Africa is fast tracking the implementation of her own initiatives to build resilience against the effects of climate change. Josefa Sacko, AU Commissioner for Agriculture, rural development, blue economy and sustainable development, said at the opening of the Africa Climate Summit yesterday, ” we shall continue to persue them to honour their obligation, but at the same time, we shall proceed with our own initiatives of building resilience in Africa.”
She was referring to the $100 billion finance expected from the Global North, to assist African countries to implement strategies that would assist with coping with effects of climate change.
The Green Climate Fund also announced yesterday that Denmark committed an amount of about $232 million.
Sacko said it is important for Africa to move from a donor- to- recipient relationship by mobilizing own domestic resources.
She also admitted this is strenuous to relatively miniscule budgets of African countries.
In addition to a growing young population, African Governments are using at least 2% of budgets on disaster adaptation programs.
She also said some are spending about 50% of GDP to respond to climate-related disasters.
“Africa needs $3 trillion to implement plans.”
Samantha Anne, spokesperson for indigenous people, urged the African Union to set up a climate fund specifically for this group.
Anne said the fund would be used for adaptation and resilience, for the continent’s most vulnerable.
Although the continent emits around 4% of the global lot, she said most renewable energy projects are in indigenous people’s territories and areas of cultural rights. She emphasized the need for consent in these areas prior to implementation.
An estimated 50 million indigenous people, in 5 Regions of Africa are defined as indigenous.
Elsewhere in the world, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), released research findings indicating climate change could push an additional 50 million people living in fragile states into hunger by 2060.
The IMF also called for International partners to support these countries to adapt to extreme weather: https://bit.ly/3L1kEgy
Picture left to right: Samantha Anne, spokesperson for indigenous people & Josefa Sacko, AU Commissioner for Agriculture, rural development, blue economy and sustainable development.