FINANCIAL PANIC AFRICA FACES DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
By Kudzai Jakachira
Cumulative temperatures and sea levels, fluctuating precipitation patterns and more extreme weather patterns are frightening human health and safety, food and water security as well as socio-economic development in Africa, according to a new report devoted exclusively to the continent on Climate Change by the World Metrological Department.
Conferring to the most current report, “State of the Climate in Africa 2023,” released by the World metrological Organisation (WMO) , Africa is experiencing a weighty impact from climate change, with escalating temperatures a little above the global average, continuing multi-year famines in northwest Africa, undecorated flooding events, and a growing climate change cost affecting African economies, stressing the urgent need for improved investment in early warning systems to safeguard lives and livelihoods.
The African continent has been warming at a slightly faster rate than the global average, at about +0.3 °C per decade between 1991 and 2023.
The warming has been most rapid in North Africa, around +0.4 °C per decade between 1991 and 2023, compared to +0.2 °C/decade between 1961and 1990.
In a report released by the World Metrological Organization (WMO) on the state of climate change in Africa the organisation detailed that Africa will blunder economically due to high costs in Climate Adaptation and will decline its Gross Domestic Product rate due to the climatic contest predicted.
“Africa bears an exceptionally heavy burden from climate change and disproportionately high costs for essential climate adaptation, on average, African countries are losing 2-5% of GDP and many are diverting up to 9% of their budgets responding to climate extremes.”
Reads the report by the World Metrological Organisation(WMO):
“In sub-Saharan Africa, the cost of adaptation is estimated to range from US$ 30-50 billion annually over the next decade, or 2-3% of the region’s Gross Domestic Product,” Africa bears an exceptionally heavy burden from climate change and disproportionately high costs for essential climate adaptation,” the report adds.
The World Metrological Organisation (WMO) publicized in its report on the State of Climate in Africa, that if the Africa continent fails to counter climatic adversities by 2030 and invest in Climate Awareness and Metrological improvements, close to 2 million people will suffer severely from drought and floods and will live in poverty and famine hence a comprehensive strategy is needed to avoid such tragedy.
“By 2030, it is estimated that up to 118 million extremely poor people (living on less than US$ 1.90 per day) will be exposed to drought, floods and extreme heat in Africa, if adequate response measures are not put in place. This will place additional burdens on poverty alleviation efforts and significantly hamper growth.” said (WMO)
“African countries need to prioritise increased investment in National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, and accelerate implementation of the Early Warnings For All initiative to save lives and livelihoods. This will help mitigate risks, build adaptive capacity, boost resilience at local, national, and regional levels and guide sustainable development strategies,” says the report.
The report is a collective effort between the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the African Union Commission (AUC), and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
