Africa contributes just 4 percent of global total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—the lowest of any region—yet its socio-economic development is threatened by the climate crisis. In other words, Africa contributes the least emissions but suffers the brunt of the consequences.
Climate change is wreaking havoc on economies, lives, and livelihoods in Africa. Last year, tropical cyclone Idai and Kenneth swept under the economies of Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe with USD $2 billion in losses. Eight hundred people died.
Just four years ago, El Niño devastated East and Southern Africa with severe droughts. It is estimated that this year Africa will lose USD $7 billion to $15 billion per year due to climate change.
In 2020 flooding was particularly extensive across many parts of East Africa, with the Sudan and Kenya the worst affected. At the same time, long-term drought continued to persist in parts of Southern Africa, particularly the Northern and Eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa. Tropical Cyclone Gati, originating from the Bay of Bengal, became the strongest storm ever to hit Somalia.
Last year, approximately 98 million people suffered from acute food insecurity and needed humanitarian assistance in Africa, almost a 40% increase from 2019. Approximately 12% of all new displacements worldwide occurred in the East and Horn of Africa regions, with over 1.2 million new disaster-related displacements.
The negative effects of climate change in Africa have become so severe that they cannot be left to individual countries to address. A collaborative approach is what the continent needs.
Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group, asked for collaboration, to build a more climate-resilient Africa.
“Unless Africa accesses and obtains substantial funding for renewable energy, deforestation for fuelwood will severely and irreversibly destroy the environment. The Great Green Wall of the Sahel risks becoming a wall of fuelwood for charcoal.” said Adesina. “That is why the Bank has launched the Desert to Power initiative to develop the world’s largest solar power zone in the Sahel. This will provide power for 250 million people.”
“Let us together mobilize the USD $7-15 billion a year that Africa urgently needs for climate adaptation. Africa has been short-changed by climate change. Now, Africa should not be short-changed by climate finance.”
The African Development Bank (AfDB) puts a rough estimate of between USD $20-30 billion that will be required per year for climate change adaptation in Africa until 2030.
What Africa Needs to Win the Climate War (diplomaticourier.com)
The World Socialist Movement agree it is necessary for cooperation and coordination to extend beyond individual nations but we do not share the hope that African governments holding out their begging bowls will succeed. Pleading with the rich nations has never resulted in sufficient finances being provided to end hunger and disease, so why should it be any different with the climate, after all, being a minimal emitter of greenhouse gases doesn't make African nations a priority in their agenda to cut emissions
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