Africa is already experiencing the impact of climate change. Some of the manifestations of climate change in Africa are, changing weather patterns resulting in, flooding and drought. Temperature change has impacted health, livelihoods, productivity of food, availability of water, and state of security. This study examines the long-term climate variations in Central African Countries (Gabon, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Central Africa Republic, Chad and Democratic Republic of Congo) for the period 1901 to 2015, and then investigates the possible influence of increases in greenhouse gas concentrations. To investigate climate patterns and trends in the Central African Countries, precipitation and temperature were analyzed on annual time scales using data collected from the World Bank Group Climate Change Knowledge Portal. Data was further aggregated using annual average blocks of 10 years. Linear and polynomial regression was performed. Also, linear time series slopes were analyzed to investigate the spatial and temporal trends of climate variability in Central African countries. Results of the analyses indicated that the mean annual temperature and precipitation records in some of the Central African Countries had both warming and cooling trends over the study period from 1901 to 2015. For example, differences between the maximum and the minimum rainfall data for Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon and Gabon were 13 mm, 13 mm and 11.1 mm, which corresponded to 11.04%, 10.03% and 10.44% respectively. The study also found the temperature of Chad to have significantly risen from 1901 to 2015 by almost 20%, while its rainfall’s variation was limited. Although the variation in rainfall in Chad was not dramatic, the temperature per 10 year rose by almost 20%. Chad’s temperature rose according to a cubic model from about 24.5°C to just below 27°C during the period 1901-1940. This was followed by a brief drop between 1940 and 1960. From 1960 to 2015 it rose according to the model to almost 28°C. By 2040 the temperature is expected to reach about 29.5°C if this trend continues. Gabon was found to be the wettest country in Central Africa. Between 1901 and 1960, its average rainfall rose from about 144 mm to a maximum of approximately 160 mm. It had a general
References
[1]
IPCC 2007 Climate Change (2007) Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Working Group II Contribution to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Fourth Assessment Report, Summary for Policymakers, 23.
[2]
Malcolm, J.R. and Pitelka, L.F. (2000) Ecosystems and Global Climate Change: A Review of Potential Impacts on U.S. Terrestrial Ecosystems and Biodiversity. Prepared for the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. 47 p. https://www.c2es.org/site/assets/uploads/2001/12/env_ecosystems.pdf
[3]
Lean, J.L. and Rind, D.H. (2008) How Natural and Anthropogenic Influences Alter Global and Regional Surface Temperatures: 1889 to 2006. Geophysical Research Letters, 35, L18701. https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL034864
[4]
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (2019) Climate Change and Land. An IPCC Special Report on Climate Change, Desertification, Land Degradation, Sustainable Land Management, Food Security, and Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in Terrestrial Ecosystems. 43 p. https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2019/08/4.-SPM_ Approved_Microsite_FINAL.pdf
[5]
Oppenheimer, M., Glavovic, B.C., Hinkel, J., van de Wal, R., Magnan, A.K., Abd-Elgawad, A., Cai, R., Cifuentes-Jara, M., DeConto, R.M., Ghosh, T., Hay, J., Isla, F., Marzeion, B., Meyssignac, B. and Sebesvari, Z. (2019) Sea Level Rise and Implications for Low-Lying Islands, Coasts and Communities. In: Pörtner, H.-O., Roberts, D.C., Masson-Delmotte, V., Zhai, P., Tignor, M., Poloczanska, E., Mintenbeck, K., Alegría, A., Nicolai, M., Okem, A., Petzold, J., Rama, B. and Weyer, N.M., Eds., IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, 126. (In Press) https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/sites/3/2019/11/08_SROCC_ Ch04_FINAL.pdf
[6]
European Commission (2020) Climate Change and Environmental Degradation. Knowledge for Policy, Foresight. https://ec.europa.eu/knowledge4policy/foresight/topic/ climate-change-environmental-degradation_en
[7]
Dai, A. (2013) Increasing Drought under Global Warming in Observations and Models. Nature Climate Change, 3, 52-58. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1633
[8]
Sweet, W.V., Kopp, R.E., Weaver, C.P., Obeysekera, T., Horton, R.M., Thieler, E.R. and Zervas, C. (2017) Global and Regional Sea Level Rise Scenarios for the United States. NOAA Technical Report NOS CO-OPS 083. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, Silver Spring, 75 p. https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/publications/techrpt83_Global_and_ Regional_SLR_Scenarios_for_the_US_final.pdf
[9]
Domingues, R., Goni, G., Baringer, M. and Volkov, D. (2018) What Caused the Accelerated Sea Level Changes along the U.S. East Coast during 2010-2015? Geophysical Research Letters, 45, 13,367-13,376. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL081183
[10]
