Experts notice increase in sea level and coastal erosion and forecast this could destroy 39,000 houses by the year 2100 - paper
DAKAR (AlertNet) – An increase in sea level and a drop in the quantity of rainfall linked to climate change could destroy Cameroon’s biodiversity, disrupt businesses and uproot hundreds of thousands of people in the west-central African nation, Cameroon Tribune newspaper reported on Thursday.
The paper said experts had noticed an increase in sea level and coastal erosion and forecast that this could uproot more than 580,300 people and destroy 39,000 houses by the year 2100.
The increase in the percentage of salt in water will destroy mangroves and various species of fish while a total of 11.63 square kilometres of land area is expected to be lost alongside industrial property worth FCFA 2.7 billion ($5.7 million).
The paper reported that declines in annual rainfall and changes in seasons in the country’s Sahelian zone will lead to decreases in agriculture and livestock production and an upsurge in diseases.
“The government of Cameroon has not remained indifferent to these threats,” the government-run paper said.
It said the government had made legal reforms on environmental protection and has adhered to regional and global initiatives to respond to climate change.
The government will hold a forum to discuss the protection of Cameroon’s biodiversity starting on Oct. 24, the paper said.
(Editing by Rebekah Curtis)
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