Global warming could cause civil wars in Africa by 2030

TAFF WRITER 17:4 HRS IST

London, Nov 26 (PTI) With climate change affecting global food production and economic welfare, it is likely to increase the risk of conflict in African countries over the next 20 years, claims a US study.

The research led by Marshall Burke, a University of California economist, suggested that a one-degree rise in temperature could increase the risk of African civil war by 55 per cent by 2030.

This in turn would lead to 390,000 deaths in combat in sub-Saharan Africa, said the study, assuming future wars are as deadly as recent ones.

"Our study finds that climate change could increase the risk of African civil war by over 50 per cent in 2030 relative to 1990, with huge potential costs to human livelihoods," said Burke.