Extreme heat in Koudougou, Burkina Faso: Analysing trends, community perceptions and migration measures
Climate change is having a profound impact on urban population in the Sahel region, particularly in Burkina Faso, affecting various aspects of daily life. Koudougou, the third largest city in the country, is not exempted. The aim of this article is to examine the main coping strategies of t...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Serbian Geographical Society
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Glasnik Srpskog Geografskog Društva |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0350-3593/2025/0350-35932501511Y.pdf |
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| Summary: | Climate change is having a profound impact on urban population in the Sahel
region, particularly in Burkina Faso, affecting various aspects of daily
life. Koudougou, the third largest city in the country, is not exempted. The
aim of this article is to examine the main coping strategies of the
inhabitants of Koudougou in the face of increasing heat waves. To this end,
temperature data for the hottest months (March, April and May) from 1981 to
2024 were analysed to identify climate trends. These data were first
subjected to a normality test, then analysed using linear regression and
standardised temperature anomaly (STA) methods. At the same time, a survey
was conducted among the population to assess the impact of this phenomenon
on their daily lives. The results showed that temperatures in Koudougou
have increased significantly in recent years and are perceived as high
(38.04%) or very high (40.97%) by most of the respondents. This situation is
a serious threat for the population wellbeing as it is causing health
problems and reducing the productivity of the population. Residents are
developing adaptations strategies by redesigning their houses and adopting
individual behaviours, such as drinking more water or wearing light
clothing, although they often consider these measures to be ineffective. As
the effects of climate change on vulnerable regions is projected to
increase, awareness raising should be developed through social media,
television and radio channels to promote adaptation best practices. |
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| ISSN: | 0350-3593 2406-078X |