Africa faces disproportionate burden from climate change –WMO

MORGAN DIM, Abuja

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has observed that Africa suffered increasingly heavy burden from high costs for essential climate adaptation.

This was made known during the release of a  new Report on the State of the Climate at the 12th Climate Change for Development in Africa (CCDA) Conference held in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire recently.

A statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Public Relations Officer, WMO Regional Office in Africa, Dr. Kosmos Ebenezer Akande-Alasoka urged African countries to prioritize increased investment in national meteorological cum hydraulogical services, and accelerate implementation of early warnings for all  initiative to save lives and livelihoods.

He explained that on average African countries were losing 2 – 5 percent of its Gross Domestic Product, (GDP) while many devoted  about 9 percent of their budgets responding to  Climate extremes.

According to the statement, the cost of adaptation in sub-saharan Africa is estimated at between USD 30 to 50 billion annually over the next decade or 3percent of the region’s Gross Domestic Product, (GDP)

He noted that by 2030, about 118 million extremely poor people would be exposed to drought, floods and extreme heat in Africa if adequate measures were not put in place.

Dr. Akande Asoloka explained that his Organization’s Report focused on Climate Change indicators in 2023 which also marked the world’s hottest year on record. According to him, the report supplements the WMO state of the Global Climate Report and one in the region’s series which provide the observational basis to help drive action as well as support decision making.

In her words, Secretary General of WMO Celeste Saulo remarked, “Over the past 60 years, Africa has observed a warning trend that has become more rapid than the global average. In 2023, the continent experienced deadly heatwaves, heavy rains, floods, tropical cyclones, and prolonged droughts. While many countries in the Horn of Africa, Southern and North-west Africa continued to suffer exceptional multi year drought, others experienced extreme precipitation events in 2023 leading to flooding with significant casualties. These extreme events led to devastating impacts on communities with economic implications. “This pattern of extreme weather has continued in 2024, parts of Southern Africa have been gripped by damaging drought, exceptional seasonal rainfall has caused death and devastation in East African countries, most recently in Sudan and South Sudan. This exacerbates an already desperate humanitarian crisis.

“The state of Climate in Africa 2023 Report highlights the urgent need for meteorological services and early warning systems to help adapt to Climate Change and build resilience in Africa; as the impacts of climate change continue to manifest globally, the African continent stands at a critical juncture,” said Amb. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue economy and Sustainable Environment at the African Union Commission.

World Meteorological Organization Deputy Secretary General, Ms KO Barrett released the State of the Report at the occasion while Dr. Agnes Kijazi, Regional Director for Africa moderated.

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