Chapter 2: State and Trends
(internal) variability (Barkhordarian et al. 2012a). During the warm seasons (March-April-May, June-July-August) an increase in near-surface temperature is shown over northern Algeria and Morocco that is very unlikely to be due to natural variability or natural forces (Barkhordarian et al. 2012b). The region has also experienced positive trends in annual minimum and maximum temperature (Vizy and Cook 2012).
Over West Africa and the Sahel, near-surface temperatures have increased over the past 50 years. The number of cold days and cold nights have decreased and the number of warm days and warm nights have increased between 1961 and 2000. Collins (2011) noted there was significant warming of between 0.5°C and 0.8°C between 1970 and 2010 over the region.
Most of southern Africa has experienced upward trends in annual mean, maximum, and minimum temperatures over large extents of the sub-region during the second half of the 20th century, with the most significant warming occurring during the period 1990-2010 (Kruger and Sekele 2012; Collins 2011; Zhou et al. 2010). Minimum temperatures have increased more rapidly than maximum temperatures over inland southern Africa (New et al. 2006).
The equatorial and southern parts of eastern Africa have experienced a significant increase in temperature since the early 1980s (Anyah and Qiu 2012). Similarly, recent reports indicate that there has been an increase in seasonal mean temperatures in many areas of Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, and Uganda over the past 50 years (Funk et al. 2012). In addition, warming of the near surface temperature and an increase in the frequency of extreme warm events has been observed for countries bordering the western Indian Ocean between 1961 and 2008 (Vincent et al. 2011).
2.1.6 Achieving Global Environmental Goals for Air
Africa’s air quality efforts continue to be focused around reducing air pollution in the face of expected increases in air pollution levels due to increased urbanization, motorization, industrial activity and dust storms (UNEP 2013). Selected
Global Environmental Goals (GEGs) aimed at reducing air pollution and improving air quality include:
• • • •
reducing greenhouse gas emissions and associated climate change (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), 1994); controlling and eventually
reducing respiratory diseases and other health impacts by phasing out of lead in gasoline (Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, 2002);
reducing the dependence on solid fuels for cooking and heating by providing affordable energy (Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, 2002);
• developing and applying pollution control and measurement activities and monitoring transboundary air pollution (Agenda 21, 1992);
• cooperating at international, regional and national levels to reduce air pollution (Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, 2002); and
• prohibiting and eventually eliminating the production, use,
import and export of intentionally and
unintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants (POPs) (Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), 2004) (More...4).
While Africa does not make a significant contribution to global warming, the continent is the most severely affected by the impacts of climate change as most African economies rely heavily on climate sensitive economic sectors that are exposed to climate variability, droughts and floods (AMCEN 2015). In response to this challenge, the African Union established a Committee of the African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change with the aim to ensure that Africa adapts and participates effectively in global efforts to mitigate climate change without compromising the continent’s development agenda.
A High Level Framework Work Programme on Climate Change in Africa has been adopted as a guide to the AU, Member States and Regional Economic Communities in
33
eliminating total global
emissions of substances that deplete the ozone layer (Montreal Protocol, 1989 with 8 subsequent revisions);
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212 |
Page 213 |
Page 214 |
Page 215