Revkin, channeling Marc Morano, gets something profoundly right: In Africa, the biggest drivers of climate vulnerability are *natural* extremes, not CO2-induced extremes

African Science Academies Miss a Big Factor in Climate Statement - NYTimes.com

But the statement nowhere discussed the deep and devastating vulnerability to existing climate extremes on the continent, particularly in the populous, poor and turbulent regions south of the Sahara Desert. This isn’t just a semantic glitch with no practical significance. Here’s why:

1) Studies of past climate patterns in the region show clearly that periods of extreme drought — beyond anything experienced in the modern era — are utterly normal already.
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By only speaking of climate change, this statement leaves out the biggest drivers of climate vulnerability on the continent in the next few decades, and contributes to the murkiness that will create ever more problems if and when rich countries finally divvy up money to help poor ones adapt to climate change.