Imogen Christen
Professor Kanarek
POPHLTH 471
2 May 2024
Assignment:
20% of your grade will be based on a 2000-4000 word paper due at midnight May 2. The paper should be based on an environmental event that occurred in 2023 or 2024 that is related to public health. You should make an effort to relate this current event to material that is covered in class. The topic could be something that interests you that you heard about in class and you want to explore further. There are thousands of potential topics. You should cite a minimum of 7 references including material from class, scientific or policy articles, and newspaper articles. You may write your assignment in a traditional research/analysis paper style or in another fashion, such as a play/script, original research analysis etc. – just so long as it meets the basic requirements outlined below. Plagiarism and the use of AI/chatGPT will not be tolerated. Please see the rubric for grading information.
Details:
• 2000-4000 words (excluding citations)
• Title
• At least 7 sources
• In text citations are utilized as well as a full citations page at end of paper (using any
citation style)
• Absolutely no plagiarism in any format
Climate Change: Droughts in Africa
I. Introduction
A. Background on droughts in Africa
Droughts have been occurring in Africa within the last few years and have been persisting more heavily in the last year or so. These droughts have heavily impacted the people, animals, and environment of Africa. These droughts have caused food scarcity, livestock losses, famine, lack of clean water, and much more. Droughts are not a new phenomenon in Africa however the recent droughts have intensified and it is all due to climate change. Climate change has made the droughts in Africa much stronger and more likely to occur.
B. Overview of climate change and its impact on weather patterns
Climate change, alternatively referred to as global warming, results from the convergence of numerous factors contributing to the observable shifts in recent years. Even though the terms global warming and climate change are used synonymously, they do not mean the same thing. “Climate change describes long-term shifts in the Earth’s weather patterns, which affect such factors as temperature, humidity, wind, cloud cover, and precipitation levels” (Gale, 2021). On the other hand, “global warming specifically refers to an increase in the Earth’s average surface temperatures caused by human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels” (Gale, 2021). Climate change occurs naturally due to Earth’s transformations, whilst global warming is attributed to human activities. The distinction between these two terms is important because one is natural while the other is causational. The actions of humans have accelerated climate change effects significantly. We are not only seeing this around the world but also in Africa with the droughts. Specifically, Gale declares, “in 2021 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) revealing how human activity has induced rapid climate change” (Gale, 2021). The report utilizes decades of research to substantiate that human-related activities, particularly the emission of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, are driving and exacerbating global warming and climate change. The report also notes that there has been an increase in weather-related disasters much like the droughts that are occurring in Africa. Earth’s atmosphere requires greenhouse gases to regulate the Earth’s temperature, but the magnitude of greenhouse gases that have been released has caused significant changes in temperature and weather patterns across the globe. According to Gale, “the 20 percent increase in the average global concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that occurred between 1980 and 2020 accounted for over half of the total increase since the Industrial Revolution began around 1750” (Gale, 2021). This increase is a major factor in temperature changes and weather-related disasters. With that being said,
C. Thesis statement: Climate change has exacerbated drought conditions in Africa, leading to severe socio-economic and environmental consequences.
II. Understanding Droughts
A. Definition and types of droughts – Droughts are prolonged periods of dryness caused by the weather cycle. They have considerable impacts on the affected areas’ environment, agriculture, health, and economy. There are four different types of droughts. They are meteorological, hydrological, agricultural, and socioeconomic. Africa experiences all four even at the same time. The natural occurrence of droughts in Africa is due to weather patterns such as La Nina and El Nino or regular climate variability. The human-induced factor is due to greenhouse gas emissions increasing the global temperature, altering precipitation patterns, and extreme weather events. With the combination of natural weather patterns and increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, these droughts have become much more severe and common.
B. Causes of droughts in Africa (natural and human-induced factors) –
C. Historical perspective on drought occurrences in Africa
III. Climate Change and its Impact on African Droughts
A. Evidence linking climate change to changing weather patterns in Africa
https://unfccc.int/news/climate-change-is-an-increasing-threat-to-africa#:~:text=Much%20of%20Africa%20has%20already,on%20Climate%20Change%20(IPCC%20).
B. Role of greenhouse gas emissions in global warming and climate change
C. Specific impacts of climate change on precipitation patterns, temperature, and humidity in Africa
D. Case studies highlighting regions in Africa affected by severe drought due to climate change
IV. Socio-Economic Consequences of Droughts in Africa
A. Food insecurity and famine
B. Impact on agriculture and rural livelihoods
C. Water scarcity and access to clean water
D. Health implications: malnutrition, disease outbreaks, and displacement
E. Economic losses and impact on national economies
V. Environmental Consequences of Droughts in Africa
A. Loss of biodiversity and ecosystem degradation
B. Desertification and land degradation
C. Impact on wildlife and natural habitats
D. Long-term implications for sustainable development
VI. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies
A. International efforts to mitigate climate change (e.g., Paris Agreement)
B. Adaptation strategies at local, national, and regional levels
C. Importance of community resilience and capacity-building
D. Sustainable water management practices and agricultural innovations
VII. Conclusion
A. Recap of key findings
B. Implications for policy-making and future research
C. Call to action for addressing climate change and reducing vulnerability to droughts in Africa.
