Geneva: Water stress and hazards like withering droughts and devastating floods are hitting African communities, economies and ecosystems hard, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
The State of the Climate in Africa 2021 report provides authoritative scientific information on temperature trends and other climate indicators.
It shows how extreme weather and climate change are undermining human health and safety, food and water security and socio-economic development.
Africa only accounts for about 2% to 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions but suffers disproportionately from the results.
The State of the Climate in Africa 2021 report has a special focus on water.
Rainfall patterns are disrupted, glaciers are disappearing and key lakes are shrinking.
Rising water demand combined with limited and unpredictable supplies threatens to aggravate conflict and displacement.
High water stress is estimated to affect about 250 million people in Africa and is expected to displace up to 700 million people by 2030.
"The worsening crisis and looming famine in the drought-stricken Horn of Africa shows how climate change can exacerbate water shocks, threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and destabiliizing communities, countries and entire regions," said WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas in a media release on Thursday.
"Africa's climate has warmed more than the global average since pre-industrial times (1850-1900). In parallel, the sea level rise along African coastlines is faster than the global mean, contributing to increases in the frequency and severity of coastal flooding and erosion, and salinity in low-lying cities. Changes in continental water bodies have major impacts on the agriculture sector, ecosystems, biodiversity," said Prof. Taalas.
The report, the third in a series, is a joint initiative between WMO and the African Union Commission and includes input from a wide range of UN organizations, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, development partners and climate experts.
The State of the Climate in Africa report makes a number of recommendations, including to strengthen early warning systems, increase transboundary cooperation, data exchange and knowledge sharing.
The need for more investment in adaptation is crucial, as is a concerted drive towards more integrated water resource management.
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