Dunne, D. (2019) Climate Change’s Impact on Soil Moisture Could Push Land past “Tipping Point”. https://www.carbonbrief.org/climate-changes-impact-on-soil-moisture-could-push-land-past-tipping-point
[11]
Lindsey, R. (2019) Climate Change: Global Sea Level. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service, Silver Spring. https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-sea-level
[12]
Hausfather, Z. (2019) Explainer: How Climate Change Is Accelerating Sea Level Rise. https://www.carbonbrief.org/explainer-how-climate-change-is-accelerating-sea-level-rise
[13]
Brunetti, M., Maugeri, M. and Nanni, T. (2000) Variations of Temperature and Precipitation in Italy from 1866 to 1995. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 65, 165-174. https://doi.org/10.1007/s007040070041
[14]
Casty, C., Wanner, H., Luterbacher, J., Esperc, J. and Bohm (2005) Temperature and Precipitation Variability in the European Alps since 1500. International Journal of Climatology, 25, 1855-1880. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.1216
[15]
Issahaku, A., Campion, B.B. and Edziyie, R. (2016) Rainfall and Temperature Changes and Variability in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Earth and Space Science, 3, 284-294. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016EA000161
[16]
Toros, H., Abbasnia, M., Sagdic, M. and Tayan, M. (2017) Long-Term Variations of Temperature and Precipitation in the Megacity of Istanbul for the Development of Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change. Advances in Meteorology, 2017, Article ID: 6519856. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/6519856
[17]
Fessehaye, M., Brugnara, Y., Savage, M.J. and Brönnimann, S. (2019) A Note on Air Temperature and Precipitation Variability and Extremes over Asmara: 1914-2015. International Journal of Climatology, 39, 5215-5227. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.6134
[18]
Rosenbluth, B., Fuenzalida, H.A. and Aceituno, P. (1997) Recent Temperature Variations in Southern South America. International Journal of Climatology, 17, 67-85. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-0088(199701)17:1<67::AID-JOC120>3.0.CO;2-G
[19]
Whitfield, P.H., Bodtker, K. and Cannon, A.J. (2002) Recent Variations in Seasonality of Temperature and Precipitation in Canada, 1976-95. International Journal of Climatology, 22, 1617-1644. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.813
[20]
Mahmood, R., Pielke Sr., R.A., Hubbard, G., Niyogi, D., Dirmeyer, P.A., McAlpine, C., Carleton, A.M., Hale, R., Gameda, S., Beltran-Przekurat, A., Baker, B., McNider, R., Legates, D.R., Shepherd, M., Du, J., Blanken, P.D., Frauenfeld, O.W., Nair, U.S. and Fall, S. (2014) Land Cover Changes and Their Biogeophysical Effects on Climate. International Journal of Climatology, 34, 929-953. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.3736
[21]
Singh, O., Arya, P. and Chaudhary, B.S. (2013) On Rising Temperature Trends at Dehradun in Doon Valley of Uttarakhand, India. Journal of Earth System Science, 122, 613-622. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-013-0304-0
[22]
Modarres, R. and da Silva, V.P. (2007) Rainfall Trends in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions of Iran. Journal of Arid Environments, 70, 344-355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2006.12.024
[23]
Abernethy, K., Maisels, F. and White, L.J.T. (2016) Environmental Issues in Central Africa. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 41, 1-33. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-110615-085415
[24]
The World Bank Group (2020) Climate Change Knowledge Portal for Development Practitioners and Policy Makers. https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org
[25]
Mahmood, R. and Jia, S. (2018) Analysis of Causes of Decreasing Inflow to the Lake Chad Due to Climate Variability and Human Activities. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 1-42. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2018-139
[26]
Gbetnkom, D. (2005) Deforestation in Cameroon: Immediate Causes and Consequences. Environment and Development Economics, 10, 557-572. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355770X05002330
[27]
Filbin, G. (1997) Community-Based Environmental Protection: A Resource Book for Protecting Ecosystems and Communities. EPA 230-B-96-003. Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington DC.
[28]
Olanipekun, I.O., Olasehinde-Williams, G.O. and Alao, R.O. (2019) Agriculture and Environmental Degradation in Africa: The Role of Income. Science of the Total Environment, 692, 60-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.129
[29]
Twumasi, Y.A. (2005) Park Management in Ghana Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing Technology. Edwin Mellen Press, New York. http://mellenpress.com/book/Park-Management-in-Ghana-Using-Geographic-Information-Systems-GIS-and-Remote-Sensing-Technology/6448
[30]
Twumasi, Y.A., Merem, E.C., Ayala-Silva, T., Osei, A., Petja, B.M. and Alexander, K. (2017) Techniques of Remote Sensing and GIS as Tools for Visualizing Impact of Climate Change-Induced Flood in Southern African Region. American Journal of Climate Change, 6, 306-327. https://doi.org/10.4236/ajcc.2017.62016
