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Adapting to climate change in Africa

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Abstract

The intersection of present vulnerability and the prospect of climate change in Africa warrants proactive action now to reduce the risk of large-scale, adverse impacts. The process of planning adaptive strategies requires a systematic evaluation of priorities and constraints, and the involvement of stakeholders. An overview of climate change in Africa and case studies of impacts for agriculture and water underlie discussion of a typology of adaptive responses that may be most effective for different stakeholders. The most effective strategies are likely to be to reduce present vulnerability and to enhance a broad spectrum of capacity in responding to environmental, resource and economic perturbations. In some cases, such as design of water systems, an added risk factor should be considered.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Change Unit, University of Oxford, U.K.

    Thomas E. Downing

  2. CICERO, Oslo, Norway

    Lasse Ringius

  3. Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia, Norwich, U.K.

    Mike Hulme

  4. Institute of Hydrology, Wallingford, U.K.

    Dominic Waughray

Authors
  1. Thomas E. Downing
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  2. Lasse Ringius
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  3. Mike Hulme
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  4. Dominic Waughray
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Downing, T.E., Ringius, L., Hulme, M. et al. Adapting to climate change in Africa. Mitig Adapt Strat Glob Change 2, 19–44 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02437055

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02437055

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