hotter countries, has become regular. It does throw much to think about. Thanks for sharing Joshua! cheers
Posted 10-08-2016 14:39
Thank you so much for your kind words. I will keep up with my education programs. Thanks a lot.
Posted 06-08-2016 08:23
Joshua, thanks for sharing information and yout actions regarding global warming. I agree on the point that nations should search for energy source(renewable ones if possible), but what is more important is continuously educating people to save energy at the first place. You're doing so great. Thanks for sharing!
Posted 05-08-2016 13:08
Dear Brian Malika, I am not sure what you mean but from COP21/ the Paris agreement, developed countries are already committing to reducing their emission. The United States for instance, has shut down multiple coal fired power plants while doubling the countries solar energy sector. The European Union is also going same and I believe after COP22, there wil be much visible commitments. Developing countries needs to position themselves well to benefit from the $1billion annual climate fund sourced from the developed countries.
Posted 04-08-2016 08:00
Dear Bindu, thank you for your comments. I understand your point of view and so as Arushi Madan. We need a cumulative effort to combat a global challenge. Thank you for reading.
Posted 04-08-2016 07:56
We all are contributing to curb Global warming at our respective regions. But more efforts are sought. African & all nations must take further concrete steps in this direction.
Posted 04-08-2016 00:37
The Western Countries pledged to reduce emission by 2020 by at least a third, does anyone know how far the countries are doing that ? I think that is just a paper commitment and no ground commitment is being done.
Posted 03-08-2016 21:34
As everyone said global warming is a global menace and every nation is impacted by it. It's good to note that African nations are taking green initiatives (as you mentioned - Uganda etc following carbon trade system, Angola's forests protections to stop illegal wildlife trade in Angola). Let's join hands and fight global warming.
Thanks for the report.
Posted 03-08-2016 19:44
Dear Joshua, every corner of the world is affected more or less similarly with the impacts of anthropogenic climate change. But on the other face, it is appreciable that countries are coming forward and taking initiation for investment towards low carbon development strategy. Its encouraging to see African Nations like Morocco and Ghana investing on solar energy and divestment from fossil fuels.
Also, it's interesting to see communities being benefited from REDD+ and helping sequester carbon in natural sinks.
Together we will tackle this challenge in a visionary and sustainable way. Thank you for this informative report dear Joshua :)
Posted 03-08-2016 18:12
@Yvonne & Tabitha, I share your sentiment and that's exactly my last expression in this report. African countries contribute less but we are suffering the most (the pacific's too). The developed countries are pledging to set up funds for us to mitigate and importantly adapt to the warming planet but that is not exactly what we need. We need change and commitment from them - we need to see a significant rise in renewables and carbon emission reduction. Thank you for reading.
Posted 03-08-2016 16:35
global warming has really affected us ..especially change in the weather patterns , too much rain other times too much heat we cannot even predict the weather as before but by putting environmental measures and forums and also environmental awareness we will be heading to a brighter environmental future
Posted 03-08-2016 16:16
Global warming is a tough problem for Africa to deal with, especially because developed countries account for 70% of global emissions, with China being in the lead at 28%, followed by the U.S at 16%. Although playing the blame game does not help anyone, it is hard for developing nations to deal with global warming when they're not the ones largely responsible for it in the first place. For instance, Kenya has done a great deal in including environmental education in the curriculum and enforcing environmental legislation, which is the first step towards tackling environmental issues. Littering has reduced and garbage collection has become more efficient. Our biggest environmental challenge is poaching, which we are currently struggling to deal with. However, once you come to Kenya, one thing will be evident: not being responsible for global emissions does not make you immune to global warming. We have had long periods of drought followed by long periods of heavy rainfall which means we are constantly in an infinite loop of almost dying from hyperthermia and almost dying from flooding. President Uhuru Kenyatta took note of this and in his address at the Paris Climate Conference in November 30 he said, 'Climate change has continued to negatively impact Kenya??s development and it is for this reason that we were among the first developing nations to submit an ambitious ‘Intended Nationally Determined Contribution?? (INDC) to the UNFCCC Secretariat. Despite the fact that Kenya contributes a mere 0.1% of the total global emissions, we have pledged to voluntarily take national measures and actions for emission reduction and for enhancing adaptation to climate change.'
As developing nations, we can do all we can to deal with our own environmental issues, but when it comes to global warming and climate change, it is evident that developed nations need to take the wheel and reduce their global emissions. It is high time that developed nations fully embrace the green movement, as opposed to what they're doing and have been doing, which is touting the green movement but making no attempts at all, if any, to go green.
Posted 03-08-2016 15:25