Climate Change and African Forest and Wildlife Resources
There is growing evidence that climate change and variability is impacting on forests and forest ecosystems in africa, and therefore on the livelihoods of forest dependent communities, as well as on national economic activities that depend on forest and tree products and services. africa is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to climate change. although the iPCC has published four assessment reports (ars) that provide scientifi c information on climate change and variability to the international community, currently little is known about the potential of african forests and trees to adapt to climate change as well as on their potential to infl uence climate change.
This is perhaps the fi rst book that, based on what is known, systematically addresses climate change issues in the context of african forests, trees and wildlife resources, and therefore brings to the fore the forest and wildlife-climate change debate within and beyond the african continent. africa has vast areas under forests and tree resources, and more than anything else these resources are at the centre of the socio-economic development and environmental protection of the continent. african forests and trees are also renowned for their habitats for wildlife resources. Climate change is argued to have the potential to adversely aff ect both forest and wildlife resources in almost all african countries.
This book is therefore timely in that it highlights to all stakeholders, and in a systematic manner, the climate change issues relevant to the african forestry and wildlife sectors, with the view of increasing the understanding of these relationships and facilitating the development of strategies for these sectors to increase their contribution, at various levels and fora, to addressing the vagaries of climate change. the book also outlines the opportunities that climate change brings to the various development sectors of african nations.