Elevation Dependent Climate Change on the Slopes of Kilimanjaro and Impacts on Water Supply

This project is examining the extent to which climate changes are elevation dependent over the last 20 years on Kilimanjaro. It will analyse twenty years of climate records obtained by the research team. It will also examine the consequences of such changes on the water supply on the lower slopes and how this has impacted the livelihoods of the local population.

Kilimanjaro is undergoing rapid environmental change as a result of changes in climate, coupled with local land cover changes due to increasing population (e.g. deforestation). The ice caps and snows are disappearing, and the vegetation on the mountain is changing, with increased disturbance and frequency of forest fires. This project is examining climate change over the last 20 years through collecting climate data across the mountain ranging in elevation from 990 m to 5803 m. It is also examining the impacts of such changes on water supply on the lower slopes of the mountain where most people live, through work with farmers and the local population.