Climate Change Shrinks Africa

Nice little climate change scare story with "experts" predicting that the coast of Africa will soon have to be redrawn as sea levels rise. This is merely another example of the poorest countries (who contributed least to the pollution in the first place) experiencing the largest amount of pain.

In the first paragraph I particularly like the term "brutally redrawn". This gives the impression of a some rather aggressive pen on map behaviour.

West Africa's coastline redrawn by climate change: experts [Yahoo]

Rising sea levels caused by climate change will brutally redraw a 4,000-kilometre (2500-mile) stretch of west African coastline from Senegal to Cameroon by century's end, experts were told AFP Friday.

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Among the cities worst hit would be the Gambian capital Banjul and Lagos, Nigeria's economic capital and home to 15 million. Some parts of Lagos lie below sea-level today and it is already subject to frequent flooding.

The Niger delta's income-generating oil fields are especially vulnerable, Cramer said.

Clearly the economists have been called in and come out with the old adage "too expensive" therfore you are doomed.

Another serious threat is salty sea water intrusion into fertile agricultural land.

"This will make the ground water undrinkable and unsuitable for agricultural purposes. The result will be food and water insecurity," said George Awudi, Ghana Programme Coordinator for Friends of the Earth.

Environmental experts offer different solutions, but all agree on the futility -- and prohibitive cost -- of erecting massive sea barriers.

"The sensible option is moving to higher ground, which is a tough option especially for Nigeria as it means giving up its economic centres in Lagos and its oil installations in the Delta," Cramer said.

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