Climatology Of West Africa

Originally published in 1987, this book brings together information previously buried in specialist sources and makes it available to the student in a non-technical and well-illustrated synthesis. It builds a clear and detailed picture of the climates of West Africa, describing and explaining them and showing how crucial this understanding is to everyday life. The climate’s relevance to water resources, agriculture, health and industry is systematically considered.

Originally published in 1987, this book brings together information previously buried in specialist sources and makes it available to the student in a non-technical and well-illustrated synthesis. It builds a clear and detailed picture of the climates of West Africa, describing and explaining them and showing how crucial this understanding is to everyday life. The climate’s relevance to water resources, agriculture, health and industry is systematically considered.

Climatology of West Africa presents the first complete overview of West African climate in textbook form. Lucidly illustrated and thoroughly up-to-date, it provides, for the student, a clear synthesis that coherently demonstrates the importance of environmental dependence on climate. The authors' research has been deep and wide-ranging; they have collated material from many hundreds of sources to produce a text which comprehensively describes the climates of the region, explains them in non-technical language, and shows how crucial this knowledge and understanding is to everyday life in West Africa. The book will be of interest to anyone studying West Africa in the context of geography, agriculture, forestry, health, industry and development.

Meteorology of tropical West Africa: the Forecasters’ Handbook presents the science and practice of weather forecasting for an important region of the tropics. Connecting basic theory with forecasting practice, the book provides a unique training volume for operational weather forecasters, and is also suitable for students of tropical meteorology. The West African region contains a number of archetypal climatic zones, meaning that the science of its weather and climate applies to many other tropical regions. West Africa also exhibits some of the world’s most remarkable weather systems, making it an inspiring region for students to investigate. The weather of West Africa affects human livelihoods on a daily basis, and can contribute to hardship, poverty and mortality. Therefore, the ability to understand and predict the weather has the potential to deliver significant benefits to both society and economies. The book includes comprehensive background material alongside documentation of weather forecasting methods. Many examples taken from observations of West African weather systems are included and online case-studies are referenced widely.

Climatology of West Africa presents the first complete overview of West African climate in textbook form. Lucidly illustrated and thoroughly up-to-date, it provides, for the student, a clear synthesis that coherently demonstrates the importance of environmental dependence on climate. The authors' research has been deep and wide-ranging; they have collated material from many hundreds of sources to produce a text which comprehensively describes the climates of the region, explains them in non-technical language, and shows how crucial this knowledge and understanding is to everyday life in West Africa. The book will be of interest to anyone studying West Africa in the context of geography, agriculture, forestry, health, industry and development.

Sahelian West Africa has recovered from the disastrous droughts of the 1970s and 1980s. People have learned to adapt to risk and uncertainty in fragile dryland environments. They, as well as global change scientists, are worried about the impact of climate change on these West African drylands. What do the experiences of the last thirty years say about the preparedness for higher temperatures, lower rainfall, and even more variability? Detailed studies on Dryland West Africa as a whole, and on Burkina Faso, Mali and Northern Ghana in particular show an advanced coping behaviour and increased adaptation, but also major differences in vulnerability and coping potential. Climate change preparedness programmes have only just started and require more robust support, and more specific social targeting, for a population which is rapidly growing, even more rapidly urbanising, and further integrating in a globalised economy. This book is the first of its kind with a comprehensive analysis of climate change experiences in West African drylands, with attention for pathways of change and the diversity of adaptation options available. This book is of interest to scientists studying global and climate change, especially dealing with issues of adaptation. Social scientists, economists, geographers and policy makers concerned with West Africa should also read this book.

This book presents conceptual and empirical discussions of adaptation to climate change/variability in West Africa. Highlighting different countries’ experiences in adaptation by different socio-economic groups and efforts at building their adaptive capacity, it offers readers a holistic understanding of adaptation on the basis of contextual and generic sources of adaptive capacity. Focusing on adaptation to climate change/variability is critical because the developmental challenges West Africa faces are increasingly intertwined with its climate history. Today, climate change is a major developmental issue for agrarian rural communities with high percentages of the population earning a living directly or indirectly from the natural environment. This makes them highly vulnerable to climate-driven ecological change, in addition to threats in the broader political economic context. It is imperative that rural people adapt to climate change, but their ability to successfully do so may be limited by competing risks and vulnerabilities. As such, elucidating those vulnerabilities and sources of strength with regard to the adaptive capacities needed to support successful adaptation and avoid maladaptation is critical for future policy formulation. Though the empirical discussion is geographically based on West Africa, its applicability in terms of the processes, structures, needs, strategies, and recommendations for policy transcends the region and provides useful lessons for understanding adaptation broadly in the developing world.