Africa: Facing Greatest Catastrophe in History

A second analysis in two days outlines how climate change will cause “the greatest catastrophe in human history” in Africa. Yesterday, Christian Aid predicted that 182 million will die because of climate change by the end of the century.

Now evidence submitted to the official report that is being prepared for Tony Blair and Gordon Brown into the economic impact of climate change adds weight to the looming disaster awaiting Africa.
Evidence given by the world-renowned Hadley Centre to the review by Sir Nick Stern, head of Government Economic Policy, predicts an average rise in global temperatures of between 2.4 to 5.4C. But for Africa temperature rises over many areas will be double the global average.

A draft of the report  says: “Under a high emissions scenario, global temperatures will rise by over 4C by the 2080s, but according to some models temperatures in Africa could rise by up to 7C in southern Africa and 8C in northern Africa – almost double the global average”.

Diseases such as malaria, dengue fever and cholera may increase as will desertification. As many as 67 million more people could be at risk of malaria epidemics by the 2080s. As a result, huge sections of the population may have to move. Or they will die.