Global warming is already hitting Africa. This is increasing the vulnerability of poor communities, especially farmers, who are having to cope with not only more droughts but also sudden, violent and unpredictable rainfall. “Africa – Up in Smoke?” is the second report from the Working Group on Climate Change and Development. It has a foreword by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and draws attention to the fact that climate change is a particular challenge for Africa, where many of the world's poorest countries are located.

The Working Group on Climate Change and Development consists of: ActionAid International, Birdlife International, CAFOD, The Catholic Institute for International Relations (CIIR), Christian Aid, Columban Faith and Justice, IDS (Institute of Development Studies), IIED (International Institute for Environment and Development), Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Medact, nef (new economics foundation), Operation Noah, Oxfam, People & Planet, Practical Action (formerly ITDG), RSPB, Tearfund, teri Europe, WWF and WaterAid. These agencies have on-the-ground experience of working with communities whose fragile existences, and the ecosystems in which they live, are being further threatened by global warming.