Climate Change: Exploring African Responses and Solutions

Under current climate forecasts, Africa will only be meeting 13% of its food needs by 2050, causing the continent to lose up to 16% of its GDP as a result of malnutrition alone. Higher temperatures could cause total farm yields to drop by 15-20 percent across all African regions. The Russian-Ukrainian war has further exposed Africa’s over-dependence on food imports. From 2016 to 2018, Africa imported about 85% of its food from outside the continent, the cost of which is forecast to reach $110 billion by 2025. Yet, the continent has 60% of the world’s arable land.

Africa has seen a push for renewable energy, with significant growth in geothermal and solar power. Indeed, the presumed reserves of Africa's solar energy are estimated to account for almost 40% of the global total, making Africa the most sun-rich continent in the world. However, most of the continent still uses dirty energy, and recently some African countries are looking to invest in coal, and expensive fossil fuel pipelines. What is slowing down the transition to clean energy? At COP26 in Glasgow, a lot of commitments were made on Net-Zero transition by the year 2050. How realistic are those commitments? How does Africa get on track?

From refugee communities creating forests in deserts, innovators turning plastic into art, boats, and building materials, and 3D printers making homes, saving energy and reducing the emissions of carbons, Africa is awash with new ideas and initiatives that are turning environmental calamities into new sources of life, and adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change. What are some of the best? Can they be scaled up? African youth are constantly innovating apps and tools that are built to assist farmers navigate the changing climate. What are some of the success stories across the continent?

Global warming and its climatic upshot are threatening Africa coastal and marine regions, water resources, and their economies. Fish resources are declining in some large lakes and rivers due to rising temperatures and overfishing. Excessive rainfall over desert regions has already caused the worst locust swarms to hit East Africa in more than 70 years. Water shortages increase the risk of stranded mining assets as well as interruptions in operations. What is the smart way forward?

In the face of a climate crisis, and big hurdles, there have still been victories in the push for a safer environment in Africa.  Refugee communities turned their desert camps into green oases. Individuals and communities have planted millions of trees and built back mangrove forests. Activism has begun to produce forward-looking climate bills and actions. The dream of the Great Green Wall of Africa refuses to die. We have the power  to bring change. What futures are possible? Where the African movements?  How do we overcome near-impossible odds?