Africa and the Fight Against Climate Change: A Promising, Yet Under-appreciated, Player.
As world leaders are set to meet for the 26th UN Climate Change Conference in November 2021, the devastating impact of human-induced changes in the atmosphere are growing in severity and frequency. Nowhere will this impact be more harmful than in the continent of Africa. As Ban-Ki Moon stated in 2014: “Climate change affects us all, but it does not affect us all equally. The poorest and most vulnerable, those who have done the least to contribute to global warming, are bearing the brunt of the impact today.” We can already see the devastating impact of climate change in the form of devastating cyclones that affected 3 million people across Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe in the spring of 2018. By 2023, the vulnerability costs for the entire continent can reach $1.4 trillion, severely undermining the economic potential of the region. In short, half measures and empty gestures of good faith on international action against climate change will condemn the continent and its people to abject misery that is not of their own making. For a continent that contributes little to global carbon emissions (roughly 4% in 2017), it is here where stable food/water supplies, public health and economic development will be further jeopardized by climate change. This was worryingly confirmed by recent changes in ocean circulation patterns brought by climate change fueling the recent outbreak of locust swarms that have devasted agricultural output. Evidently, Africa is paying a heavy price for continuing reluctance to seriously address this problem.
And yet despite this, with Africa’s vulnerability growing with each passing year, African leaders have remained actively engaged with international agreements and principles in order to combat this global threat. Individual states, NGOs and regional organisations are therefore taking active steps to mitigate climate change and provide a more certain future for the continent. For instance, Morocco’s Noor Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Plant, the largest solar complex of its kind in the world, is accelerating its target to achieve a 52% renewable energy mix by 2030. This 3,000-hectare monument to technological innovation represents one of many ambitious and achievable objectives to convert the continent into a renewable energy superpower. For instance, South Africa’s Carbon Tax Act, introduced in 2019, is estimated to reduce the country’s carbon emissions by 33% relative to the current baseline. This can make a significant impact on carbon emissions while opening the possibility for reinvestment in wide renewable energy projects. Solar power promises to be a major energy source in the future with Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, Namibia and Ghana alone responsible for 1.8W solar installations over a short period of time. Cross-national support for large-scale renewable energy development and trade was affirmed by the announcement of the Africa Clean Energy Corridor (ACEC) project. This project, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency, can “cut the annual CO2 emission level in 2030 by 310 Mega tonnes (Mt), translating into 2,500 Mt savings of cumulative CO2 emissions between 2010 and 2030 while increasing electricity supply by 2.5 times.” With the backing of 30 national governments, regional organizations and financial institutions, the ACEC looks set to deliver significant changes for Africa and its future renewable energy potential. Indeed, the ACEC isn’t the only regional commitment that looks promising. In 2013, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) established the ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy (EREP) which aimed to increase the share of renewable energy in the region’s overall electricity mix to 35% in 2020 and 48% in 2030. To achieve this, ECOWAS established the West African Clean Energy Corridor (WACEC) to “promote the development and integration of utility-scale renewable power in West African power systems.” Furthermore, the African Development Bank has identified renewable energy sources as crucial tool to accomplish universal electricity access by 2025, devoting $12 billion to national projects. The future success of the continent and its ability to achieve various development goals over the coming years are reliant on dedicated targets for renewable energy, ensuring the political will to meet them is forever present. Overall, the future looks bright for the development of renewable energy sources across the continent. Africa benefits from a rich bounty of natural energy resources including solar, wind and hydro, which will be vital to ensuring both economic growth while combatting the threat posed by climate change. So much so that by 2030, Africa’s renewable energy capacity could reach 310 GW, putting the continent at the forefront of renewable energy generation globally. Although Africa and its leaders are acting out on a severe sense of urgency due to the extent climate change threatens their countries, such urgency is pushing the continent to make bold and sincere steps to mitigate this global problem.
