By MONITOR More by this AuthorUganda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo are among African countries likely to be hit by extreme temperatures if climate targets are missed, a new Oxford University report, says. The global analysis concluded that African countries not only had the highest cooling requirements historically, between 2009 and 2018, but will also face the highest surge in heat exposure if the planet warms by 2ºC. Besides Uganda, the other African countries at risk include Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, Mali, South Sudan, Nigeria, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad, and Cameroon. According to the report, Africa will see the most extreme increase in temperatures overall if the world overshoots climate targets, experiencing the highest need for cooling in a 2.0ºC scenario. This is particularly true for Central African countries, with the Central African Republic, Burkina Faso and Mali suffering the highest increase with more than 250 additional cooling degree days.”Extreme heat can lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion, and even death, especially in vulnerable populations.

Source: Daily Nation July 18, 2023 13:32 UTC