The latest United Nation’s Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, published in February this year, shows that Africa had, over the past three decades, received less than 4% of global climate-related research funding.
Skewed funding and lack of data
Most of these funds find their way to institutions in North America and Europe despite the fact that Africa is considered a hot spot, but had contributed the least to global greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change. However, the continent had, during this time, experienced widespread losses and damages.
Scientists at the University of Stellenbosch lay the blame on “skewed funding and lack of data.” According to the IPCC report, the most vulnerable areas are Africa, Asia and South America where almost 4 billion people are suffering from carbon footprints of First World countries receiving the most funding.
Kenya and South Africa (SA) are the only African countries among top 10 countries receiving funding, a measly 2.3% and 2.2% respectively. The IPCC report highlights the fact that these figures are “incommensurate with Africa’s high vulnerability to climate change.”
Implications addressed by ACDI and SCS
The long lasting implications of this report were discussed during a recent webinar hosted by the African Climate Development Initiative (ACDI) at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the School for Climate Studies (SCS) at Stellenbosch University (SU).
During the webinar, Dr Chris Trisos, of the African Climate Development Initiative (ACDI) at UCT and one of the lead authors, told virtual delegates that existing research funding focused mostly on ecosystems, food systems and water. Other high risk sectors such as health and cities were overlooked.
No proper African focus and lack of data
This lack of African-focused research, by African scientists, will have serious implications for the continent and its peoples. Research agendas are shaped by a Global North perspective with African researchers primarily positioned in supportive capacities instead of being equal partners in setting the agenda.
An analysis of more than 15 000 climate change publications indicated that across more than 75% of African countries, 60-100% of climate change publications did not include a single local African author. Authorship was dominated by researchers from richer countries outside Africa.
Dr Trisos said the situation was further exacerbated by lack of data originating out of Africa, such as very little and inconsistent weather station data. Only 25 of 54 African countries conducted only one national survey which could be used to measure poverty during 2000-2010. The other 14 conducted none such during the same period.
Southern Africa’s potential to adapt
At a colloquium organised by SA’s Presidential Climate Commission in March this year, Prof Guy Midgley said few people realise that land ecosystems and ocean surfaces absorb two thirds of emissions and that it had become vital to protect these. Prof Midgley is interim director of the School for Climate Studies (SCS) at SU and head of a global change biology group in the Department of Botany and Zoology. For the IPCC report, he was co-lead author on key risks across sectors and regions. Dr Debra Roberts, co-chair of the IPCC Working Group 2, said during the IPCC Africa brief that there were two especially pertinent African arenas. “Firstly, Africa is experiencing the fastest rate of urbanisation in the world. We need to use cities to create more climate-resilient societies. This is an enormous opportunity to do things in a just and equitable manner. Secondly, Africa is privileged to have vast natural resources. By protecting 30% to 50% of our ecosystems and water resources, we can use this rich natural capacity to our advantage.” Dr Roberts is also head of the Sustainable and Resilient City Initiatives Unit in eThekwini Municipality.
