Sahel region is 'canary in the coalmine' on climate, says UN official

Mark Lowcoft criticises totally inadequate' effort to help Sahel countries adapt to global heating

Africa's Sahel region is at the centre of accelerating climate change and a canary in the coalmine of our warming planet", the United Nation's top humanitarian official has said.

Mark Lowcock, the UN's undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs, said the Sahel was facing tragedy after an alarming deterioration" in recent years that had led to tens of millions of people being displaced, rising extremist violence, massive violations of human rights and growing political instability.