Vital Graphics
In order to inform environmental and development policy-making processes, UNEP keeps under review the state of the world environment.
Vital Climate Graphics Africa
The latest report (Third Assessment Report) of the UNEP/WMO Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) notes a warming of approximately 0.7°C over most of the African continent during the 20th century based on historical records. While the exact nature of the changes in temperature or precipitation, and extreme events are not known, there is general agreement that extreme events will get worse, and trends in most variables will change in response to warming.
By the end of this century, global mean surface temperature is expected to increase between 1.5 ºC and 6ºC. Sea levels are projected to rise by 15 to 95 cm. The expected warming is greatest over the interior of semi-arid margins of the Sahara and central southern Africa. The graphics indicate that temperature rise in Africa corresponds to global temperature rise, and that adverse impacts including extremes, are spread across the diverse environments of Africa, putting a huge proportion of African continent at great risk.
The report is available also in French. To request a copy, please write to grid@grida.no.
Note: The graphics collection from this report is available in high resolution formats from the GRID-Arendal Maps & Graphics Library.
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