| dc.description.abstract | Different theories emphasize the role climate change plays in the actual abnormal
occurrence of climate related natural disasters. Climate change continues to pose a threat to
the sustainability of natural resources. Global warming has several impacts in the Casamance
region, especially on water resources, agriculture, coastal zones and human health. This is a
stressful issue for researchers, scientists and politicians due to inevitable loss and the impacts
it exerts on the environment. Therefore, by following these theories, climate change would
be qualified as barriers to the development and well–being of human beings, especially in
developing countries, since they are the ones that are more vulnerable to climate change due
to lack of means of resilience to the latter’s harmfulness. Senegal, one developing country,
was taken as a case study, with the main objective of evaluating its impacts in the Casamance
Region in main strategical sectors with relevant scientific evidences. Historical records of
hydrological and climate data (precipitation, temperature and streamflow) that occurred in
Ziguinchor and Kolda stations, were the parameters used to achieve the main objective of
this study. Based on the obtained results, climate change in Casamance is not negligible.
According to recent climatological data, the climate of Casamance underwent abnormal
evolutions during the period going from 1987 to 2016. Thus, climatic parameters such as
temperature and precipitation were modified. The result of the analysis also indicates much
fluctuation in both rhythm and quantity of precipitation as a result of weather disturbances.
There has also been a considerable decrease in the Casamance River flow in the past. The
aggression of the vegetation cover, deforestation, GHG emissions (linked to agricultural
practices, transport and industrial sector), and biomass combustion in Casamance have
increased the risk of vulnerability to climate change. When the temperature rises, seawater
spills into the river, which causes salinization, sea level rise, coastal erosion, a decrease in
marine species. The shortening of the seasons also affects agricultural sector, reducing
yields, causing shortages. Rainfall irregularities and the rise in temperature have marked the
lands to the point of upsetting them (salinization / acidification of the soils, silting up of the
shallows, etc.). Today, the hydrological dysfunction means that the Casamance River
functions like a veritable estuary characterized by high concentrations of salt, thus
compromising the supply of drinking water to the populations and their agricultural
activities. | en_US |