Bold and progressive policies on the ground level are complimented by the establishment of various institutions and regional platforms for dialogue amongst multiple actors. For instance, the Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA) annually assembles numerous actors to share scientific knowledge, generate innovative solutions to challenges and build consensus on key African priorities ahead of the annual Conference of Parties to UNFCCC. Information gathering and exchange are necessary for raising awareness while delivering far-reaching solutions, making these annual conferences critical to ensuring national leaders, experts and NGOs can coordinate more efficiently in the future. Additionally, the Weather and Climate Information Services for Africa (WISER), works on building resilience from the worst fallouts of climate change. Until recent trends in the earth’s atmosphere are reversed, building resilience is a crucial component to protecting economic development and human lives from weather-related shocks. Another organization, the Africa Climate Resilient Investment Facility (AFRI-RES), consists of both regional and international economic actors to secure funding that strengthens the capacity of African institutions and the private sector to plan, design and implement investments that are resilient to climate variability and change. These organisations and platforms for dialogue, while still in their infancy in comparison to their international counterparts, offer a promising step toward progress in the fight against climate change. The work these organisations undertake not only closes protentional gaps in research and finance but ensures stronger coordination amongst multiple actors from environmental activist groups to the African Union and its myriad of influential institutions. The proliferation of research organisations like the Climate Research for Development (CR4D) not only helps combat climate change through evidence gathering and consensus-building, but also grant such institutions local ownership. With local experience, concerns and expectations guiding these African-owned and managed organisations and platforms, climate change mitigation represents another area where the continent is setting the terms for an effective, coordinated response on its own terms.
The national and continental calls for action against climate change also fostered a new era of environmental activism, especially amongst Africa’s youth population. This has led to a proliferation of local NGOs and civil society organisations (CSO) that serve to further public understanding and maintain pressure on national and international leaders to act as aggressively as possible against climate change. One of the earliest organisations centered around climate change in Africa is the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC), which now boasts over 20,000 members across 45 countries. By working in collaboration with regional, continental and international organisations, the AIYCC illustrates the extent to which the battle against climate change will rely on young people. The AIYCC also works to ensure climate change commitments are tied to other long-term objectives such as economic development and poverty reduction. This is to ensure positive growth while ignoring the negative impacts of climate change. This will be central in addressing the age-old idea that development much come at the expense of the environment and climate, presenting a third option for African economies to follow for the future. Youth organisations focused on climate change have also proven their capacity to organise wide-scale events and platforms for dialogue. In 2011, for example, 150 young people from 18 countries organised a two-week caravan trip across six countries. Consisting of students, activists and journalists, the “We Have Faith — Act Now for Climate Justice” caravan hosted concerts and festival to raise public awareness. With 200,000 signatures for their petition, and the personal blessings of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the campaign was a resounding success for environmental and climate justice. A powerful network of youth-orientated groups to fight for the future is as clear as day. Environmental and climate activism are not new or unfamiliar to the African continent, having remained prominent advocacy groups operating across national boundaries for decades. Rather, as time has passed and climate change has grown as an existential threat, youth organisations and other CSOs have only become more emboldened to raise public pressure to guarantee firm action. Far from being some precursor for economic stress in the future, Africa’s burgeoning youth population will be central to ensuring the continent’s victory in the fight against climate change.
Overall, Africa is set to become a critical player in the fight against global climate change. Despite the insignificant contributions the continent makes towards global CO2 emissions, it stands to lose far more than other parts of the world that contributes overwhelmingly towards the problem. For this, decisive action has been made evident. From large scale renewable energy projects, to cross-continental research and financing organisations, to local advocacy groups raising public awareness with sincere passion, there has been a tectonic shift across the continent. Public awareness and financial resources have been mobilized to the fullest possible extent to transform the continent into a green energy superpower. While international support is still necessary, the level of continental coordination works to ensure such projects are sustainable and can be enjoyed by as many local stakeholders as is possible. Like similar climate justice movements across the globe, this has been made possible by a growing youth population that are more interconnected than ever before. This has made mass mobilisation and advocacy easier, enabling youth-orientated groups to coordinate across national borders, connecting through shared interests and concerns. Though challenges remain for African nations to transition toward renewable energy, the stakes are for too high for political will to be lacking. As climate change grows to be an existential threat to international security, global observers would do well to look to and support Africa in its ambitious plans for green energy development. Time will show that the continent may very well be our planets saving grace.
About the author:
My name is James Manion and I am an intern for Africa Insight. I have a Bachelors in Politics and International Relations and a Masters in Diplomacy.
If you have any enquiries about this article and its contents, I’ll be happy to respond through email at jamesmanion146@gmail.com.
