The lives of 600 million people in Africa are at risk because of the growing severity and frequency of droughts, a new report has revealed.
The report, ‘Africa is Doubling Down on Climate Adaptation. Here’s Why it Deserves Support,’ was co-authored by the President of the AfDB Group, Dr Akinwumi Adesina and Patrick Verkooijen, the Chief Executive Officer of the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA).
It said with much of the world struggling with crippling spikes in energy and food prices, it is tempting to set aside longer-term challenges such as climate change.
“Already, the lives of 600 million people who rely on rain-fed agriculture are at risk because of the growing severity and frequency of droughts.
“Vast swaths of the continent will become unlivable unless we act now to protect people and livelihoods from the worst impacts of global warming.”
The report also said that Africa only had a tiny window to build resilience against climate change, adding that large parts of Africa would become uninhabitable.
It also said that on the current trajectory, global warming would cause an annual loss of up to four per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Africa by 2040.
“Some nations are already spending the equivalent of 2.8 per cent of GDP to adapt to increasingly violent and unpredictable weather.
“This is an unfair burden. Africa, the continent that has contributed the least to global warming, is paying a steep price for the greenhouse gas emissions of the rich world.”
The report, however, noted that African governments were doubling down on climate adaptation.
“Two years ago, they inaugurated the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Programme (AAAP).
“This is with the aim of mobilising 25 billion dollars in adaptation investments by 2025. The African Development Bank has put up half of the funds already.”
It said that climate adaptation was Africa’s best chance to bring about a safer, greener and a more prosperous continent.
