Managing Climate Extremes and Disasters in Africa: Lessons from the SREX report

The document translates the global findings of the IPCC SREX report into an African context, emphasizing that disaster risk is increasing due to both climate extremes and rising human vulnerability and exposure. It details observed and projected temperature and precipitation trends across West, East, and Southern Africa, while arguing for the integration of disaster risk management (DRM) and climate change adaptation (CCA) into national development policies. The report highlights the particular vulnerability of the agricultural sector and coastal cities, and suggests a shift from incremental to transformational changes in governance and partnerships to build long-term resilience.

• Disaster risk in many African countries is expected to rise even without considering climate change, primarily because more vulnerable people and assets are being exposed to weather extremes.
• Climate change has already influenced the frequency and magnitude of some extreme weather events globally since 1950, and while near-term increases in Africa may be small relative to annual variability, the effect will become increasingly significant as impacts grow more dramatic.
• Observed trends since the 1950s in Africa show a significant increase in the temperature of the warmest and coolest days in large parts of West Africa, and a general increase in dryness in Southern Africa.
• Projections for 2071-2100 suggest a likely increase in warm days, warm nights, and the frequency or length of heat waves and warm spells across West, East, and Southern Africa, as well as the Sahara.
• Future precipitation projections vary by region: East Africa is likely to see an increase in heavy precipitation and decreasing dryness in large areas, whereas Southern Africa is projected to see an increase in dryness and a consistent increase in the area of drought.
• Agriculture is the most exposed and vulnerable economic sector in Africa, contributing roughly 21% of the continent's total GDP and 50% of its total export value.
• African coastal cities face high risk because a larger percentage of the population lives in cities of 100,000 to five million people compared to other continents, and many of these areas are poor and growing rapidly.
• Effective disaster risk management (DRM) requires a shift from reactive to proactive approaches, integrating DRM and climate change adaptation into national development planning and budgetary processes.
• National legislation can drive disaster risk reduction; for example, South Africa's Disaster Management Act of 2002 and National Disaster Management Framework of 2005 decentralise governance and mandate the integration of DRR into development planning.
• International funding for adaptation in Africa is estimated between US$3-10 billion per year by 2030, though this may be an underestimate.

APA

Cameron, C., Norrington-Davies, G., & Velde, V. T. (2012). Managing Climate Extremes and Disasters in Africa: Lessons from the SREX report. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/SREX-Lessons-for-Africa-revised-final-copy-1.pdf

Chicago

Cameron, Catherine, Gemma Norrington-Davies, and Victoria te Velde. Managing Climate Extremes and Disasters in Africa: Lessons from the SREX report. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2012. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/SREX-Lessons-for-Africa-revised-final-copy-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cameron |first1=Catherine |last2=Norrington-Davies |first2=Gemma |last3=Velde |first3=Victoria te |title=Managing Climate Extremes and Disasters in Africa: Lessons from the SREX report |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=2012 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/SREX-Lessons-for-Africa-revised-final-copy-1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cameron2012managing, author = {Cameron, Catherine and Norrington-Davies, Gemma and Velde, Victoria te}, title = {{Managing Climate Extremes and Disasters in Africa: Lessons from the SREX report}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2012}, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/SREX-Lessons-for-Africa-revised-final-copy-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }