Climate vulnerability of socio-economic systems in different forest types and coastal wetlands in Africa: a synthesis

• Published in: The international forestry review Vol. 17; no. 3; pp. 78 - 91
• Main Authors: KITULA, R.A., LARWANOU, M., MUNISHI, P.K.T., MUOGHALU, J.I., POPOOLA, L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Commonwealth Forestry Association 07.09.2015
• ISSN: 1465-5489; 2053-7778
• DOI: 10.1505/146554815816007063

Forests, woodlands and coastal wetlands of Africa serve important ecological functions and provide goods and services that contribute significantly to livelihoods at local, national and global levels. These ecosystems however are vulnerable to climate change impacts that affect their capacity to deliver the ecosystem goods and services. Some impacts will have positive effects and can be taken as opportunities while some will have severe negative impacts that require adequate mitigation measures of the impacts to reduce the impact on the socio-economic systems. This article reviews the information on climate vulnerability of socio-economic systems in moist forests, woodlands/savannas and coastal wetlands of Africa to identify the likely impacts of climate change on livelihoods. Climate change will have profound impacts on moist forest of Africa including reduction of the capacity of the forests to supply the ecosystem goods and services that contribute to livelihoods and associated socio-economic systems. The water catchment potential of moist forests will be undermined reducing livelihoods associated with water resources. Impacts on woodlands/savannas will undermine the resources available in the woodland for human wellbeing including woodfuel, food, and other materials necessary for human health. Generally climate change will impact negatively the forest and woodland/savannas ecosystems resulting into either direct or indirect effect on the services provided by the ecosystems and associate livelihoods. But also climate impact on agriculture resulting into low production and increased dependence on forests will lead into degradation or expansion of agriculture into forests to compensate for the low production hence deforestation and degradation and more greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Among the major impacts of climate change on coastal wetlands include reduced water levels and under worst scenarios drying of some wetlands. Given the fact that coastal wetlands support a wide range of livelihood activities such as fisheries and multitude of livelihoods climate change will greatly undermine the capacity of the coastal wetlands to support fisheries and related livelihoods. Such impacts will negatively affect livelihoods and socio-economic systems associated with the coastal resources Monitoring and mitigating the impacts of climate change on the moist forests, woodlands/savannas and coastal wetlands is imperative for sustaining their socio-economic systems and related livelihoods.