African countries are losing up to 5% of their GDP every year as they bear a heavier burden than the rest of the world from climate change, a new report said Monday after one of the continent’s hottest years on record.
The World Meteorological Organization said many African countries spend up to 9% of their budgets on climate adaptation policies.
“Over the past 60 years, Africa has experienced a warming trend that has been faster than the global average,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo, warning that it is affecting everything from food security to public health and peace.
Africa is responsible for less than 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. But it is the most vulnerable region to extreme weather events, including droughts, floods and heat waves, the WMO said.
Receive the latest national news
For news affecting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts sent directly to you as they happen.
The new report focuses on 2023, one of the three warmest years on record in Africa. It called on African governments to invest in early warning systems and meteorological services. If adequate measures are not taken, up to 118 million Africans will be exposed to droughts, floods and extreme heat by 2030, the report warns.
In sub-Saharan Africa, the cost of adapting to extreme weather could reach $30 billion to $50 billion per year over the next decade, the report estimates.
The consequences of climate change have been dire. About 300,000 people in West Africa were affected by flooding between September and October 2023, the report said. Zambia experienced its worst drought in forty years, affecting almost six million people.
The pattern of extreme weather events in Africa will continue into 2024, experts say.
According to the United Nations, floods in the Sahel region south of the Sahara have affected more than 716,000 people this year. In Mali, authorities declared a national disaster last week due to flooding that has affected 47,000 people since the start of the rainy season.
West Africa experienced an unprecedented heat wave earlier this year that led to a rise in deaths.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
