Africa Grapples with Devastating Climate Crisis

Strategic Insights -

The African continent is facing an unprecedented climate crisis, with soaring temperatures, extreme weather events, and droughts wreaking havoc on daily life, livelihoods, and stalling development. The UN World Meteorological Organisation's (WMO) latest report highlights the stark reality, with 2024 being one of the hottest years on record for Africa. From floods to droughts, food crises to growing insecurity, extreme weather is becoming increasingly common, displacing over 700,000 people and threatening the continent's socio-economic development.

Key Takeaways:

  • 2024 was one of the hottest years on record for Africa, with an average surface temperature 0.86°C hotter than usual.
  • North Africa was the fastest-warming sub-region, with a temperature increase of 1.28°C.
  • Extreme weather events displaced over 700,000 people in Africa in just one year, a clear sign of the climate emergency.
  • The past decade has been the warmest on record in Africa, with heatwaves becoming a growing threat to health and development.
  • Drier-than-normal conditions were observed in the northern parts of Southern Africa, while excessive rain was recorded in parts of the Sahel, Central, and East Africa.
  • Marine heatwaves impacted the largest area since measurements started in 1993, affecting the fishing industry and disrupting the food chain.
  • Africa faces a climate emergency, with some countries grappling with exceptional flooding caused by excessive rainfall and others enduring persistent droughts and water scarcity.
  • The El Nino weather phenomenon played a major role in driving extreme weather events across the continent.
  • Cereal harvests in Zambia and Zimbabwe dropped by 43 and 50% below the five-year average, respectively, leading to hunger.
  • At least 242 million students missed school due to extreme weather in 2024, many of them in Sub-Sahara.
  • Low-lying areas in North Africa are drying up due to hotter weather, making it harder to grow food and access water.

Statistics:

  • 2024 was one of the hottest years on record for Africa, with an average surface temperature 0.86°C hotter than usual.
  • North Africa was the fastest-warming sub-region, with a temperature increase of 1.28°C.
  • Over 700,000 people were displaced due to extreme weather in 2024.
  • The past decade has been the warmest on record in Africa, with an average temperature increase of 1°C.
  • At least 242 million students missed school due to extreme weather in 2024.
  • Cereal harvests in Zambia and Zimbabwe dropped by 43 and 50% below the five-year average, respectively.

Sources:

  • "State of the Climate" in Africa 2024 report, UN World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)
  • Unicef
  • UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
  • World Food Programme (WFP)