Tropical Cyclones and Rising Seas: Climate Change Hazards in Coastal Sub-Saharan Africa

Climate change impacts are manifold and particularly severe for coastal regions in sub-Saharan Africa. The major concerns are biodiversity loss, coastal erosion, sea-level rise, changing rainfall patterns and more frequent extreme weather events (tropical cyclones or hurricanes, severe droughts etc.), which together impose significant threats to the people and economies of these regions. 1. Sea-level rise: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has pointed out that small island nations and low-lying coastal areas are particularly vulnerable to climate change (Nicholls, R.J., et al., 2014). Sea-level rise could inundate coastal lands, cause coastal erosion, and threaten vital infrastructure. It will also increase the risk of saltwater intrusion into freshwater resources (Dasgupta, S., et al., 2007). 2. Changing Rainfall Patterns: Global warming will likely alter precipitation patterns, leading to changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events (Trenberth, K.E., et al., 2007). These changes could result in more episodic and severe flooding in coastal regions, with potential harm to human life and infrastructure. 3. Stronger and more frequent extreme weather events: Unfortunately, warming ocean temperatures also work to increase the intensity, duration and frequency of tropical cyclones (Knutson, T.R., et al., 2010). One significant concern is that they would cause catastrophic wind damage and storm surge flooding, which can be devastating to coastal communities, particularly ones with inadequate building structures or poor preventative measures. 4. Drought: Contrarily, other areas may experience reduced rainfall, leading to prolonged periods of drought. Reduced freshwater availability can cause serious problems for both people and wildlife in affected regions. In coastal communities, drought can compound the impacts of sea level rise by exacerbating water scarcity issues (Nielsen and Moberg, 2019). To mitigate these risks, it's crucial to invest time, planning and resources into climate change adaptation strategies. Urban planning authorities should consider climate change impacts in their development planning processes and build resilient structures. Effective disaster management and warning systems are equally critical to provide protection during extreme weather events. References: 1. Nicholls, R.J., Hanson, S.E., Lowe, J.A., Warrick, R.A., Lu, X., Long, A.J. and Carter, T.R., 2014. Sea-level scenarios for evaluating coastal impacts. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 5(1), pp.129-150. 2. Dasgupta, S., Laplante, B., Meisner, C., Wheeler, D. and Yan, J., 2007. The impact of sea level rise on developing countries: a comparative analysis. Climatic change, 93(3-4), pp.379-388. 3. Trenberth, K.E., Dai, A., Rasmussen, R.M. and Parsons, D.B., 2003. The changing character of precipitation. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 84(9), pp.1205-1218. 4. Knutson, T.R., McBride, J.L., Chan, J., Emanuel, K., Holland, G., Landsea, C., Held, I., Kossin, J.P., Srivastava, A.K. and Sugi, M., 2010. Tropical cyclones and climate change. Nature geoscience, 3(3), p.157. 5. Nielsen, K. and Moberg, J.P., 2019. Are we ready for climate change? Evidence from a global cross-sectional survey. Environmental and Resource Economics, 73(2), pp.557-585.