Climate Change
According to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, human activities, principally through emissions of greenhouse gases, have unequivocally caused global warming, with global surface temperature reaching 1.1°C above 1850-1900 in 2011-2020. Global greenhouse gas emissions have continued to increase, with unequal historical and ongoing contributions arising from unsustainable energy use, land use and land-use change, lifestyles and patterns of consumption and production across regions, between and within countries, and among individuals.
The latest SDG 13 Report on Africa records that Limited progress demands accelerated climate action across Africa for integrated and accelerated implementation of the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 The Africa We Want. Despite making up 17 of the global population and contributing only 4 to global emissions, Africa disproportionately suffers from extensive climate related loss and damage especially women children and persons with disabilities who are the most vulnerable to its impacts. Acting upon the measures agreed at the first global stocktake could transform Africa’s climate change challenges into transformative, inclusive and climate resilient development opportunities.
Average disaster related mortality per 100,000 population in Sub Saharan Africa remained high and relatively unchanged in the last two decades, from 2.35 in 2005 2014 to 2.39 in 2013 2022. In the same period, global mortality ratio was reduced by almost 50%, from 1.62 per 100,000 in 2005 2014 to 0.82 in 2013 2022.
The report on the SDG13 also shows that Direct eco nomic loss as share of GDP in Sub Saharan Africa has been on steady increase since 2017, from 0.56% in 2017 to 2.94% in 2022. Direct economic loss averages 1.73% of GDP during 2015 2022, a percentage that is six times higher than the global average. During 2015 2022, more than 11,000 critical infrastructures schools and hospitals were damaged or destroyed due to disasters in Sub Saharan Africa. More than 25,000 educational, health, and other critical services were disrupted by disasters in Sub-Saharan Africa.
It is our belief that effective climate action is enabled by political commitment, well-aligned multilevel governance, institutional frameworks, laws, policies and strategies and enhanced access to finance and technology. Clear goals, coordination across multiple policy domains, and inclusive governance processes facilitate effective climate action. Regulatory and economic instruments can support deep emissions reductions and climate resilience if scaled up and applied widely. Climate resilient development benefits from drawing on diverse knowledge.
It is in this regard that we work to contribute to accelerated implementation of the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 by:
- Increasing and unlocking climate finance
- Fostering climate finance innovation
- Localizing climate action
- Promoting climate education and green skills
- Enhancing open data systems and innovation
- Promoting wide reaching collaboration
- Accelerating shifts to green and blue economies
- Enhancing water security for energy and food security
- Leveraging regional integration and the AfCFTA