Credibility Statement: Most of the countries have the least ozone gas footprints in the world. These countries are generally net consumers of manufactured goods. Despite the continent contributing the least towards emissions that result in climate change, it is the most affected. Discussions on climate change continue to be undermined by countries that are greatest contributors towards the phenomenon. Al Gore’s 2004 speech highlighted how technology, the thinking of human beings and population growth affect climate change. This essay will discuss how the continent with the least human activities towards climate change is the most predisposed to the effects of this change. This paper focuses on countries within the tropical savannah climate.
Thesis statement: Climate change has the gravest effects on African countries, despite being the least contributors towards this change.
Preview: I will first discuss how African countries have been making the least contribution towards.
I will then describe how Africa still relies on the natural climate and ecosystem for most of its social and economic sustenance.
I will give special attention to agriculture as the key economic activity that sustains a large percentage of the population.
BODY
Thesis Statement: Climate change has the gravest effects on African countries, despite being the least contributors towards this change.
A. All the countries on the African continent are classified as developing.
B. They are yet to fully tap their economic potential, especially in sectors that are associated with climate change such as energy, industry and transport (Williams n.p).
C. The rest of the world is associated with massive emission of greenhouse gases and heat that plays a key role towards the escalating average global temperatures (Frantzand Mayer 207; Gore 114).
Effects: Countries within the tropical savannah region have constrained budgets. The situation is worsened by the effects of global warming on their people’s social and economic wellbeing.
1. Rising temperatures and unpredictable rain patterns poses a great threat on production of key crops like rice, pulses, wheat and maize (Castello et al. 1700).
2. Food insecurity is one of the greatest challenges on the African continent at the moment.
Most countries rely on rain-fed agriculture as the largest economic sector, providing employment, exports, raw materials and markets for local industrial goods (Hulme et al. 147). Climate change, especially global warming has an aggravating effect on agriculture due to changing rain patterns. Children are the most predisposed to effects of malnutrition, especially chronic malnutrition and stunting (Serdeczny al. 1690).
3. Many rural households within the Savannah rely on natural sources of water such as rainwater, springs and rivers. Climatic changes are likely to result in depletion of these sources of water resulting in shortages (Williams n.p).
4. The amount of water available to firms and households is becoming irregular and these individuals are unable to come with timely plans to meet their demands throughout the year. Water scarcity directly affects food production (Powlson 678). It also results in diseases that constrain the countries’ health budgets.
5. Due to unpredictable rain patterns, stakeholders on the continent cannot adequately prepare for events such as high rainfall (Hulme et al. 154). When they happen, many regions flood resulting in destruction of property, interruption of activities and loss of lives.
6. The Tropical Savannah climatic region has had many tourist attractions whose unique features relied on low temperatures e.g. snows and glaciers on mountains such as Kilimanjaro and Kenya. Global warming is taking away these special features and tourist destination by initiating melting of snow caps and glaciers. African ecosystems are no longer self-sustainable. Geographical ranges, migration patterns and seasonal activities of many marine and terrestrial species on the continent have shifted (Williams n.p).
7. The rising temperatures have various negative health impacts that has a strain on the developing countries’ budget by increasing health needs. Reduced air quality due to heat waves results in respiratory problems. Food systems are interrupted by climatic change, resulting in malnutrition. Poor diet is one of the key causes of ill-health on the continent (Powlson 678).
8. Vulnerable populations, especially, children, the elderly and women are getting additional duties due to extreme weather events. This exposes them to physical dangers and infectious diseases.
9. Intense droughts and severe flooding on the continent has resulted in destruction of many shelters, homes and public infrastructure. Extreme weather often results in displacement of people. Governments have to restructure their already-constrained budgets to respond to such disasters and rebuild to help the economy recover (Williams n.p).
10. Climate change limits the number of available natural resources, water and fertile ground. This results in communal and international conflicts on the continent (Castello et al. 1696).
CONCLUSION
Thesis statement: Climate change has the gravest effects on African countries, despite being the least contributors towards this change.
Closure: All the countries in the tropical savannah climatic region are developing and thus rely on natural conditions for most economic activities. These nations have some of the least carbon footprints in the world. The rest of the continents have industrialized countries whose economic sectors are characterized by human activities with the gravest effects on the climate. Changing weather patterns due to global warming and other aspects of climate change has a negative impact on many economic and social aspects of these countries.
Works Cited
Costello, Anthony, et al. "Managing the health effects of climate change: Lancet and University College London Institute for Global Health Commission." The Lancet 373.9676 (2009): 1693-1733.
Frantz, Cynthia M., and Mayer, Stephan "The emergency of climate change: Why are we failing to take action?." Analyses of social issues and public policy 9.1 (2009): 205-222.
Gore, Al. “The Climate Emergency.” The Norton Mix, edited by Katie Hannah, W.W. Norton " Company, 2017, 113-126.
Hulme, Mike, et al. "African climate change: 1900–2100." Climate Research 17.2 (2001): 145-168.
Powlson, David S., et al. "Limited potential of no-till agriculture for climate change mitigation." Nature Climate Change 4.8 (2014): 678.
Serdeczny, Olivia, et al. "Climate change impacts in Sub-Saharan Africa: from physical changes to their social repercussions." Regional Environmental Change 17.6 (2017): 1585-1600.
Williams, H. (2015). COP 21: Five ways climate change could affect Africa. BBC News, 11 December 2015. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-35054300
