Climate Change is Posing Great Risk for the African Continent: International Commitment is Imperative

14-10-2022

Beatrice Serra

International Justice and Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

Africa is the continent with the lowest greenhouse gas emission. Yet, it remains the most vulnerable continent to climate change devastating impacts. Relying majorly on agriculture to its GDP, African countries are highly exposed to climate-driven collateral damages, which exacerbate food and water insecurity and economic disparities and aggravate conflict and displacement. As warned by the Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, Martha Ama Akyaa Pobe, “our response today does not match the magnitude of the challenge we are facing [in Africa]”. The scenario is particularly concerning and the cost of adapting to climate change is dramatically increasing, with the UNEP forecasting it to  $50 billion a year by 2050. (African Development Bank Group, n.d.; UN News, 2022A; UN News, 2022B) 

Ms. Pobee called upon the international community to increase its efforts: “Delivering on a commitment of international collaboration is a significant undertaking. It will require all of us to work together, in new and unprecedented ways,” she said. The message is clear, “We cannot hope to achieve lasting peace if we do not meet our climate goals.” (Assistant Secretary-General Martha Ama A. Pobee, Remarks To The Security Council On Threats To International Peace And Security: Climate And Security In Africa, 2022)

Sources and Further Readings:

African Development Bank Group (n.d.), Climate Change in Africa, retrieved on October 14th, 2022, from https://www.afdb.org/en/cop25/climate-change-africa

Political and Pacebuildings Affairs (October 12, 2022), Assistant Secretary-General Martha Ama A. Pobee, Remarks To The Security Council On Threats To International Peace And Security: Climate And Security In Africa, retrieved on October 14th, 2022, from https://dppa.un.org/en/africa-lies-frontlines-of-unfolding-climate-and-security-crisis-assistant-secretary-general-pobee. 

United Nations (September 8, 2022), WMO: Climate change in Africa can destabilize ‘countries and entire regions’, UN News, retrieved on October 14th, 2022, from https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/09/1126221. 

United Nations (October 12, 2022), Africa: Response to climate crisis doesn’t match ‘magnitude of the challenge’, UN News, retrieved on October 14th, 2022, from https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/10/1129477