Africa’s Adaptation Acceleration Programme had already secured more than USD 12 billion to foster a post-COVID-19 green recovery. A further $25 billion would be granted to the continent to fund change adaptation projects over the next five years.
Patrick Verkooijen, chief executive officer of the Global Centre on Adaptation, put it aptly when he said that African leaders realised the “reset” after the pandemic destruction necessitates urgent investment and environmental change to address climate damage. It is predicted that if the African continent does not step up to the plate now, it could lose up to $50 billion in annual income to the negative effects of climate change by 2040.
Verkooijen was quoted in international media, “We are still increasing carbon emissions to the atmosphere and the implications are exponential.” He said that the damage of accelerating damage of climate change, especially on the African continent with its poverty, water and food scarcity issues, would be the next pandemic. The green recovery is now more urgent than ever.
The Africa Adaptation Acceleration Programme would establish a centralised body through which African governments, multilateral and bilateral institutions and donors could siphon funds to organised adaptation initiatives on the continent. This would include, according to Earth.org would include providing farmers with access to digital technologies to enable better plan for and deal with severe weather events, as well as mobilising resources from international capital markets.
Annually as many as 1 000 Africans in the sub-Saharan region are killed with an estimated 13 million injured and becoming homeless due to food insecurity, water and proper sanitation. According to the International Monetary Fund, climate change and natural disasters had caused $520 million in direct economic damage in the region since the start of the Millenium.
Verkooijen says, “while $25 billion is not enough for total adaptation, it is a stepping stone to a much bigger number and is bold and feasible.”
