Slight Climate Change Could Have Devastating Effects on Africa

Africa could face damaging effects if the average temperature increases by more than 2°C, said South African Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk in his speech at Kirstenbosch on Monday.

His words echoed sentiments based on the recently issued fourth assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in June. The report stated that “projected reductions in yield in some countries could be as much as 50% by 2020, and crop net revenues could fall by as much as 90% by 2100,” mostly affecting small-scale farmers.

The risk of rapid water depletion, increased populations, and ruined ecosystems in Africa could signal more environmental refugees and cause further conflict across the continent. Van Schalkwyk called for immediate action to be set forth among top global leaders.

“It will be a failure of this generation of leaders if any developed country shirks its responsibility for the problem. The next 18 months will show whether world leaders, in particular the largest historical polluter – the US – are ready to rise to this challenge,” said Van Schalkwyk.