AVOIDING DANGEROUS CLIMATE CHANGE A Scientific Symposium on Stabilization of Greenhouse Gases,

Global warming is already happening, with its impact being felt most by the world’s poorest people, particularly those in Africa. Climate data for Africa for the last 30–40 years shows global warming has taken a firm hold. If current trends continue, climate models predict that by 2050 Sub-Saharan Africa will be warmer by 0.5°C to 2°C and drier, with 10 per cent less rainfall in the interior and with water loss exacerbated by higher evaporation rates. There will be more extreme events such as drought and floods, and the seasonal patterns will shift. Food production, water supplies, public health, and people’s livelihoods are all being damaged and undermined. While Africa is highly vulnerable to climate change, the continent’s vulnerability is not caused only by climate change but by a combination of several other stresses that characterise the continent, which all contribute to the weak adaptive capacity of the continent. Although climate change seems marginal compared to the pressing issues of poverty alleviation, hunger, health, economic development and energy needs, it is becoming increasingly clear that realisation of the Millennium Development Goals can be seriously hampered by climat