The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report

This report, prepared by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) and the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), distils the findings of the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report specifically for African decision-makers. It details the observed and projected climate changes across the continent, the resulting risks to food security, health, and economic growth, and the opportunities for adaptation and low-carbon development.

• Africa has already experienced significant warming, with land surface temperatures increasing by 0.5–2°C over the last 100 years. This warming is attributed to human activity with 95% certainty, primarily through the increase of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.
• Further warming is inevitable for Africa regardless of future emissions due to past emissions and climate system inertia. Under a high-emissions scenario, average temperatures across most of the continent are projected to rise by more than 2°C by the middle of the 21st century and more than 4°C by the end of the century.
• Climate change poses severe risks to Africa's food security and agriculture, particularly in semi-arid regions. Major cereal crops like maize, millet, and sorghum could become unviable in a world 4°C warmer, and yield losses for South Africa and Zimbabwe are projected to exceed 30% by mid-century.
• Climate change is expected to exacerbate poverty and health vulnerabilities in Africa. It is projected to increase the incidence of vector- and water-borne diseases and create new poor, particularly in urban areas and some rural regions of sub-Saharan Africa.
• Adaptation is essential to manage inevitable climate impacts and can create synergies with human development. 'No regrets' measures, such as improving health services and diversifying cropping systems, provide benefits regardless of the specific climate outcome.
• African countries are increasingly implementing national adaptation policies, such as National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs). Examples of national climate resilience strategies include those adopted by Ethiopia and Rwanda.
• Africa has low levels of historic greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa). This provides an opportunity to 'leapfrog' fossil-fuel-dependent infrastructure by adopting clean, efficient low-carbon technologies from the outset.
• The energy sector in Africa offers significant mitigation opportunities through the scaling of renewable energy. The report notes that decentralized renewable energy may be more technically and economically feasible than centralized systems given Africa's geography and settlement patterns.
• Urban areas in Africa are highly vulnerable to climate change due to rapid, unplanned urbanization and inadequate infrastructure. However, they also offer significant mitigation opportunities through compact, transit-oriented development and green infrastructure.
• International cooperation and financial support are vital for Africa to avert dangerous climate change. The report highlights that current governmental pledges made under the UNFCCC Cancun agreement fall short of the goals needed to limit warming to 2°C.

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (2014). The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/AR5_IPCC_Whats_in_it_for_Africa.pdf

Chicago

Climate and Development Knowledge Network. The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report. 2014. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/AR5_IPCC_Whats_in_it_for_Africa.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |title=The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report |date=2014 |url=http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/AR5_IPCC_Whats_in_it_for_Africa.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetwork2014ipccs, author = {{Climate and Development Knowledge Network}}, title = {{The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2014}, url = {http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/AR5_IPCC_Whats_in_it_for_Africa.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }