The double challenge of adapting to climate change while accelerating development in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Accelerating economic growth and social development is necessary to reduce the vulnerability and enhance the adaptive capacity of sub-Saharan Africa to cope with the consequences of predicted unfavorable future climate. This requires major investments and policy reforms to induce a needed radical transformation of the way development is currently pursued to a more climate-sensitive path of low carbon growth. Key gaps in the current knowledge base that call for major investments and urgent attention include the ability to forecast more robust local future climate and to account for the uncertainties associated with climate risks for ecosystems' functions and probable nonconvexities in future impacts to project more plausible scenarios for future development in sub-Saharan Africa and provide better information on the costs and benefits of potential actions to avert the negative consequences of climate change.

Socio-economic analysis of climate change impacts on foodgrain production in Indian states

“…However, this is in some measure an insufficient indicator as the consequences are likely to be influenced by the adaptive capacity of the population affected. Strengthening adaptive capacity is a dynamic process that is intricately linked to developmental programmes for rural areas (Hassan, 2010;Nielsen et al, 2012). Successful adaptation calls for improvements in access to health, education, and infrastructure on one hand, and access to technology for farmers on the other hand.…”

Development Challenges in the Age of Climate Change: The Case of Sidama

“…More recent research moved towards resilience and sustainable livelihoods (IISD, 2003) and mainstreaming adaption to development (Huq, et al, 2004;Pouliotte, 2009). In the case of SSA, it is argued that development and adaptation challenges are inseparable (Hassan, 2010).…”

“…Impacts are amplified for societies struggling to achieve poverty eradication and development (Adger, et al, 2003;Hope, 2009;Hassan, 2010).…”

Climate change, agriculture and economic effects on different regions of Brazil

“…Lobell et al (2008) and Brown and Funk (2008) analyzed the impacts on agricultural production worldwide, claiming that vulnerability in food security would increase. Ahmed et al (2009) analyzed the effects on agriculture in Tanzania, and Hassan (2010) has pointed out the difficulties for climate change policies implementation in Sub-Saharan countries.…”