Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Life on the Edge: Vulnerability and Adaptation of African Ecosystems to Global Climate Change

  • Published:
Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Donor countriesare providing financial and technicalsupport for global climate change countrystudies to help African nations meet theirreporting needs under the United NationsFramework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC). Technical assistance to completevulnerability and adaptation assessmentsincludes training of analysts, sharing ofcontemporary tools (e.g. simulationmodels), data and assessment techniques,information-sharing workshops and aninternational exchange programme foranalysts. This chapter summarizes 14African country studies (Botswana, Côted'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, the Gambia,Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Nigeria, SouthAfrica, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia andZimbabwe) assessing vulnerabilities toglobal climate change and identifyingadaptation options. The analysis revealedthat the participating African countriesare vulnerable to global climate change inmore than one of the followingsocio-economic sectors: coastal resources,agriculture, grasslands and livestock,water resources, forests, wildlife, andhuman health. This vulnerability isexacerbated by widespread poverty,recurrent droughts, inequitable landdistribution, environmental degradation,natural resource mismanagement anddependence on rain-fed agriculture. Arange of practical adaptation options wereidentified in key socio-economic sectors ofthe African nations analysed. However,underdeveloped human and institutionalcapacity, as well as the absence ofadequate infrastructure, renders manytraditional coping strategies (rooted inpolitical and economic stability)ineffective or insufficient. FutureAfrican country studies should be moreclosely coordinated with development ofnational climate change action plans

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alpert, P.: 1993, ‘Conserving biodiversity in Cameroon’, Ambio 22, 44–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amadore, L., Huq, S., Kipondya, W.D., Korkorin, A., Martinez, J., Mkanda, F., Pilifosova, O., Ramos-Mane, C., Wu, Z., Benioff, R., Owens, B., Sathaye, J., Meyers, S., Braatz, B. and Smith, J.: 1999, Climate Change: Mitigation, Vulnerability and Adaptation in Developing and Transition Countries, US Country Studies Programme, Washington, DC, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnes, R.F.W.: 1990, ‘Deforestation trends in tropical Africa’, African J. Ecol. 28, 161–173.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benioff, R., Guill, S. and Lee, J. (eds.): 1996, Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments: An International Handbook, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, Kluwer Academic Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boer, G.J., McFarlane, N.A. and Lazare, M.: 1992, ‘Greenhouse gas-induced climate change simulated with the CCC second-generation general circulation model’, Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc. 5, 1,045–1,077.

    Google Scholar 

  • CEEST: 1998, National Action Plan on Climate Change in Tanzania, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, The Centre for Energy, Environment, Science, and Technology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixon, R.K., Brown, S., Houghton, R.A., Solomon, A.M., Trexler, M.C. and Wisniewski, J.: 1994, ‘Carbon pools and flux of global forests systems’, Science 263, 185–190.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixon, R.K., Guill, S., Hlohowskyj, I. and Mkanda, F.X. (eds.): 1995, ‘Vulnerability and adaptation of African ecosystems to global climate change’, Climate Research 6, 1–140.

  • Dixon, R.K., Perry, J.A. and Hiol Hiol, F.: 1996a, ‘Carbon sequestration and conservation in forest systems: preliminary assessments in Ghana and Cameroon’, Envir. Prof. 18, 112–118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixon, R.K., Perry, J.A., Vanderklein, E.L. and Hiol Hiol, F.: 1996b, ‘Vulnerability of forest resources to global climate change: case study of Cameroon and Ghana’, Climate Res. 12, 127–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • El-Raey, M.: 1997, ‘Vulnerability assessment of the coastal zone of the Nile Delta, Egypt, to the impacts of sea-level rise’, Ocean Coast. Zone Manag. 37, 29–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • El-Raey, M., Dewidar, K. and El Hattab, M.: 1999, ‘Adaptation to the impacts of sea-level rise in Egypt’, Climate Res. 12, 117–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frederick, K.D., Major, D.C. and Stakhiv, E.Z.: 1997, ‘Water resources planning principles and evaluation criteria for climate change: summary and conclusions’, Climatic Change 37, 291–313.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gelil, I.A., El-Mahgary, Y. and Khella, A.F.A.: 1997, Egypt's Policies and Measures to Mitigate Climate Change, Cairo, Organization for Energy Conservation and Planning.

