JOHN CHUMO: How Africa is paying climate change price for other’s sins

Climate change constitutes, perhaps, the greatest environmental challenge to the contemporary global system.

Author Michal Nachmany described it as the greatest environmental problem the contemporary world is grappling with. Climate change impacts not just the environment, but virtually all aspects of human endeavors, including tourism.

It has been identified as one of the most daunting challenges facing the world in the 21st century and it is particularly more serious in Africa. This is largely due to its geographic exposure, low incomes, greater reliance on climate-sensitive sectors and weak capacity to adapt to the changing climate.

The economic landscape of most African countries depends essentially on the dynamics of climate change. Key sectors driving their economies and livelihoods such as agriculture, forestry, energy, tourism, coastal and water resources are highly vulnerable to climate change.

The vulnerability has been acknowledged to be substantial.

The geographical location of most African countries on the lower latitudes has already put the region at a disadvantage where about 80 per cent of damages from climate change are concentrated. Any further warming would seriously affect productivity, according to Robert Mendelsohn.

Yet, Africa contributes a small proportion to the global greenhouse emissions.

As articulated by UNDP, it is less than five per cent of total carbon dioxide equivalent emissions and this share is unlikely to grow substantially in the nearest future. To this end, Africa shows a good example of climate change paradox.

Over the past five decades, many African countries such as Sudan, Chad, Uganda, Botswana and Tunisia have experienced a substantial rise in temperature ranging from 1 to over 3°C. The increasing knowledge that the continent contributes least to carbon footprint but experiences the most severe impact of climate change provides incentives for Africa to understand the costs of climate change to its economy and development prospects.

This is not only as a result of losses to the economy that might be linked to reduced agricultural productivity but also from increases in morbidity, mortality and social instabilities. These indirect impacts such as death and disabilities associated with climate change have irreversible economic and welfare consequences. Agriculture is critical to Africa's economic growth.

Climate change could destabilize local markets, increase food insecurity for instance the drought-prone sub-Saharan African countries, the number of undernourished people has increased by 45.6 per cent since 2012, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, thus limiting economic growth, and increase risk for agriculture sector investors.

It will aggravate the water stress faced by some countries — about 25 per cent of Africa’s population. About 200 million people experience high water stress. The population at risk of increased water stress in Africa is projected to be between 350 million and 600 million by 2050, while between 25 per cent and 40 per cent of mammal species in national parks in sub-Saharan Africa could become endangered.

Climate change has a negative impact ON most tropical regions’ economies directly and indirectly. This is particularly important because of heavy reliance on rain-fed agriculture, which is the main livelihood of the largest segment of the population.

To this end, rising temperatures could have a significant effect on agricultural productivity, farm income and food security as well as an indirect effect on labor productivity. Climate change is having a growing impact on Africa, hitting the most vulnerable hardest, and contributing to food insecurity, population displacement and stress on water resources.

In recent months, we have seen devastating floods, an invasion of desert locusts. There has been confirmation on climate change effects in countries such as South Africa with a decrease in rainfall and high temperature and flooding in northern Algeria, which caused 800 deaths and economic loss of about $400 million. A severe drought in the entire East Africa region is said to be “the worst drought in 60 years”.

The Climate Change Vulnerability Index for 2015 demonstrated that Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Madagascar, Mozambique, DR Congo and Malawi are at risk from climate change in Africa. The same list includes other countries from emerging markets.

Africa has seen a decrease in rainfall over large parts of the Sahel and Southern Africa, and an increase in parts of Central Africa. Over the past 25 years, the number of weather-related disasters such as floods and droughts, has doubled, resulting in Africa having a higher mortality rate from droughts than any other region.

Given the critical role of agriculture in Africa’s growth and development, heavy investment in research and development on the most appropriate adaptation interventions such as development of drought resistant crops and promoting the development of water resources management infrastructure like dams is needed.

These will, however, be weighed with the benefits of GDP growth loss averted. To ensure a proactive engagement in addressing this challenge, climate change adaptation should be integrated into the national development agenda and also reflected into budget implementation. The proximity effect exhibited by the findings raises the need for economies of scale in dealing with the effect of climate change.

Sub-regional or cross-border climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives may be more effective in the continent. Also, there is a need to ensure accurate and current data for adaptation planning. It is also critical need for science-based climate information is the foundation of resilience building, a cornerstone of climate change adaptation, as well as an oasis for sustainable livelihoods and development.

Furthermore, concerted efforts by African policymakers and development partners to help Africa build adaptive capacity to reduce vulnerability and climate finance is a critical ingredient in building Africa's adaptive capacity and in mitigation of climate change effects.

Moreover, it is paramount for Africa to address the implications of climate change by prioritising adaptation in the actions, drawing upon skills of diverse disciplines and with adequate support to applying affordable technology development and transfer, capacity building, financial and technical resources. This will ensure implementation of actions for the survival of the most vulnerable populations, including island states, and for sustainable development and shared prosperity.

Secretary, National Environmental Complaints Committee [email protected]