Page 15 - AfrElec Week 44 2021

AfrElec CLIMATE CHANGE AfrElec

UK to support climate adaption in Climate change to cause

Africa with $195mn commitment devastating migration

levels in Africa

AFRICA AFRICA is set to be hit the hardest by climate Unattended, these shifts will lead to climate-in-
change, with up to 86mn Africans migrating duced migration, potentially deepening existing
within their own countries by 2050, the World vulnerabilities and leading to greater poverty,
Bank has warned in its new Groundswell Africa fragility, conflict and violence.
report. People’s mobility will be influenced by how
In West Africa and the Lake Victoria Basin slow the onset of climate impacts will interact
climate migration hot spots could emerge as with population dynamics and the socio-eco-
early as 2030, according to the report, which nomic contexts within countries. However,
highlights that without concrete climate and efforts to support green, inclusive and resilient
development action, West Africa could see as development could reduce the scale of climate
many as 32mn people forced to move within migration by 30% in the Lake Victoria region
their own countries by 2050. In Lake Victoria and as much as 60% in West Africa.
Basin countries, the number could reach a high In West Africa, Niger will see the highest
of 38.5mn. numbers of internal climate migrants, followed
The report was released on October 27 ahead by Nigeria, but smaller countries like Senegal
of the COP26 conference in Glasgow. and Benin will have a larger share of internal cli-
The report highlighted that while sub-Sa- mate migrants in the next few decades.
haran Africa has contributed the least to global In the Lake Victoria Basin, Tanzania will see
warming, the continent will experience the most the highest number of internal climate migrants,
devastating impacts of climate change. reaching 16.6mn, followed by Uganda with
“From pastoralists travelling the Sahel to fish- 12mn.
ermen braving the seas, the story of West Africa “Investments in resilience and adaptation
is a story of climate migrants. As countries are can promote green industries, and when paired
experiencing rises in temperatures, erratic rain- with investments in health, education, the digi-
fall, flooding and coastal erosion, Africans will tal economy, innovation and sustainable infra-
face unprecedented challenges in the coming structure, they also have tremendous potential
years,” says Ousmane Diagana, World Bank to create climate-smart jobs and boost economic
Vice-President for Western and Central Africa. growth,” asserts Hafez Ghanem, World Bank
“This series of reports identifies priorities for Vice-President for Eastern and Southern Africa.
climate action that can help countries move “As part of this, a focus on women’s empow-
towards a green, resilient and inclusive develop- erment is critical to improve human capital and
ment and generate opportunities for all African to reap the demographic dividend – significant
people.” aspects of building climate resilience in the years
Slow-onset climate change impacts, like water to come.”
scarcity, lower crop and ecosystem productiv- The scale and trajectory of climate-induced
ity, sea level rise and storm surge, will increas- migration across Africa will require countries to
ingly cause people to migrate. Some places will take bold, transformative actions.
become less habitable because of heat stress, These include taking responsibility to cut
extreme events and land loss, while other areas greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to reduce the
may become more attractive as a consequence of scale and reach of climate impacts.™
climate-induced changes, like increased rainfall.

Week 44 04•November•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P15