A science-based world map depicting the local and regional consequences of global climate change. The map was produced as a collaborative project by several environmental organizations, and has been peer-reviewed by scientists.
The African continent is a rich mosaic of ecosystems, ranging from the snow and ice fields of Kilimanjaro to tropical rainforests to the Saharan desert.
Although it has the lowest per capita fossil energy use of any major world region, Africa may be the most vulnerable continent to climate change because widespread poverty limits countries capabilities to adapt.
Signs of a changing climate in Africa have already emerged: spreading disease and melting glaciers in the mountains, warming temperatures in drought-prone areas, and sea-level rise and coral bleaching along the coastlines.
Fingerprints: Direct manifestations of a widespread and long-term trend toward warmer global temperatures
The African continent is a rich mosaic of ecosystems, ranging from the snow and ice fields of Kilimanjaro to tropical rainforests to the Saharan desert.
Although it has the lowest per capita fossil energy use of any major world region, Africa may be the most vulnerable continent to climate change because widespread poverty limits countries capabilities to adapt.
Signs of a changing climate in Africa have already emerged: spreading disease and melting glaciers in the mountains, warming temperatures in drought-prone areas, and sea-level rise and coral bleaching along the coastlines.
Fingerprints: Direct manifestations of a widespread and long-term trend toward warmer global temperatures
3. Cairo, Egypt -- Warmest August on record, 1998. Temperatures reached 105.8°
F (41°C) on August 6, 1998.
5. Southern Africa -- Warmest and driest decade on record, 1985-1995. Average temperature increased almost 1°F (0.56°C) over the past century.
41. Senegal -- Sea-level rise; Sea-level rise is causing the loss of coastal land at Rufisque, on the South Coast of Senegal.
61. Kenya -- Mt. Kenya's largest glacier disappearing. 92 percent of the Lewis Glacier has melted in the past 100 years.
121. World Ocean - Warming water. The world ocean has experienced a net warming of 0.11°F (0.06°C) from the sea surface to a depth of 10,000 feet (3000 m) over the past 35-45 years. More than half of the increase in heat content has occurred in the upper 1000 feet (300 m), which has warmed by 0.56°F (0.31°C). Warming is occurring in all ocean basins and at much deeper depths than previously thought. These findings lend support to the hypothesis that the oceans are taking up excess heat as the atmosphere warms, and would account for the apparent discrepancy in the magnitude of the observed atmospheric warming as compared to climate model predictions.
133. Mount Kilmanjaro, Tanzania - Ice projected to disappear by 2020. 82% of Kilimanjaro's ice has disappeared since 1912, with about one-third melting in just the last dozen years. At this rate, all of the ice will be gone in about 15 years. Scientists hypothesize that less snow on the mountain during the rainy season decreases the surface reflectiveness, leading to higher rates of absorption of heat and increased ice melt.
134. Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda - Disappearing glaciers. Since the 1990s, glacier area has decreased by about 75%. The continent of Africa warmed by 0.9°F (0.5°C) during the past century, and the five warmest years in Africa have all occurred since 1988.
Harbingers: Events that foreshadow the types of impacts likely to become more frequent and widespread with continued warming.
F (41°C) on August 6, 1998.
5. Southern Africa -- Warmest and driest decade on record, 1985-1995. Average temperature increased almost 1°F (0.56°C) over the past century.
41. Senegal -- Sea-level rise; Sea-level rise is causing the loss of coastal land at Rufisque, on the South Coast of Senegal.
61. Kenya -- Mt. Kenya's largest glacier disappearing. 92 percent of the Lewis Glacier has melted in the past 100 years.
121. World Ocean - Warming water. The world ocean has experienced a net warming of 0.11°F (0.06°C) from the sea surface to a depth of 10,000 feet (3000 m) over the past 35-45 years. More than half of the increase in heat content has occurred in the upper 1000 feet (300 m), which has warmed by 0.56°F (0.31°C). Warming is occurring in all ocean basins and at much deeper depths than previously thought. These findings lend support to the hypothesis that the oceans are taking up excess heat as the atmosphere warms, and would account for the apparent discrepancy in the magnitude of the observed atmospheric warming as compared to climate model predictions.
