The Inherent Fragility And Vulnerability Of These Regions Makes Them

The inherent fragility and vulnerability of these regions makes them especially susceptible to the effects of climate change. An important point that has become apparent through comparison of the droughts which affected West Africa and Botswana is that the manifestations of drought are heavily influenced by non-meteorological conditions. In other words the extent to which a drought event has a negative impact on the people of the arid and semi-arid regions is dependant on their ability to cope and adapt to changes in climate. In a climate characterised by variability, the ability of the people to adjust will remain as crucial in the future as it has been in the past in order to secure sustainable livelihoods in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world.

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