Table Of Content“This book brings together assessments and potential oC Climate Change and the
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initial adaptation strategies for various natural systems Nim
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represented in Cameroon. It is a first step in drawing tt Management of Natural
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development action to the problem of climate change at rC
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local and national levels.” la
Sn Systems in Cameroon
- PROFESSOR CORNELIUS LAMBI, DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY, yg
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UNIVERSITY OF BUEA, CAMEROON ta
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This book emphasises that planning is essential, as the conservation approaches sth
of the past may not work in an ever-changing warmer environment. It ine
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appraises current management strategies, assesses the biological and physical C
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effects of climate change on natural systems in Cameroon and designs a an
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planning and management framework for each natural system within the g
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context of global warming. Climate change poses a complex bewildering rm
o
array of problems for ecosystems. The key question is, what can be done – oe
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in addition to efforts to reduce CO2 emissions – to increase the resistance t
and resilience of these natural systems to climate change? This book seeks to
answer the above question by drawing from the vast array of scientific data
available on the subject, and which may not be readily available to policy
makers, resource planners, resource managers, environmentalists, students of
geography, conservation biology and agronomy. It constitutes an important
manual for those ready to confront the impacts of climate change. It is also
NE
a valuable document for teachers of the functioning and management of m
natural systems globally. dm
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EMMANUEL NEBA NDENECHO is Associate Professor in Geography at the
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University of Yaoundé I (E.N.S. Annex Bambili). He has published extensively ee
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in scholarly journals and has also authored six books on Natural Resource N
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Management and the Environment. His special interest and experience e
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includes research and development associated with Natural Resource a
Management, Sustainable Livelihoods and Landscape Ecological Problems.
Langaa Research & Publishing
Common Initiative Group
P.O. Box 902 Mankon
Bamenda
Emmanuel Neba Ndenecho
North West Region
Cameroon
Climate Change and the
Management of
Natural Systems in Cameroon
Emmanuel Neba Ndenecho
Langaa Research & Publishing CIG
Mankon, Bamenda
Publisher:
Langaa RPCIG
Langaa Research & Publishing Common Initiative Group
P.O. Box 902 Mankon
Bamenda
North West Region
Cameroon
[email protected]
www.langaa-rpcig.net
Distributed in and outside N. America by African Books Collective
[email protected]
www.africanbookcollective.com
ISBN: 9956-717-78-9
© Emmanuel Neba Ndenecho 2011
DISCLAIMER
All views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily
reflect the views of Langaa RPCIG.
Dedication
To Hilda with love
Table of Content
Acknowledgements....................................................................................... v
Preface........................................................................................................... vii
1. Global warming and development goals: an overview............................ 1
2. Climate change and rainforest ecosystem management.......................... 21
3. Climate change and mangrove ecosystem services................................ 47
4. Climate change and Sudan-Sahelian Savanna ecosystem
Management................................................................................................. 69
5. Climate change and montane biodiversity management......................... 91
6. Climate change and management of coastal zone and
marine ecosystems...................................................................................... 115
7. Climate change and management of riverine ecosystems.......................... 141
8. Climate change and wetland ecosystem management............................ 165
9. Climate change and management of physical barriers in
riverine systems........................................................................................... 191
10. Climate change and management of protected areas............................. 213
11. Climate change and management of Lake Basin ecosystems................. 241
12. Management of observed and anticipated physical effects of climate
change on Lake Chad.................................................................................. 263
13. Climate change and sustainability of traditional irrigation systems in
dry lands..................................................................................................... 289
14. Climate change and development of rainfed agriculture....................... 311
iii
iv
Acknowledged Contributions
(cid:120) Professor Cornelius Lambi, Geography Department, University of
Buea, Cameroon.
(cid:120) Dr. Umar Aliyu Tambuwal, Department of Geography, Usmanu
Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria.
(cid:120) Dr. P.A.O. Odjugo, Department of Geography and Regional
Planning, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.
(cid:120) Heinz and Johannes Weigmann Research Award Ecology 2008:
acknowledged use of material from published papers authored by
E.N. Ndenecho and C.M. Lambi:
- Climate change and montane biodiversity status in Sub-
Saharan Africa: Observations, problems and solutions for the
Cameroon Highlands Ecoregion.
- Climate change impacts on food security and water
availability in Sub-Saharan African dry lands: Observations,
problems and solutions for the Chad Basin, Cameroon.
(cid:120) World Wildlife Fund, Washington D.C. for the use of material from
the book titled “Buying time: a User’s manual for building resistance
and resilience to climate change in natural systems”.
(cid:120) Dr. P.M. Oben and Dr. B.O. Oben for the realisation of Chapter Six.
(cid:120) The use of material from an initial publication, that is, Biological
Resource Exploitation in Cameroon.
(cid:120) My students (past and present) for contributing to the climate change
debate issues that motivated me to write this book.
With support from many colleagues.
v
vi
Preface
As we embrace the new millennium, the threats to nature and biodiversity are
unprecedented. Over the years some progress has been made in protecting
biodiversity and hydrological systems. These have to some extent proved
successful in some areas. However, these efforts are today facing new
emerging threats. None of these threats is as great as global warming. The
vast array of available scientific literature points to the fact that climate
change will have large implications for the way natural resource managers
plan and implement conservation strategies.
Traditional natural resource conservation strategies with a focus on
confronting human-related stresses on physical and biological systems will
flounder in the face of climate change. The problem policy-makers, scientists
and resource planners are facing is how to plan and implement strategies for
increasing the resistance and resilience of natural systems to climate change.
This is because climate change is seemingly difficult to understand and plan
for. This book emphasis that planning is essential, as the conservation
approaches of the past may not work in an ever-changing warmer
environment. The book therefore appraises current management strategies,
assesses the biological and physical effects of climate change on natural
systems in Cameroon and designs a planning and management framework
for each natural system within the context of global warming. Climate change
poses a complex bewildering array of problems for ecosystems. The key
question is, what can be done – in addition to efforts to reduce CO
2
emissions – to increase the resistance and resilience of these natural systems
to climate change?
This book seeks to answer the above question by drawing from the vast
array of scientific data available on the subject, and which may not be readily
available to policy makers, resource planners, resource managers,
environmentalists, students of geography, conservation biology and
agronomy. This book constitutes an important manual for those working in
Cameroon, that is, those ready to confront the impacts of climate change. It
is also a valuable document for teachers involved in the teaching of the
functioning and management of natural systems at University level.
Drawing from the expertise of several researchers and experts, the book
addresses the major natural systems of Cameroon with practical ideas of how
to begin increasing resiliency and of how to plan protected areas in response
to the threat of climate change. Some of these strategies can simply be
integrated in current management models. Climate change adaptation can
therefore be built into current conservation philosophies and plans. It must
be noted that, while far from comprehensive, this book brings together
assessments and potential initial adaptation strategies for various natural
vii
