Villager at the well in Djouna, Mali. Photo: F. Fiondella/IRI
Current Feature
A Wetter Sahel, But will it Last?
In the 1970s and 1980s, people living in Africa's Sahel were hit by a series of persistent droughts and recurring famines. Since the mid-1980s, average rainfall has increased in the region, and many have been able to rebuild their livelihoods.
A new paper elegantly explains for the first time the mechanism behind the Sahel's past and present climate trends, as well as projected ones. Such an understanding is critical for developing sound adaptation policies in a region that remains highly vulnerable to climate change and year-to-year variability.
We use a science-based approach to enhance society's capability to understand, anticipate and manage the impacts of climate in order to improve human welfare and the environment, especially in developing countries.