    Google Scholar 

  • Graham, R.L., Perlack, R.D., Prasad, A.M.G., Ranney, J.W. and Waddle, D.B.: 1990, Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Sub-Saharan Africa, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, No. ORNL-6640, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregerson, H., Draper, S. and Elz, D.: 1989, People and Trees: The Role of Social Forestry in Sustainable Development, Washington, DC, USA, EDI Seminar Series, The World Bank.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hailemariam, K.: 1999, ‘Impact of climate change on the water resources of Awash River Basin, Ethiopia’, Climate Res. 12, 91–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, J., Russell, G., Rind, D., Stone, P., Lacis, A., Lebedeff, S., Ruedy, R. and Travis, L.: 1983, ‘Efficient three-dimensional global models for climate studies: models I and II’, MonthlyWeather Rev. 111, 609–622.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson, J.D.: 1993, ‘Comparison of the effects of different climate change scenarios on rangeland livestock production’, Agric. Syst. 41, 487–502.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hlohowskyj, I., Brody, M.S. and Lackey, R.T.: 1996, ‘Methods for assessing the vulnerability of African fisheries resources to climate change’, Climate Res. 6, 97–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holdridge, L.R.: 1967, Life Zone Ecology, San Jose, California, Tropical Science Centre.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houghton, J.T., Filho, L.G., Callander, B.A. and Varney, S.K. (eds.): 1992, Climate Change 1992: The Supplementary Report to the IPCC Scientific Assessment, Cambridge, UK, Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houghton, J.T., Filho, L.G., Callander, B.A., Harris, N., Kattenberg, A. and Maskell, K. (eds.): 1996, Climate Change 1995: The Science of Climate Change, Cambridge,UK, Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houghton, J.T., Filho, L.G., Bruce, J., Lee, H., Callander, B.A., Haites, E., Harris, N. and Marshall, K. (eds.): 1995, Climate Change 1994: Radiative Forcing of Climate Change and an Evaluation of the IPCC IS92 Emission Scenarios, Cambridge, UK, Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ikeme, J.: 2003, Climate change adaptational deficiencies in developing countries: the care of subsaharan Africa. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 8, 29–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jallow, B.P., Toure, S., Barrow, M.M. and Mathieu, A.A.: 1999, ‘Coastal zone of the Gambia and the Abidjan region of Côte d’Ivoire: sea-level rise vulnerability, response strategies and adaptation options’, Climate Res. 12, 129–136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaczmarek, Z.: 1993, ‘Water balance model for climate impact analysis’, ACTA Geophys. Polonica 41, 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaoma, J., Nkomoki, J. and Mulenga, P.: 1997, Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment, Environmental Council of Zambia.

  • Kariuki, J.G., Omenda, T.O., Oballa, P.O. and Kamweti, D.M.: 1997, Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Forests in Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya, Ministry of Research, Technical Training and Technology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leatherman, S.P., Nicholls, R.J. and Dennis, K.C.: 1995, ‘Aerial videotape-assisted vulnerability analysis: a cost effective approach to assess sea-level rise impacts’, J. Coast. Res. 14, 15–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leggett, J., Pepper, W.J. and Stewart, R.J.: 1992, ‘Emissions scenarios for IPCC: an update’, in J.T. Houghton, B.A. Callander and S.K. Varney (eds.), Climate Change 1992 - The Supplementary Report to the IPCC Scientific Assessment, Cambridge, UK, Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Makadho, J.M.: 1996, ‘Potential effects of climate change on corn production in Zimbabwe’, Climate Res. 12, 147–151.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manabe, S., Stouffer, R.J., Spelman, M.J. and Bryan, K.: 1991, ‘Transient responses of a coupled ocean-atmosphere model to gradual changes of atmospheric CO2. Part 1: Annual Mean Response’, J. Climate Change 4, 785–818.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mararira, C.H. and Mwamuka, F.C.: 1996, ‘Vulnerability of Zimbabwe forests to global climate change’, Climate Res. 12, 135–136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Markham, A.: 1996, ‘Potential impacts of climate change on ecosystems: a review of implications for policymakers and conservation biologists’, Climate Res. 12, 179–191.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mati, B.M. and Karanja, F.K.: 1997, ‘Sensitivity of maize growing zones to climate change: The effect of climate change on maize production trends in zones III-IV of Kenya’, Kenya Country Study on Climate Change, Nairobi.

  • Mimura, N.: 1999, ‘National assessment results of climate change: impacts and responses’, Climate Res. 12, 77–230.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, J.F.B., Manabe, S., Tokioka, T. and Meleshko, V.: 1990, ‘Equilibrium change’, in Climate Change: The IPCC Scientific Assessment, Cambridge, UK, Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mkanda, F.X.: 1999, ‘Drought as an analogue climate change scenario for prediction of potential impacts of Malawi's wildlife habitats’, Climate Res. 12, 215–222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mutua, F.M.: 1996, Sensitivity of the Hydrologic Cycle in the Tana River Basin Due to Climate Change, Nairobi, Department of Meteorology, University of Nairobi.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mwandosya, M.J., Makundi, W.R., Meyers, S.P. and Wiel, S. (eds.): 1996, ‘Greenhouse gas mitigation for African countries’, Envir. Prof. 18, 1–134.

