Africa’s Climate Challenges Pose Urgent Issues for Conflict and Financial Struggles, as Leaders Seek Solutions
Africa is facing severe climate challenges that are fueling conflict and causing financial struggles for many countries on the continent. These challenges include severe droughts, extreme heat, dry land, unpredictable rainfall, and devastating flooding. The impacts of these climate shocks worsen conflict situations and disrupt livelihoods, especially for farmers who are increasingly vulnerable in a warming world.
Experts argue that climate challenges are at the root of vulnerabilities faced by conflict-ridden countries in Africa’s Sahel region, such as Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger, and northern Nigeria. Adapting to these challenges could cost up to USD 50 billion per year, according to the Global Commission on Adaptation. Moreover, the clean energy transition, which is crucial for mitigating climate change, could cost as much as USD 190 billion annually, posing overwhelming costs for Africa.
Unfortunately, African countries already have limited space in their budgets, and borrowing more to fund climate goals would further worsen their considerable debt burdens. African leaders are urgently seeking a rapid boost in financing to address these issues.
To kickstart a conversation about Africa’s financial challenges and its ability to handle climate shocks, some leaders have suggested using this week’s meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Marrakech, Morocco. However, there has been criticism that these lending institutions are not adequately considering climate change and the vulnerabilities of poor countries in their funding decisions.
A joint opinion column by Kenyan President William Ruto, African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina, African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki, and Global Commission on Adaptation CEO Patrick Verkooijen published in The New York Times argues that the global financial system is outdated, dysfunctional, and unjust. They believe that international financial institutions are too small and limited to fulfill their mandate, too slow to respond to new challenges like climate change, and discriminate against poor countries.
In recent years, funding for climate initiatives in Africa has increased, acknowledging the continent’s minimal contribution to global emissions but heightened vulnerability to climate change due to insufficient financing and adaptive capacity. Major development banks have started recognizing climate change as a significant economic threat.
IMF economist Daniel Lee stated during a panel in Marrakech this week that the organization is mainstreaming climate change in its policy advice, capacity development, and lending. However, he did not provide specific details about the size or breakdown of funding.
Lee mentioned an existing IMF program aimed at assisting poor countries in addressing climate change, but only Rwanda has received financing from this program, amounting to USD 319 million over three years.
Like the African leaders, experts highlight the insufficiency of climate financing for Africa, particularly for countries in the Sahel region that lack stable and recognized governments, often led by military juntas.
Carlos Lopes, a professor at the Mandela School of Public Governance, University of Cape Town, South Africa, stated that the reality has fallen short of expectations. He argues that a significant portion of funding is directed toward mitigation efforts, while adaptation, which is a top priority for the continent, receives less attention and support. This lack of support has serious consequences, as witnessed in countries like Niger and northern Nigeria, where arable land is being lost to soil erosion and dry conditions, leading to resource battles, reduced economic opportunities, and recruitment of armed groups.
Although irrigation projects are among the ways to adapt to climate change, violence and insecurity undermine these efforts as farmers struggle to access their farmland on top of already lower yields. Farmers like Ibrahim Audi from Nigeria’s far northern Katsina state face hurdles in going to their farms due to insecurity, in addition to extreme heat levels, unpredictable rainfall, and unpredictable conflicts.
Femi Mimiko, a professor of political economy and international relations at Nigeria’s Obafemi Awolowo University, lamented that climate financing heading to Africa is rather negligible and emphasized that the challenges are enormous due to strict conditions imposed by the IMF and World Bank for funding. Additionally, the financing for climate change in Africa must address persistent debt crises faced by many countries on the continent.
African leaders reiterated their call for a pause on foreign debt repayments during the Africa Climate Summit in Kenya last month, highlighting that Africa’s debt repayments this year are estimated to reach USD 62 billion, surpassing the costs of adapting to climate change. Another issue lies in leaders underestimating how climate change contributes to violence and economic problems.
Idayat Hassan, a senior Africa program fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, emphasized that national policies to address climate change are lax and fail to recognize the nexus between climate change and conflict in the Sahel region. The consequences are dire, as demonstrated by the increasing need for humanitarian assistance in countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, where conflict and climate change have caused a deepening crisis, particularly affecting the agricultural sector.
In order to access support from the IMF and World Bank, many of these conflict-affected countries led by military juntas must commit to timely redemocratization, according to Professor Mimiko, as their illegitimate governments constrain their ability to meet funding requirements.
Overall, Africa is grappling with climate challenges that exacerbate conflict and financial struggles. Adequate financing and support from international financial institutions are necessary to help African countries adapt to and mitigate climate change effectively. However, more attention must be given to the needs of vulnerable countries, particularly those lacking stable governments. It is crucial for the global community to recognize the interconnectedness of climate change, conflict, and economic stability in order to address the root causes of Africa’s challenges.
