Dear All,

Climate change threatens to disrupt the weakest economies and disadvantage the poorest people in developing countries, African continent is the least emitter of green house gas but yet, the continent is the worst affected by climate change.

In today’s modern world, Africa is reeling from climate change. Floods, famine, drought, food shortages are buffeting the vulnerable continent which lacks the resources to protect itself. This affects largely its effort to manage sea flow, lakes and open aquifers.

In the absence of concerted global actions on climate change, the IPCC estimates that the sea level could rise by one meter over the next century. Large African cities will be submerged under rising sea levels; more than 40% of wildlife habitats could disappear. Up to 70million people could be at risk from rising sea level in Africa, this affect Africa’s poorest. Up to 30% of Africa’s coast could disappear as sea level rise from between 15cm to 95cm in the next 100 years.

Important cities such as Cape Town and Maputo are at risk. For example, if sea level were to rise by one metre, part of Lagos, the economic nerve and epicenter of businesses in Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria would be submerged. The number of people at risk in Africa from coastal flooding will rise from one million in 1990 to 70 million by 2080, (IPCC 2011) this will lead to an increased in the loss of species and degradation of key ecosystems such as coral reefs, which play a critical role in the economy of most African countries, a displacement of millions of people, and potential flow of environmental refugees, sequel to all these problems, how are we going to adapt.

We must engage in research on climate change adaptation and mitigation beyond Africa’s borders, at the same time work towards working with policy makers to come up with strategic political policy processes on climate change action in the region before things get out of hands.

Conducting research, sharing of knowledge on climate policy options would be targeted to improve adaptation and mitigation, that would equip us to improvise and contribute our own quota towards derisking future climate chaos, face challenges of the 21st Century.

Thank you.

Usman,

RCE-Kano