Why 600 million African Lives Are At Severe Risk

By Tolulope Oke

According to a report, the lives of 600 million Africans are in danger as a result of the increasing severity and frequency of droughts.

This is contained in a report “Africa is Doubling Down on Climate Adaptation. Here’s Why it Deserves Support”.

“Already, the lives of 600 million people who rely on rain-fed agriculture are at risk because of the growing severity and frequency of droughts.

“Vast swaths of the continent will become unlivable unless we act now to protect people and livelihoods from the worst impacts of global warming”, the report stated.

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the AfDB Group, and Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Centre on Adaptation, co-authored the report (GCA).

According to NAN, the report noted that it is tempting to ignore longer-term issues like climate change when most of the world struggles with debilitating increases in energy and food prices.

The report also warned that Africa will lose much of its ability to adapt to climate change and that significant portions of the continent would become uninhabitable.

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Additionally, it stated that by 2040, if global warming continues on its current course, Africa might experience yearly GDP losses of up to 4%.

“Some nations are already spending the equivalent of 2.8 per cent of GDP to adapt to increasingly violent and unpredictable weather.

“This is an unfair burden. Africa, the continent that has contributed the least to global warming, is paying a steep price for the greenhouse gas emissions of the rich world.”
The report, however, noted that African governments were doubling down on climate adaptation.

“Two years ago, they inaugurated the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Programme (AAAP).

“This is with the aim of mobilising 25 billion dollars in adaptation investments by 2025. The African Development Bank has put up half of the funds already.”