According to the World Bank, twenty-three of the world’s poorest 28 countries are in Africa, and the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated this number. A report by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) noted that extreme poverty in western Africa increased by nearly 3 percent in 2021. There have been many initiatives, from charity organizations to well-meaning wealthy individuals, to fight poverty in Africa, all great initiatives. But do you know fighting climate change can help Africa’s poor? 

Climate change effects further worsen the condition of the poor, so fighting climate change can help in the fight against poverty. By 2030, it is estimated that up to 118 million extremely poor people will be exposed to drought, floods, and extreme heat in Africa. Climate change threatens economic development and human well-being and impacts the most vulnerable. Climate change affects human health, food and water security, and socio-economic development.

“Climate change is having a growing impact on the African continent, hitting the most vulnerable hardest, and contributing to food insecurity, population displacement and stress on water resources,” Petteri Taalas, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary General. Over the past few months, there have been devastating floods in West Africa, droughts in East Africa, and food insecurity all over the continent. 

Climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and food insecurity are disruptions affecting people worldwide, especially in developing countries. While Africa has the lowest total greenhouse gas emissions, it is still the most vulnerable to climate change impacts. The implications of climate change extend to various species, as seen in Kenya, where more than a thousand animals have died due to a drought. This implication is far-reaching since many poor people depend on livestock for a living. 

Research conducted by the African Development Bank shows that by 2025, about 230 million Africans will face water scarcity due to climate change, and up to 460 million will be residing in water-stressed areas. Currently, African Countries such as Mozambique, Malawi, Kenya, South Sudan, Niger, Ghana, and Madagascar are facing intense effects of climate change- without proactive steps implemented, the consequences will further increase. 

Climate change also threatens Africa’s diverse ecosystem, impacting the poor because they depend on the ecosystem for livelihood. Additionally, the ecosystem provides wild plants and animals with habitat and promotes various food chains and webs. A high increase in temperature level forces important species to relocate or die, thus removing predators or prey that are critical in the existing food chain. Experts point out that many terrestrial and marine species’ migration patterns, geographic range, and seasonal activity have shifted in response to climate change. 

African governments, the private sector, and the international community must direct greater attention and resources toward reversing climate change and reducing its impact.  

In what specific ways does climate change impact the poor?

It is essential to remember that 65 percent of total employment in Africa is in the informal sector, where they have little access to social programs to help minimize the impact of a lack of income or disruption from climate issues. The warmer temperature and extreme weather destroy properties and infrastructure, impact human health, and affect productivity in agriculture. Warmer temperature also causes displacement and affects tourism, which impacts the poor and increases poverty.

• Agriculture

Agriculture provides job opportunities for about two-thirds of the continent’s working population. More than 60 percent of sub-Saharan Africa’s population is smallholder farmers, and about 23 percent of sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP comes from agriculture. Drought, floods, and extreme heat disrupt agricultural productivity. The increased temperature has contributed to a 34% reduction in agricultural productivity growth in Africa, more than in any other region in the world, which can lead to food insecurity. 

Apart from providing jobs, agriculture provides food security for smallholder farmers who use their harvest to feed their families and earn their daily living. As the effect of climate change, drought or flooding disrupts agricultural production, it can lead to food insecurity for millions. In sub-Saharan Africa, food insecurity increases by 5–20 percentage points with each flood or drought.

The occurrence of frequent flooding washes away fields, drowns livestock, and reduces the productivity level of local farmers. Apart from flooding, increased heat and drought usually reduce the growth and yields of crops. Crops such as wheat, rice, corn, and soybean do not survive and grow adequately above certain temperatures. Furthermore, crops will be affected by less groundwater availability and increased pests and weeds.

The economy can become fragile when prices for energy, food, and other goods and services increase. As farmers struggle with the impact of climate change affecting harvests, prices will increase, and the general population will have to struggle with the high cost of food, impacting the poor, who have little money to spend.

• Tourism

Tourism is a powerful tool for job creation, both direct and indirectly. Directly, about 9.1 million people work in the travel and tourism industry in Africa. In 2015, tourism generated $39.2 billion. Tourism is highly dependent on the natural environment, and disruptions to this natural environment threaten job creation. Africa needs at least 15 million new decent jobs annually for its youth. Tourism has the potential to create more jobs, but climate change impact can destroy the natural environment.  

Tourism provides opportunities to invest, uplift economic activities, and create employment for women and young people. The tourism industry is vital to economic growth in African countries- sadly, the sector is being affected and not well-harnessed due to climate change effects. Unfavorable weather patterns and impacts on the ecosystem make the tourism sector less attractive and undervalued. The consequences of climate change highly affect tourism resulting in changes in the number of tourists flowing into Africa and revenue streams for locals. The tourism industry is a significant force for development that can provide jobs for the poor. Climate change threatens this force, and making efforts to fight climate change can help fight poverty.