  • Neilson, Ronald P., Smith, B., Kittel, T. and Viner, D.: 1998, ‘Simulated changes in vegetation distribution under global warming. Appendix C’, in R.T. Watson, M.C. Zinyomera, and R.H. Moss (eds.), the Regional Impacts of Climate Change: An Assessment of Vulnerability, Cambridge, UK, Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patz, J.A. and Balbus, J.M.: 1996, ‘Methods for assessing public health vulnerability to global climate change’, Climate Res. 12, 113–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenzweig, C. and Parry, M.L.: 1994, ‘Potential impact of climate change on world food supply’, Nature 367, 133–138.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanchez, P.A. and Benites, J.R.: 1987, ‘Low-input cropping for acid soils of the humid tropics’, Science 238, 1,521–1,527.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schlesinger, M.E. and Zhao, Z.C.: 1989, ‘Seasonal climatic changes induced by double CO2 as simulated by the OSU atmospheric GCM/mixed-layer ocean model’, J. Climate 2, 459–495.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J.B. and Lenhart, S.S.: 1996, ‘Climate change adaptation policy options’, Climate Res. 12, 193–201.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J.B., Huq, S., Lenhart, S., Mata, L.J., Nemesova, I. and Toure, S.: 1996a, Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change: Interim Results from the US Country Studies Programme, Dordrecht, Kluwer Academic Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, J.B., Bhatti, N., Menzhulin, G., Benioff, R., Campos, M., Jallow, B., Rijsberman, F., Budyko, M.I. and Dixon, R.K. (eds.).: 1996b, Adapting to Climate Change: An International Perspective, New York, USA, Springer-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strzepek, K.M. and Kaczmarek, Z. (eds.): 1996, ‘Water resources vulnerability and adaptation to climate change: the US Country Studies Programme’, Int. J. Water Res. Devel. 12, 109–229.

  • Strzepek, K.M., Yates, D.N. and El Quosoy, D.E.: 1996, ‘Vulnerability assessment of water resources in Egypt to climatic change in the Nile Basin’, Climate Res. 6, 89–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Unruh, J.D., Houghton, R.A. and Lefebvre, P.A.: 1993, ‘Carbon storage in agroforestry: an estimate for Sub-Saharan Africa’, Climate Res. 3, 39–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNFCCC, 1992, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Geneva, Switzerland, United Nations.

  • Watson, R.T., Zinyowera, M.C., Moss, R.H. (eds.): 1998, The Regional Impacts of Climate Change: An Assessment of Vulnerability, Cambridge, UK, Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, R.T., Zinyowera, M.C., Moss, R.H. and Dokken, D.J.: 1997, The Regional Impacts of Climate Change: an Assessment of Vulnerability, Summary for Policy Makers, Nairobi, Kenya, UNEP.

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson, R.T., Zinyowera, M.C. and Moss, R.H. (eds.): 1996, Climate Change 1995: The IPCC Second Assessment Report: Scientific-Technical Analyses of Impacts, Adaptations, and Mitigation of Climate Change, Cambridge, UK, Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wetherald, R.T. and Manabe, S.: 1988, ‘Cloud feedback processes in a general circulation model’, J. Atm. Sci. 45, 1,397–1,415.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, C.A. and Mitchell, J.F.B.: 1987, ‘A doubled CO2 climate sensitivity experiment with a global climate model including a simple ocean’, J. Geophys. Res. 92, 13,315–13,343.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yates, D.N.: 1996, ‘WATBAL: An integrated water balance model for climate impact assessment of river basin run-off’, Water Res. Devel. 12, 121–139.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. US Department of Energy, Office of Power Technologies, Washington, DC

    Robert K. Dixon

  2. Stratus Consulting Inc., Boulder, Colorado

    Joel Smith

  3. US Department of Energy, US Country Studies Programme, Washington, DC

    Sandra Guill

Authors
  1. Robert K. Dixon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Joel Smith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sandra Guill
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dixon, R.K., Smith, J. & Guill, S. Life on the Edge: Vulnerability and Adaptation of African Ecosystems to Global Climate Change. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 8, 93–113 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026001626076

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026001626076

Search

Navigation