The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has reported that Africa faces a disproportionate burden from climate change, despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions.
The continent has been warming at a rate slightly higher than the global average, with North Africa experiencing the most rapid temperature increases. The city of Agadir in Morocco recorded a new high of 50.4 degrees Celsius.
In addition to rising temperatures, many African countries have faced extreme weather events, including severe droughts and flooding. For example, in 2023, Zambia experienced its worst drought in 40 years, affecting six million people.
Meanwhile, flooding affected around 300,000 people across ten countries, with Niger, Benin, Ghana, and Nigeria being the hardest hit.
These climate extremes have significantly impacted food security, agriculture, public health, and overall socio-economic development.
The WMO report stresses the urgent need for Africa to improve its data collection, forecasting, and early warning systems, as only 40 percent of the African population currently has access to such systems.
The report also highlights the financial strain on African countries, which are losing two to five percent of their gross domestic product due to climate-related events. Many countries are diverting up to nine percent of their budgets to respond to these challenges.
The upcoming UN COP29 climate summit, scheduled for November in Azerbaijan, will focus on how much wealthy industrialised nations should contribute to help poorer countries like those in Africa adapt to the impacts of climate change.
The WMO warns that if adequate measures are not taken, by 2030, up to 118 million Africans living on less than $1.90 a day could be exposed to severe climate events such as droughts, floods, and extreme heat, placing additional burdens on poverty alleviation efforts and hampering growth across the continent.