Alex Rose-Innes
With Africa contributing the least to global warming, experts say that those living on the continent would be hardest hit by climate change.
The latest Foresight Africa 2020 Report*, makes it clear that Africa could play a leading role in the fight against climate change and with trust and collaboration between governments, researchers and critical role-players, common strengths could be harnessed to combat the continued destruction of the continent’s resources.
*Foresight Africa Report (FAR) is published by Brookings, bringing together more than 300 leading government and academia experts from across the globe to provide the highest quality research, policy recommendations and analysis on a full range of public policy issues.
Experts from organisations such as Future Climate For Africa (FCFA), the Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA), and the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), met last month to reflect on challenges, successes and engender dialogue with broader communities. Common strengths and key approaches were highlighted which would impact future climate research programmes.
With contributions from leading experts such as Henry J. Aaron, Senior Fellow Economic Studies and Ufuk Akcigit, non-resident Senior Fellow Global Economy and Development, Africa continues to be one of seven of the top 10 fastest-growing economies worldwide.
In the FAR, they highlighted the necessity for collective action among African policymakers to improve the livelihoods of all under the blueprint of the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. With improvement in business environments and the progress within the regional integration around the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, Aaron and Akcigit are of the opinion that never before had the African continent been in a more fortuitous position for trade, investment and mutually beneficial partnerships. Unprecedented interest by external partners for engagement with Africa across various projects is indicative of a bright future.
But, despite continental promise and abundant resources, the same obstacles continue to threaten gains of recent decades. The FAR experts had found it to be governing fragility, a growing, unemployed youth and gaps in good and inclusive governance.
Despite the negatives, which Brooking experts believe are not insurmountable, the triumphs of past years provide hope for a prosperous continent by 2030 and the next decade would shape policy priorities for African governments and their partners in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
However, progress had been uneven across countries, hindered by a lack of co-ordination across national and local governments. Financing continues to be the biggest hindrance to success, but in successfully applying strategies as suggested by the FAR, resource mobilisation strategies could push Africa over the finishing line into the future.
