Climate Change In Africa Case Study

Introduction

Climate change is a relatively new phenomenon in regards to its relevance towards the human population. This is because over the last several decades, negative consequences of climate change are just now starting to infringe upon the human life. Africa, a country made up of mostly periphery countries due to their topography and climate, experiences tremendous amounts of setbacks due to climate change. Therefore, this research will be centered on the consequences humans may face in Africa due to climate change and possible recommendations to combat this phenomenon. Africa is only second to Asia in landmass between all of the continents; therefore the research will be broken down into the different geographic locations of Africa

This disease has been affecting Africa for countless decades and the impact of climate change has intensified malaria’s outbreak. Warm and humid weather conditions that persist throughout the year such as those around tropical lowlands are suitable for water-associated diseases such as malaria (Ermert, Fink, Morse & Paeth, 2012). A study done by Ermert el. al. (2012) used regional climate models to produce an integrated weather–disease model to foresee future malaria outbreaks. The study concluded that in formally epidemic-prone areas there was a substantial growth (Ermert el. al., 2012). As a result, the spread of malaria showed an increase in highland territories and in arid and semiarid areas of East Africa. The Ethiopian Highlands, Eastern Arc Mountains, and parts of the Western Rift Valley saw the largest outbreak of mosquitos carrying malaria due to its change in future weather conditions (Higgings, Scheiter, 2012). The study leads to a notable prolongation of malaria transmission and an earlier start and later end of the season in the above areas and even more alarming is the case to the Sahel (Ermert el. al.,

Combining the large amount of people mobilizing to the Sahel for development and its increase of temperature and humidity within the atmosphere, the lack of exposure the Sahel has to the disease serves well to a future outbreak (Ermert el. al., 2012). This coincides with what the World Health Organization has said, stating, “Malaria epidemics can occur when climate and other conditions suddenly favor transmission in areas where people have little or no immunity to malaria” (World Health Organization, 2014). Therefore, if the study done by Ermert el. al. (2014) stays true to its predications, the Sahel region may experience a great deal of infection. Image 1 below shows the integrated weather-disease model of infectious bites per human per year that Ermert el. al. (2012) makes using regional climate models. The Sahel begins to show a large amount of malaria cases throughout the region. Consequently, this only increases the needs states have for possible recommendations that may combat this phenomenon of climate