Independent environmental campaign organization, Greenpeace is calling on African leaders to declare a climate emergency as changes in weather continue to affect sectors such as agriculture. The organisation stated that weather across sub-Saharan Africa has become more extreme and unpredictable in the 21st century – a trend that climate scientists anticipate will become more pronounced in future decades.
A new Greenpeace report, ‘Weathering the Storm: Extreme Weather and Climate Change in Africa’, explores the relationship between extreme weather events and climate change in Africa. Key findings confirmed by this comprehensive report published by Greenpeace Africa and the Greenpeace Science Unit highlighted that future average temperatures in Africa are projected to increase at a rate faster than the global average in all warming scenarios.
Also, the mean annual temperature increase for much of Africa is projected to exceed 2℃ or to fall within the range of 3℃ to 6℃ by the end of the 21st century if high emissions continue. This would be two to four times beyond the rise permitted in the Paris Agreement. Similarly, the rising temperature is likely to lead to deaths, displacements, climate-related conflicts, irregular rainfall, drinking water shortages, obstruction of agricultural production and accelerated extinction of endemic African species.
It further stated that the frequency, intensity, and duration of extreme heat events are expected to increase, following trends already observed in Southern, East and Northern Africa. “The science is clear – the increased carbon emissions from exploitative activities on our planet has scaled up climate change in a major way. The time to act is now and African leaders must declare a climate emergency to preserve our collective future.”
The report, Weathering the Storm: Extreme Weather and Climate Change in Africa, explores the relationship between extreme weather events and climate change in Africa and summarises the scientific data on how the climate crisis is spiralling out of control across the continent, including irregular extreme heatwaves, floods, droughts and cyclones at a scale hitherto unknown.
Climate-related problems can often be disproportionately felt in the poorest communities because they are least equipped to cope with and adjust to changes. “Science shows there is very little that is natural in the disasters striking our continent. A human-made crisis requires a human-made solution. Africa is the cradle of humanity and it shall be the cradle of climate action for our future,” said Melita Steele, Greenpeace Africa programme director.
Steele added: “Health, safety, peace and justice will not be achieved only through prayers and bags of rice and maize in the aftermath of a disaster. Only the one who preserves has no misfortune – and African leaders must declare a climate emergency to preserve our collective future.
“There needs to be better incorporation of indigenous knowledge in scientific evidence on extreme weather events in Africa. African countries need to be more involved in leading the development of new databases and models rather than being dependent on countries outside Africa. This will ensure better communication, planning and future projects of events. Access to information needs to be provided at a community level,” stated Ndoni Mcunu, climate scientist, founder of Black Women in Science and co-author of the report.
By Zainab Iyamide Joaque