Source: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20241113071231948&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=AFNL0474

As world leaders and negotiators gather in Azerbaijan for COP29, the urgency of addressing the global climate crisis has never been clearer.

Southern Africa is already experiencing the escalating impacts of climate change, with increased frequency and intensity of heatwaves, droughts, floods and extreme weather. These events, driven by long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns due to the burning of fossil fuels, pose a significant threat to the region’s unique ecosystems and the livelihoods they support.

Early discussions at COP29 (the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, 11-22 November 2024) have focused on evaluating global progress towards the 2015 Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. This is crucial to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change.

However, contentious issues, including increased ambition on emission reduction targets and the fulfilment of climate finance pledges, particularly for vulnerable nations, remain key points of debate.

Sustainability of Southern African Ecosystems under Global Change: Science for management and policy interventions, published by Springer, provides a comprehensive analysis of the region’s vulnerability to climate change and outlines potential solutions.