Researchers: Climate change is a driver of violent clashes in the Sahel
West Africa and the Sahel is one of the regions where people are most affected by climate change in the world. Climate change is often seen as a risk multiplier in this region. Because most people live on subsistence farming, extreme changes in the weather have an immediate impact on their survival. The Sahel zone is most vulnerable. It lies just underneath the Sahara desert. With global warming, access to land, water, and pastures is becoming more difficult. It creates competition. It is one of the drivers of violent clashes between farmers and herders, for example. Recent research has also shown how diminishing livelihood opportunities, caused by shrinking lakes, rising sea levels and other effects of climate change, can spill over to an increase in violent extremism and terrorism.
Our panel of experts includes:
- Angela Muvumba Sellström, senior researcher at the Nordic Africa Institute
- Ngozi Amu, Head of Research and Analysis at the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS)
The Nordic Africa Podcast is a series of discussions where we talk to political scientists, anthropologists, economists and other researchers about current issues and trends in Africa. We analyse the choices of African leaders, we challenge dominant narratives about the continent, and occasionally, we look into the crystal ball to see where Africa is headed. Hosts Heba Habib and Henrik Alfredsson and guesting experts guide us toward a deepened understanding of Africa’s role on the global scene.
Episodes from the Nordic Africa Podcast
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Climate change and security challenges in the Sahel
West Africa and the Sahel are one of the regions where people are most affected by climate change in the world. With global warming, access to land,...
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What’s next for Russia in Africa?
In recent years, Russia has emerged as a prominent external actor on the continent, forging deeper ties in North Africa, extending its reach in the...
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The African Free Trade Agreement: can It accelerate Africa’s economic growth?
Signed in 2018, officially launched in 2021, and now in full swing, the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, the AfCFTA, aims to create a...
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African migration: “There’s a vast array of reasons why people move”
Over the past two decades, migration within and out of Africa has witnessed a notable rise. A majority of African born migrants relocate within the...
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The end of Françafrique?: Macron’s new Africa strategy
Recently, French president Emmanuel Macron came back from a tour to Africa where he visited Gabon, Angola and the two Congos. Just ahead of his visit,...
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