The report, published by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), analysed historical climate trends across the Sahel, and aimed to identify potential hotspots and the impact on livelihoods in the region. It was launched at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 17) in Durban, South Africa.
A series of maps was produced, focusing on four climate indicators based on available data between 1970 and 2009 — precipitation (1970–2006), temperature (1970–2006), occurrence of drought (1982–2009), and occurrence of flooding (1985–2009). Projected sea–level rise and its potential impacts, as well as population trends and occurrences of conflict during the time period, were also mapped.
A total of 19 areas, which saw the biggest changes in each climate indicator as well as the largest cumulative change of all four, were identified as potential climate 'hotspots'. Half of the 17 West African nations mapped experienced a temperature increase of 0.5–1 degree Celsius between 1970 and 2006, while 15 per cent of the region — in far eastern Chad and northern Mali and Mauritania — saw a rise of more than one degree Celsius.
In addition to rising temperatures, the study also found that at the incidence of extreme conditions, such as droughts, rainfall and the frequency of flooding, have all increased, leading to more competition for limited resources. Trends in the movement of people and livestock have also changed, with traditional migration patterns increasingly shifting further south.
