Climate change: regional impact
This is how climate change may affect the world's regions this century, as forecast in a .
The report is part of the fifth overview on global warming by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) since 1988.
The document identifies each region's key challenges; options for addressing them; and level of risk from warming of either 2 C (3.6 F) or 4 C (7.2 F) by 2100 compared to pre-industrial levels. This risk is calculated on the basis of present policies for adapting to climate change.
AFRICA
Challenge: Water stress
Risk: High at 2 C, very high at 4 C
Options: Smarter use of water resources
Challenge: Food shortages
Risk: Very high at 2 C and 4 C
Options: Stress-tolerant crops, help for small farmers
Challenge: Mosquito- and water-borne diseases
Risk: Very high at 2 C and 4 C
Option: Outbreak early-warning systems, improved sanitation
EUROPE
Challenge: Flooding in river basis and on coasts
Risk: Medium at 2 C, very high at 4 C
Options: Improve flood protection
Challenge: Water stress in dry regions
Risk: High at 2 C, very high at 4 C
Options: Reduce water waste, including through irrigation
Challenge: Heatwaves and air pollution affecting health
Risk: High at 2 C, very high at 4 C
Options: Reduce emissions to improve air quality and adapt homes and workplaces for heatwaves.
ASIA
Challenge: Flood damage to homes and infrastructure
Risk: High at 2 C, very high at 4 C
Options: More resilient buildings and "selective relocation"
Challenge: Deaths from extreme heat
Risk: Very high at 2 C and 4 C
Options: Strengthen health systems, improve city planning to reduce urban heat buildup
Challenge: Malnutrition caused by drought
Risk: Medium at 2 C, high at 4 C
Options: Beef up vigilance on food supplies, improve disaster preparedness
AUSTRALASIA
Challenge: Damage to coral reefs and, in Australia, animal and plant species loss
Risk: High at 2 C, very high at 4 C
Options: Reduce pressures on ecosystems from pollution, tourism and introduced species
Challenge: Flooding, and coastal infrastructure lost to rising seas
Risk: Medium at 2 C, very high at 4 C
Options: Smarter land use to reduce exposure to floods and coastal erosion.
NORTH AMERICA
Challenge: Wildfires for ecosystems and homes
Risk: Very high at 2 C and 4 C
Options: Improve fire prevention measures
Challenge: Deaths from heatwaves
Risk: High at 2 C, very high at 4 C
Options: Encourage residential air conditioning, build cooling centres for the vulnerable
Challenge: Property and infrastructure damage from extreme rainstorms
Risk: High at 2 C, very high at 4 C
Options: Install drainage systems that allow water runoff to recharge groundwater resources, easing flood risk
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
Challenge: Water stress in semi-arid areas that depend on glaciers for water supply
Risk: Very high at 2 C and 4 C
Options: Improve water supply and land use
Challenge: Flooding in urban areas from extreme rainfall
Risk: Very high at 2 C and 4 C
Options: Improve urban flood management, early-warning systems and weather alerts
Challenge: Decreased food production and food quality
Risk: Very high at 2 C and 4 C
Options: Develop drought-resistant crop strains
POLAR REGIONS
Challenge: Risk to ecosystems from changes to permafrost, snow and ice
Risk: High at 2 C , very high at 4C
Options: Enhanced monitoring of risk, hunt different species if possible
Challenge: Food insecurity and lack of reliable and safe drinking water
Risk: Very high at 2 C and 4 C
Options: Improve monitoring systems, shift resources, settle elsewhere
Challenge: Impact on Arctic communities if climate change happens very fast
Risk: Very high at 2 C and 4 C
Options: Improve communications, education and training, encourage co-management of ecosystem
SMALL ISLANDS
Challenge: Loss of homes, farmland, infrastructure and livelihoods from rising seas and storms
Risk: High at 2 C, very high at 4 C
Options: Boost coastal buffers and improve management of water and soil resources
Challenge: Loss of low-lying land in coastal areas from a combination of rising seas and storm surges
Risk: Very high at 2 C and 4 C
Options: Not constructing new buildings in areas at risk
OCEANS
Challenge: Decline in fish catches at low latitudes
Risk: Medium at 2 C, high at 4 C
Options: Flexible management reactive to stock variability, expanding aquaculture
Challenge: Biodiversity loss from heat-damaged coral reefs
Risk: Very high at 2 C and 4 C
Options: Reduce other human-induced stresses like pollution, tourism and fishing
Challenge: Damage to coastal ecosystems such as mangroves and sea grass from soil runoff from heavy rain and coastal erosion
Risk: High at 2 C, very high at 4 C
Options: Reduce soil runoff caused by deforestation
SOURCE: "Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability " (Summary for Policymakers)
© 2014 AFP