• Displacement 

Climate-related issues are a major driver of new displacement in Africa. Extreme climate events influence displacement patterns within and across borders. In 2021, 2.5 million people were internally displaced in sub-Saharan Africa due to disasters. Displacement can lead to unemployment and loss of homes and land. Displacement also affects school enrolment for children when they have to leave their homes due to a disaster. It also exposes people to violence if they are displaced in a conflict zone. 

An increase in climate change’s impact has led to millions of displacements and many homes destroyed. Effects of climate change, such as flooding and extreme drought, significantly contribute to the sheltering problems in communities.

Floods and storms contributed the most to internal disaster-related displacement, followed by droughts. In Sudan, for example, over 63 thousand Ethiopian refugees from the Ethiopian war arrived. The refugees, and other locals, lost their shelters and belongings after heavy rains caused flash floods. Shrinking water supplies is also at the root of conflict in Cameroon that is driving thousands of people to flee their homes. 

• Infrastructure

Africa has an estimated infrastructure gap of $107.5 billion a year. Transport, water and sanitation, health, and rural infrastructure are lacking in Africa, and the effects of climate change can further exacerbate this problem.” A World Bank study found that the poor state of infrastructure in many parts of Africa reduced national economic growth by two percentage points every year. 

Rising sea levels, and warming ocean temperatures, threaten critical infrastructure. Currently, the road access rate in Africa is only 34%, and extreme weather will necessitate high repair and maintenance of limited roads and other infrastructures. According to Akin Adesina, African Development Bank President, “most of the infrastructure for Africa is yet to be built. This presents an enormous opportunity to get it right and build climate-smart green infrastructure that is climate resilient.” 

Financing for African countries’ climate initiatives to support the transition 

51 out of 53 African countries that submitted their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) data showed there are climate financing needs. Based on this data, it will cost around USD 2.8 trillion between 2020 and 2030 to implement Africa’s NDCs. Most of this funding is expected to come from international sources and the private sector. 

Different summits have been held over recent years, and appreciable funding is being earmarked to help African countries to fight against the effects of climate change. The just-ended COP27 in  Egypt focused on the fight against climate change and funding for African countries. The conference ended with an agreement to provide “loss and damage” funding for vulnerable countries hit hard by climate disasters. While this is a remarkable agreement, it should not be a permanent fix. Developed countries still need to work towards limiting global temperature increases. 

There was also some progress on adaptation at the COP27, and governments made new pledges to the adaptation fund. These pledges will help vulnerable countries adapt to climate change through concrete adaptation solutions. Again, pledges and agreements are a great start, but a commitment to climate agreement will take more than just making pledges. The goal should be to lower rising temperatures and reverse the impact of climate change, which will help fight poverty. 

So how can you help?

Join the fight – take practical steps by supporting green initiatives and green businesses. Did you know that if one billion people took action, we could reduce as much as 20% of global carbon emissions? Only one billion out of the world’s current eight billion population. 

Buy local – In addition to supporting small businesses, buying from local farmers directly supports Africa’s smallholder farmers. According to the United Nations Environment Program, locally produced food reduces fossil fuel emissions associated with transport and cold chain storage. 

Reduce, recycle, reuse – Reduce the amount of waste you produce, reuse items as much as possible, and recycle things.

Tell your politicians – that you support the fight against climate change, and they should too. 

These might seem insignificant or small to you, and you might wonder if you alone can make a difference. Yes, you can make a difference, plus you are not alone. 

Conclusion

Climate change is an increasingly pressing issue affecting the African continent and making conditions worse for the poor. Africa is considered the most vulnerable region to the effects of climate change, even though it puts out less than 4% of greenhouse emissions. Climate change impacts the poor by negatively affecting food security, job creation, displacement, and their overall well-being.  

Poverty has been a long-term issue that the world has been trying to solve, but climate change makes this issue worse. The economic effect of climate change is felt mainly by the poor; as stated before, most of the world’s poor live in Africa. If the impact of climate change can be minimized and reversed, this will help in the fight against poverty. 

Climate financing would also help African countries improve their resilience to the impact of climate change and help support Africa’s poor. Agreements and pledges at climate conferences are great, but the world, especially the poor, needs more tangible actions from developing countries to fight climate change and poverty.

About Author

Elfreda K. Sheriff is the founder of KilSah Consulting, a development firm that provides research, policy advisory, training, and mentoring services to empower MSMEs and women and youth entrepreneurs. Her interests include women’s economic empowerment, small businesses, Africa’s economic development, democracy, and fighting corruption.