DAVID ADUGE-ANI, 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 press statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the public information officer, at the WMO regional office in Africa, Dr. Kosmos Ebenezer Akande-Alasoka urged African countries to prioritise increased investment in national meteorological and hydraulogical services, and to accelerate implementation of early warnings for all initiative to save lives and livelihoods.
Akande-Alasoka explained that on average, African countries were losing 2 – 5 percent of its Gross Domestic Product, (GDP) while many diverted about 9 percent of their budgets responding to climate extremes.
The statement noted that the cost of adaptation in sub-saharan Africa is estimated at between USD 30 to 50 billion annually over the next decade or 3 percent 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.
Akande-Alasoka explained that his organisation’s report focused on climate change indicators in 2023 which also marked the world’s hottest year on record, adding that the report supplements the WMO state of the Global Climate Report and one in the region’s series which provides the observational basis to help drive action as well as support decision making.
In her words, the Secretary General of WMO Celeste Saulo, noted that in 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, and 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.
Commissioner for Agriculture,Rural Development, Blue economy and Sustainable Environment at the African Union Commission, Amb. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, noted that as the impacts of climate change continue to manifest globally, the African continent stands at a critical juncture.
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.