Advertisement
Opinion | Rich world must follow China’s lead and support Africa’s green revolution
- Rising temperatures and falling agricultural productivity are not just harming food security but exacerbating human displacement and the potential for conflict
- Africa needs wealthy nations to join China in funding its climate fight and supporting its push for green mobility
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
12
Human-caused climate change is having a compounding impact on Africa and holding back the continent’s growth. In my two decades of residency in Cairo, Egypt, I have never witnessed a winter as warm as the one this year.
Advertisement
Last year was the hottest that the land of the Nile has witnessed, with Egyptians sweltering in summer heat in October and November. Many other African countries – from Somalia and Senegal to Libya and South Africa – also experienced unprecedented heat.
Climate change and extreme weather are having a destructive impact on African countries. Parts of Africa are becoming drier and hotter, and others are experiencing an increase in rainfall which has caused devastating floods and led to the displacement of many people.
Heatwaves and prolonged summers and droughts – particularly in the Horn of Africa – are damaging the growth of crops, leading to lower harvests, which is harming food security for the entire continent. This is damaging African countries’ economies and posing a serious threat to endeavours aimed at reducing poverty, with more than 200 million of the continent’s 1.4 billion population facing extreme hunger.
Africa produces only a fraction of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, yet it is one of the hardest-hit continents and suffers disproportionately from climate change. Although Africa has roughly 17 per cent of the world’s population, it contributes only 4 per cent of global carbon emissions. Putting it more bluntly, rich countries’ profit is poor countries’ loss.
07:25
Cop28 prepares temperature check on climate at Dubai meeting
Cop28 prepares temperature check on climate at Dubai meeting
As a result, African officials and intellectuals are closely monitoring global climate conferences such as the sixth United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) which concluded its five-day session in Nairobi, Kenya, on March 1. The UNEA-6 passed several resolutions, including enhancing air quality worldwide, proper management of chemicals and waste, boosting effective water policies for agriculture, and eliminating highly hazardous pests.
Advertisement