Climate Change in Southern Africa

Zimbabwe is a warmer country at the beginning of the twenty-first century than it was at the beginning of the twentieth century. The annual-mean temperature has increased by about 0.4C since 1900, and the 1990s was the warmest of the twentieth century. This warming has been greatest during the dry season. During the wet season, day-time temperatures have warmed more than evening temperatures. There has been an overall decline of nearly 5 per cent in rainfall across Zimbabwe during the century, although there have also been substantial periods - for example, the 1920s, 1950s, 1970s - that have been much wetter than average. The early 1990s witnessed probably the driest period for the century, a drought almost certainly related to the prolonged El Niño conditions that prevailed during these years in the Pacific Ocean.

Botswana is affected by the changes in global climate as evidenced by extreme temperatures, recurrent droughts, floods, severe thunderstorms and strong winds. Prolonged droughts slowed down the country's construction industry and impacted negatively on food security. As global warming pushes temperatures up and droughts become more intense, the production of maize, southern Africa's staple food, could drop by as much as 30 percent in another two decades [Stanford University].

Namibia is extremely vulnerable to climate change and faces a range of serious threats [UN Climate Change report]. The report predicts "extreme" impacts on the water sector and human development in the country. Climate change is also predicted to impact fish stocks and agriculture. Combined, these threats to food security and the economy raise the prospect of social conflict and displacement. Malaria, malnutrition, diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections are all predicted to increase in Namibia as a consequence of climate change. Namibia’s agricultural production could drop by 13 per cent because of climate change [recent study by the University of Namibia].

In Zambia, climate change is the major cause of natural disasters that has hit most parts of the country particularly in the last rainy season. Floods have left a trail of destruction that destroyed crops and infrastructure in the region.