"Why is Ghana so hot this year? An expert explains"

" \r\n \r\n Why is Ghana so hot this year? An expert\u00a0explains \r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n Ghana\u2019s meteorological agency and the state\u2019s health service\u00a0 have issued warnings \u00a0about a period of very high temperatures expected in the first half of 2024 around the country. Ghana\u2019s experience is part of a global phenomenon:\u00a0 record temperatures \u00a0were recorded in 2023. \r\n\r\n Yaw Agyeman Boafo, the programmes coordinator and a senior research fellow at the University of Ghana\u2019s Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Studies, answers some key questions. \r\n\r\n What is unusual about the weather in Ghana? \r\n\r\nSince the 1960s, Ghana has been getting warmer, with temperatures going up by\u00a0 about 1\u00b0C \u00a0\u2013 a little over 0.2\u00b0C every ten years. There are more really hot days now, with temperatures over 35\u00b0C, and this is happening\u00a0 13% more often \u00a0each year. The amount of rain that falls can differ from one year to the next. But since the 1960s, there has been less rain overall, with about\u00a0 2.4% less every ten years , although this is highly variable across the country\u2019s agroecological zones.\r\n\r\nThe rapid rate of these changes is also a sign that the weather is not following the usual patterns and is part of broader climate change impacts.\r\n\r\nBased on available\u00a0 data \u00a0from the Ghana Meteorological Agency backed by\u00a0 research , Ghana is experiencing a shift towards warmer temperatures. This is unusual in the context of historical climate patterns. These trends point to a\u00a0 changing climate , with the increased likelihood of extreme heat events. This is a\u00a0 global trend .\r\n\r\nThe Ghana\u00a0 data \u00a0also suggests that there hasn\u2019t been a consistent pattern in rainfall over the years. There\u2019s evidence of fluctuations in the amount of rain from year to year, but without a clear trend of increase or decrease over the long term.\r\n \r\n <img class=\" lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/586170\/original\/file-20240404-18-psnpje.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/586170\/original\/file-20240404-18-psnpje.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/586170\/original\/file-20240404-18-psnpje.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/586170\/original\/file-20240404-18-psnpje.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/586170\/original\/file-20240404-18-psnpje.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/586170\/original\/file-20240404-18-psnpje.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/586170\/original\/file-20240404-18-psnpje.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w\" alt=\"\" data-src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/586170\/original\/file-20240404-18-psnpje.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/586170\/original\/file-20240404-18-psnpje.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/586170\/original\/file-20240404-18-psnpje.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/586170\/original\/file-20240404-18-psnpje.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/586170\/original\/file-20240404-18-psnpje.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/586170\/original\/file-20240404-18-psnpje.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/586170\/original\/file-20240404-18-psnpje.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w\" \/> \r\n Precipitation trends in Ghana. \r\nThis lack of a uniform response to rising temperatures is unusual. Normally, we might expect it to get either hotter and drier, or hotter and wetter, depending on how the extra heat affects evaporation and rainfall patterns. The variability poses challenges for agriculture and water supply across the country.\r\n\r\n Why is the weather suddenly hot? \r\n\r\nA number of factors are at play. Most notable are the effects of human-induced\u00a0 climate change .\r\n\r\nThe earth\u2019s warming is largely due to the increased amount of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide in our atmosphere. These gases come from burning fossil fuels in cars and factories, deforestation, and certain agricultural practices. Essentially, as we burn fossil fuels and cut down forests, we\u2019re adding more of these gases into the air, which trap heat and cause the planet to warm up. This\u00a0 process \u00a0is speeding up due to human activities, leading to changes in weather patterns, rising sea levels, and more extreme weather events.\r\n\r\nThese conditions are supported by\u00a0 empirical data \u00a0from scientific observations and measurements. For example, weather stations and climate models provide evidence of the\u00a0 trend towards higher temperatures . This scientific data underpins the conclusion that the weather is indeed becoming hotter in Ghana.\r\n\r\nAnother localised factor is\u00a0 urbanisation . The\u00a0 rapid urbanisation \u00a0in Ghana, with over\u00a0 half the population \u00a0living in urban areas (58.62%), contributes to extreme heat in urban areas due to the \u201c urban heat island \u201d effect. This is where buildings, asphalt and reduced greenery absorb and re-radiate heat more than in rural areas.\r\n\r\nIn Ghana, people living in cities and bigger towns such as Accra, Kumasi, Tamale and Sekondi-Takoradi are already bearing the brunt of\u00a0 extreme heat events .\r\n\r\n What\u2019s the effect of rising temperatures? \r\n\r\nThe effects are multiple.\r\n\r\nUrban and rural communities feel the effects in different ways. For\u00a0 urban residents , rising temperatures can affect personal comfort, causing sleep disruption and leading to health concerns.\r\n\r\nIn addition,\u00a0 heat \u00a0increases energy demand for cooling, reduces air quality and raises health risks such as acute heat stroke, dehydration, mental fatigue and central nervous system malfunction, particularly in densely populated cities.\r\n\r\nExtreme heat also strains health infrastructure and can lead to heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke.\r\n\r\nVulnerable households, including older people, children and low-income families, face\u00a0 increased health risks and financial burdens . High out-of-pocket health expenditures strain their financial stability and call for coping strategies that compromise their long term economic well-being.\r\n\r\nThe productivity and daily lives of urban populations are affected, with\u00a0 alterations in environmental conditions \u00a0posing challenges to urban agricultural output and overall well-being.\r\n\r\nIn rural Ghana, farmers face\u00a0 challenges \u00a0as rising temperatures are damaging vital crops like cocoa, which is the backbone of Ghana\u2019s agricultural sector. This threatens many people\u2019s livelihoods as well as the country\u2019s economy.\r\n\r\nIn Ghana\u2019s savanna regions for example, rising temperatures are making droughts more severe and rainfall patterns\u00a0 less predictable . This leads to significant challenges including water scarcity, food shortages, increased migration and displacement, and a higher risk of bush fires.\r\n\r\nSeveral studies, including\u00a0 one \u00a0of my own, have revealed that rising temperatures in northern Ghana influence the incidence and spread of cerebrospinal meningitis.\r\n\r\n What needs to be done \r\n\r\nTo address the issue of rising temperatures in Ghana, a coordinated plan for rural and urban areas needs to be put in place. Reforestation programmes and climate-smart agriculture can help rural communities improve resilience to heat. Water conservation efforts, such as rainwater gathering, would help agriculture survive dry spells. Urban areas could benefit from smart city design that integrates and enhances natural or eco-friendly systems like parks,urban forests,community gardens and the use of reflecting materials in buildings to cool neighbourhoods.\r\n\r\nEnhancing renewable energy, promoting clean cooking and lighting, and improving energy efficiency are essential for both rural and urban households to adapt to extreme heat, ensuring safer and cooler living environments. In addition, improving weather forecasts and healthcare services can improve preparedness and response to heat-related health hazards. In all these, community involvement in the design, and implementation of these activities ensures that solutions are relevant and sustainable."

"Why is Ghana so hot this year? An expert explains"

Why China is Pouring Billions into Brazil’s Energy and OilAMP

UBA Ghana Assures Customers of Deposit Safety Amid Forex License SuspensionAMP

Verstappen Claims Historic Pole Position at Monza with Record-Breaking SpeedAMP