The Impact of Climate Change on Human Population and Environmental Health in Sub-Saharan Africa

Climate change is already a reality in Africa, this relates to aspects of climatic changes within the continent. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports that surface temperatures have increased over Africa since the late 19th century to the early 21st century by about 0.5 °C while observed precipitation trends indicate spatial and temporal discrepancies invariability among regions (1). Africa is among the most vulnerable continents to climate change, due to a range of factors that includes weak adaptive capacity, high dependence on ecosystem for livelihoods and crude agricultural production system (4). This climate change poses a great risk to the sustainability of various sectors which include: human population, population distribution and settlement, health, water quality and supply, agriculture and our ecosystems biodiversity with severe consequence on lives and sustainable development prospects in Africa. In order to contain this risk very well, it requires the combination of mitigation and adaptation strategies in the handling of ecosystem goods and services, and the agriculture production systems in Africa (19).

Climate change refers to any significant deviation from the measures of climate lasting for along period of time. Climate change therefore includes prominent changes in temperature, precipitation, or wind patterns, etc, that occur over avery long period. While global warming an offshoot of climate change refers to the recent and ongoing rise in global average temperature near earth'ssurface. It is as a result of increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), Ozone (O3), and Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)) in the atmosphere. Global warming is causing climate patterns to change. Human beings are largely responsible for recent climate change.Over the years, large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases have been released into the atmosphere through burning of fossil fuels to produce energy, deforestation and industrial processes. Consequently, the buildup of greenhouse gases has triggered a change in earth'sclimate resulting in dangerous effects to human health, water supplies, agriculture, power and transportation systems and ecosystems. TABLE 1 PROJECTED CLIMATE CHANGES IN AFRICA Change Region Average conditions Entire continent (median projected increase in annual average temperature: 3 to 4 °C Temperature increase (end of century to present)

Decrease in rainfall West coast of Africa as far south as 15° N Southern Africa Increase in rainfall Northern parts of East Africa Uncertain projections for Sahel (already high variability) Guinean coast Southern Sahara rainfall Sea level rise Low lying islands and coastal zones Delta regions Extremes Increase in intense Entire continent (this applies also in regions of mean precipitation events drying because there is a proportionally larger decrease in the number of rain days) Cyclones Uncertain — changes in magnitude and frequency, and shifts in cyclone tracks possible Source [12]

The earth is warming. According to Global Change Programme (14), there has been an increase by 1.50F in earth'saverage temperature over the past century, and will likely by another 0.5 to 8.6°F in hundred years to come. These minute changes in the average temperature of the planet can translate to mighty and potentially dangerous shifts in climate and weather. Increasing global temperatures have caused lots of changes in weather and climate. There have been changes in rainfall pattern in many parts of the world, resulting in increased frequency and intensity of floods and droughts, as well as more frequent and severe heat waves. Also, oceans and glaciers are warming and becoming more acidic, icecaps are melting, and sea levels are rising. These and other changes present challenges to our society and our environment.