Mitigating Climate Change Shocks in the Northern Cameroon by 2030

Abstract

A recently released World Bank report entitled Shock Waves: Managing the Impacts of Climate Change on Poverty shows that climate change is an acute threat to people with little means across the world, with the power to push more than 100 million people back into poverty trap by 2030. Climate change is one of the most important global issues, with a range, broad and far reaching ecological, social, economic, and political impact (Sanahuja, 2011). It is not surprising that during the upcoming CoP 21 gathering in Paris, France, the focus will be on climate change mitigation. Van der Berg (2009: 269) says that the goal of monitoring and evaluation system for adaptation is to identify the aspects that are working, those that are not working, and the reasons why, as well as providing mechanisms and feedback to adjust the adaptation process accordingly. (Ndedi, Kouwos and Yota, 2015) The Northern Cameroon (regions of the North, Far North and Adamawa) is the most exposed part of Cameroon to the effects of climate change associated with the attacks of the islamic sect Boko Haram. In order to cope with these effects, various adaptation efforts are being implemented to fully understand the value or efficacy of these interventions, sound monitoring an devaluation of these interventions is imperative for ensuring results, cost effectiveness, and impact level outcomes. The current paper comes up with strategies to deal with the looming challenges that this part of the country will face. These measures are targeted actions to help people cope with climate shocks, such as developing early warning systems and flood protection, and introducing heat-resistant crops. At the same time, efforts to reduce emissions should accelerate, and be designed to protect the poor. The focus of this paper will be on agriculture with by looking at the poverty impacts of climate change on agriculture at the household level, rather than at the level of national economies. Climate impacts will affect agriculture the most, a key sector in the poorest countries and major source of income, food security, nutrition, jobs, livelihoods and export earnings.