The Fallout of Global Warming
The air is abnormally hot. The land is dry and cracked, just like your throat. Even if you wanted water or food, you wouldn’t be able to find any. Sometimes there’s thunderstorms, but when there is, there is usually a consequence that comes with it. This is what daily life is like for millions of people all across Africa.
Countries all across the globe contribute to global warming, including Africa, and everyone can feel the effects. Except, Africa only contributed 4% out of the world’s total to the entirety of global warming, yet they are the most vulnerable and unprepared to face climate change (Edem). As the issue of climate change becomes bigger and bigger, it is talking tolls on Africa’s environment, which sequentially affects the people of Africa.
Due to global warming, weather has been bad for growing crops, making Africa’s agricultural production worsen significantly (Edem). The IPCC reports that regions with large impoverished populations would face the brunt of the impact, which means that Africa is susceptible to floods, droughts, and other extreme weather (Africa). According to the IPCC reports, Africa has been warmed up by around 0.7 ℃ during the twentieth century (Africa). Currently, Africa has been stuck in a drought, leading to severe consequences regarding food security. More than 45 million people across Africa are starving, and many people are now relying on food aid in order to survive (McKenzie).
Not only has climate change caused millions of people to go hungry, it has also led to frequent occurrences of thunder and lightning in Africa (Lawal). Studies show that when temperature increases, thunderstorms become more frequent and more severe. The increase in thunder and lightning leads to economic damage and an increase in the number of fatalities. In Uganda, a strike of lightning hit a school, killing 20 children and injuring around 100 (Lawal). Africa is also more vulnerable to these natural disasters because they rely on agriculture for their economy. These farmers work in the open, making them a bigger target for storms and other natural disasters.
Starvation and bad weather aren’t the only consequences of climate change, and Africa is doing their best to battle against it. Thousands of organizations, individuals, and activists are meeting with leaders around the world in order to help fight against global warming. So far, most African countries have signed the 2016 Paris climate accord, more than 3,000 African businesses, leaders, and representatives have fathered for Africa Climate Week 2019, and more (Edem). By raising awareness, Africa hopes to fight the consequences of climate change and take measures to prevent their situation from getting worse.
Works Cited:
"Africa: Climate Change." Gale Global Issues Online Collection, Gale, 2019. Gale In Context:
Global Issues, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CP3208520147/GIC?u=los42754&sid=GIC&xid=13f423f6. Accessed 11 Mar. 2020.
Edem, Selormey E., and Logan Carolyn. “African Nations Are among Those Most Vulnerable to
Climate Change. A New Survey Suggests They Are Also the Least Prepared.” The Washington Post, 23 Sept. 2019. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/09/23/african-nations-are-among-those-most-vulnerable-climate-change-new-survey-suggests-they-are-also-least-prepared/.
“Environmental Sustainability.” Human Development Indicators, United Nations Development
Programme.
“Human Development Index, 2017.” The Human Development Index around the World, Our
World in Data.
Lawal, Shola. “Africa, a Thunder and Lightning Hot Spot, May See Even More Storms.” The
New York Times, 10 Feb. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/02/10/climate/lightning-africa-climate-change.html.
McKenzie, David, and Brent Swails. “'If the Climate Stays like This, We Won't Make It' Say
Those on the Frontline of Africa’s Drought.” CNN, 14 Dec. 2019, www.cnn.com/2019/12/14/africa/climate-change-southern-africa-intl/index.html.
This article was really informative and well-organized. I was surprised at the huge impact that choices made in countries like the US, such as driving instead of walking, can have on distance places like Africa. In your concluding paragraph, you said that "starvation and bad weather aren't the only consequences of climate change" - what are some of the other ramifications?
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your article and found it to be really interesting! I appreciate the way you wrote your hook! It's dramatic and leaves the audience to want to read more about it and how it is a problem for Africans because of climate change. I think the main takeaway of this article is that climate change is obviously a threat to the people of Africa and should be dealt with sooner. Do you know if there has been any actual progress made so far by activists, leaders, organizations, and such?
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize that climate change indirectly causes damage from thunderstorms. Thank you for bringing light to this issue. Do you know anything about flash floods in Africa? How are they impacted by climate change?
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your article (not only because I like environmental science) because of the hook and the way your article is organized. Do you think they'll manage to prevent their part of climate change?
ReplyDelete