Who is affected?
Across Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Somaliland, there have been unusually long periods of low rainfall for the past 18 months, particularly in March and April. Droughts are not new to these countries, but they are intensifying and extending for longer periods of time. Rural farmers who travel long distances are most at risk as their livestock are unable to continue the long journeys across vast areas of the country.
The droughts have caused the migration of rural farmers. Some move into the city where they can receive more government support, or new areas where they hope for more rainfall. This comes at the cost of their livelihood and cultural identity. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult for rural communities to predict where and when there will be frequent rainfall. They are finding it harder to settle in new places and are also facing the social pressures of migration such as the fear of not ‘fitting in’ to urban cities. The increasing pressure of droughts have caused the number of refugees to increase, showing rural to urban migration patterns across national boundaries. For example, Addis Ababa, Nairobi and Khartoum have seen vast increases in migrants from neighboring countries.
How are the droughts linked to climate change?
These droughts are linked to climate change and the rising concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greater concentrations of carbon dioxide, for example, trap more heat in the atmosphere which affects long term climate of the globe. The climate is changing at a rapid rate because of this. It is predicted that Northern and Southern Africa will warm twice as fast as Europe and the Americas. This causes the prevalence of drought in East Africa because regular patterns of rainfall are disrupted. This is due to the fact that central Africa is closer to the equator and so has the highest concentration of the sun’s energy. When the climate warms, Africa will be disproportionately heated up.
On a more positive note, there has been a lot of investment in climate adaptation (making a population more resilient to the effects of climate change). The money sent from countries such as France and the UK helps East African countries to better support migrants and refugees. Funds are also used to provide adequate food supplies and resources to help them settle into the major cities. Of course, this is a short term solution to the long term issue of global warming. However, it provides hope that we can adapt our lives to the threats of climate change.
