Africa and climate change: projecting vulnerability and adaptive capacity

To navigate future risks, African governments must harmonise development with climate change strategies.

Human activities have warmed the climate 1 °C above pre-industrial levels, triggering fundamental changes in the earth’s physical and social landscapes. Africa has contributed little to climate change, but is home to some of the world’s harshest climates and most vulnerable populations. To navigate the risks climate change poses to Africans over the coming decades, governments must prioritise human development and harmonise economic development with climate change adaptation strategies.

About the author

Lily Welborn is a researcher at the African Futures and Innovation Programme at the ISS in Pretoria, South Africa. She previously worked at the Frederick S Pardee Center as a research affiliate focussing on projects on organised crime, development trends and maintenance of the International Futures model. She has an MA in International Studies/Security from the Josef Korbel School at the University of Denver.

Picture: Ollivier Girard/CIFOR