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Populations at risk

Populations at risk in Africa are currently dealing with issues such as poor health, poverty, high population growth, and a lack of access to the resources which would help them. The continent itself contributes very little to the overall percentage of greenhouse gas emissions of the world. In spite of this, many of its regions are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The issues already confronting many of Africa’s nations are set to become much worse.

Within different regions of the continent, both flooding and droughts are a threat to different populations at risk. Many of Africa’s coastal areas with lower elevations may face troubles related to rising water levels by the end of the 21st century. At the same time, it is projected that as many as 250 million people in Africa may be dealing with limited water supply by the year 2020.

The effect of climate change on vector-borne illnesses such as Malaria is also a serious matter for populations at risk. In the last fifty years, temperatures have increased in the East African highlands more than enough to double the amount of malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Dengue, cholera and Rift Valley fever are other diseases which may become more prevalent and spread to higher ground as a result of warming temperatures.