Emmanuel Katto | Climate
change a serious concern for
Africa
We all know that climate change is a serious threat worldwide today. I’m Emmanuel Katto,
also known as Emmanuel Katto Uganda or Emka Uganda, a local journalist from Uganda. I
will tell you how Africa is drowning in climate change.
You might have heard about the problem of climate change in Africa and how it is affecting
the lives of people and the natural vegetation. Even the ecosystem is disturbed by climate
change. Now that there is a change in weather patterns, there is an uneven distribution of
rainfall in Africa that is making Africa more vulnerable in the world.
Cyclone Freddy's impact is clearly visible in the loss of life in Africa. It arrived in February
2023 and lasted for approximately five weeks. The affected countries include Madagascar,
South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Malawi.
Is climate change swallowing Africa? This can be better understood from the below points:
1. Changing weather patterns or changing rainfall patterns in Africa are leading to
natural calamities like draughts, floods, and storms. These will lead to losses in
agriculture and water scarcity, leading to infrastructure and economic losses.
2. There will be a downfall in agriculture, and food security will be an important
concern. Since Africa’s economy is mostly agricultural-based, a rise in temperature,
draught, storm, etc. will destroy the crops and livestock production, which will
impact the lives of small-scale farmers.
3. The water scarcity due to the melting of the snowpacks will impact the lives of the
people, leading to health hazards and eventually conflict.
4. There is also a health risk due to climate change. The extreme heat waves will lead to
vector-borne diseases like fever, dengue, or malaria.
5. The economic impact can be seen. Agriculture tourism, or tourism in biodiversity,
including forest savannas and coastal areas, will be under threat due to climate
change, ultimately leading to migration and displacement of people.
António Guterres, Secretary General of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC),
said, "Humanity is on thin ice, and that ice is melting fast." He further added, "The climate
time bomb is ticking." He is referring to the threat that climate change has caused and is still
making it worse. The rise in temperature and reduction in global precipitation are threats to
humans. This had to be taken care of at the earliest, or the results could be even worse. He
was exclusively referring to Africa here.
According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation, 278 million people were facing
hunger or famine in 2021. 22 million people in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya have faced food
insecurity or a food crisis, and this is expected to rise to 26 million in mid-2023.
The US has announced billion-dollar assistance to tackle the situation and additional
humanitarian relief as well. In conclusion, we can say that a multidimensional approach is
needed to tackle climate change. Transitioning to renewable sources of energy can be done
with the help of technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. There should be practises
for water management. The government should make proper use of funds and work
together with its citizens for sustainable development rather than conflict.