Title: Lubumbashi, temperature variations worry citizens and scientists.
For several weeks, the city of Lubumbashi in the DRC has been facing significant temperature variations. Hot nights and cold mornings disturb the lives of citizens who do not know how to dress. But for scientists, this situation is due to several factors.
Professor Jean-Pierre Ndjibu, director of the Southern Africa Climate Change Observatory, suspects that the temperature fluctuations are partly due to construction in the city and deforestation. Around the city, there would have been at least 70 km of deforestation. However, the absence of forest means that there is not a good regulation of temperatures in the city. Transport that burns a lot of fuel is also at fault.
Demographically, the city of Lubumbashi is booming, which in particular leads to a significant amount of carbon dioxide being produced. Professor Djibu underlines the lack of development of sanitation for waste water and faeces, thus producing greenhouse gases which play a role in modifying microclimates.
These temperature fluctuations in Lubumbashi show how unstable the climate can be. It is important that governments and people take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is in order to fight against climate change in order to minimize the impact of these fluctuations on the environment and on the quality of life.
Temperatures in Lubumbashi are also soaring due to heavy rains in the last rainy season which amplified the heat. This situation does not leave the health of the population unscathed.
It is therefore imperative that the authorities and local populations take measures to reduce the negative effects of human activities on the environment.