133. Mount Kilmanjaro, Tanzania - Ice projected to disappear by 2020. 82% of Kilimanjaro's ice has disappeared since 1912, with about one-third melting in just the last dozen years. At this rate, all of the ice will be gone in about 15 years. Scientists hypothesize that less snow on the mountain during the rainy season decreases the surface reflectiveness, leading to higher rates of absorption of heat and increased ice melt.
134. Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda - Disappearing glaciers. Since the 1990s, glacier area has decreased by about 75%. The continent of Africa warmed by 0.9°F (0.5°C) during the past century, and the five warmest years in Africa have all occurred since 1988.
Harbingers: Events that foreshadow the types of impacts likely to become more frequent and widespread with continued warming.
14. Kenya -- Deadly malaria outbreak, summer, 1997. Hundreds of people died from malaria in the Kenyan highlands where the population had previously been unexposed.
17. Tanzania -- Malaria expands in mountains. Higher annual temperatures in the Usamabara Mountains have been linked to expanding malaria transmission.
51. Indian Ocean -- Coral Reef Bleaching (includes Seychelles; Kenya; Reunion; Mauritius; Somalia; Madagascar; Maldives; Indonesia; Sri Lanka; Gulf of Thailand [Siam]; Andaman Islands; Malaysia; Oman; India; and Cambodia).
52. Persian Gulf -- Coral reef bleaching.
57. Seychelles Islands -- Coral reef bleaching.
151. Kenya - Worst drought in 60 years, 2001. Over four million people were affected by a severely reduced harvest, weakened livestock, and poor sanitary conditions.
154. Lake Chad - Disappearing Lake. The surface area of the lake has decreased from 9,650 square miles (25,000 km2) in 1963 to 521 (1,350 km2) today. Modeling studies indicate the severe reduction results from a combination of reduced rainfall and increased demand for water for agricultural irrigation and other human needs.
156. South Africa - Burning shores, January 2000. One of the driest Decembers on record and temperatures over 104°F (40°C) fueled extensive fires along the coast in the Western Cape Province. The intensity of the fires was exacerbated by the presence of invasive vegetation species, some of which give off 300% more heat when burned compared to natural vegetation.
© Environmental Defense, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Union of Concerned Scientists U.S. Public Interest Research Group, World Resources Institute, World Wildlife Fund
17. Tanzania -- Malaria expands in mountains. Higher annual temperatures in the Usamabara Mountains have been linked to expanding malaria transmission.
51. Indian Ocean -- Coral Reef Bleaching (includes Seychelles; Kenya; Reunion; Mauritius; Somalia; Madagascar; Maldives; Indonesia; Sri Lanka; Gulf of Thailand [Siam]; Andaman Islands; Malaysia; Oman; India; and Cambodia).
52. Persian Gulf -- Coral reef bleaching.
57. Seychelles Islands -- Coral reef bleaching.
151. Kenya - Worst drought in 60 years, 2001. Over four million people were affected by a severely reduced harvest, weakened livestock, and poor sanitary conditions.
154. Lake Chad - Disappearing Lake. The surface area of the lake has decreased from 9,650 square miles (25,000 km2) in 1963 to 521 (1,350 km2) today. Modeling studies indicate the severe reduction results from a combination of reduced rainfall and increased demand for water for agricultural irrigation and other human needs.
156. South Africa - Burning shores, January 2000. One of the driest Decembers on record and temperatures over 104°F (40°C) fueled extensive fires along the coast in the Western Cape Province. The intensity of the fires was exacerbated by the presence of invasive vegetation species, some of which give off 300% more heat when burned compared to natural vegetation.
© Environmental Defense, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Union of Concerned Scientists U.S. Public Interest Research Group, World Resources Institute, World Wildlife Fund
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