Africa is burning… Climate change is sweeping the African continent
Africa is burning… Climate change is sweeping the African continent
Africa is witnessing a difficult climate change that is getting worse day by day. Between floods that destroy homes and displace residents, and drought seasons that destroy crops and livestock, the impact of climate change on the lives of people in various parts of the continent is increasing. These changes not only harm the environment, but also affect food, water, education, health, and stability in many societies.
In this sense,Earth Guardscontinues the escalation of the dangers of climate change in Africa, not only as an environmental crisis, but as a comprehensive challenge that affects human life at its foundation. This article is an attempt to bring the picture closer, and shed light on a reality that requires a response that goes beyond words, and relies on an actual commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and supporting the most fragile countries in their daily confrontation with climate change. So keep reading.
Escalating climate danger
The United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) notes in its latest report that climate change and extreme weather events – from devastating floods to severe droughts – are affecting every aspect of development in Africa, exacerbating hunger, insecurity, and forced displacement.
In 2024, the surface temperature on the continent rose by an average of 0.86 degrees Celsius compared to the reference period from 1991 to 2020, with North Africa recording the highest rate of rise of 1.28 degrees Celsius. These numbers are real warning signs, warning of something more severe, if an urgent global and African stance is not taken, led by a serious commitment to the principles of sustainability.
Floods ravage South Sudan
In South Sudan, recent floods were like a hurricane uprooting communities; Thousands of shepherds lost their animals, priceless goats and cows, not only as a source of livelihood, but also as an essential cultural and social symbol in marriage rituals and inherited traditions.
“When a person loses his source of strength, he loses his dignity.” With these words, Mashack Malu – representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO) in South Sudan – described the scale of the crisis that the country is going through, noting that many families who were self-sufficient are now waiting for aid. The country has lost nearly 34 million heads of livestock, equivalent to almost twice the population, and has turned Swamps resulting from flood waters create a fertile environment for the spread of diseases.
This crisis is exacerbated in light of repeated waves of floods, the most recent of which was last October, when more than 300,000 people were affected, a large number in a country that already lacks a resilient infrastructure and suffers from economic crises and chronic armed conflicts. According to the Meteorological Organization, floods in South Sudan have become more severe and frequent, to the point that light rain showers are enough to cause a new humanitarian disaster, which exacerbates the humanitarian situation and increases the population’s dependence on international aid.
Global warming threatens the future of children
Deadly heat waves are no longer just numbers on climate change tables, but have become a reality that directly affects children’s present and future. In South Sudan, schools were closed in March 2024 after temperatures reached 45 degrees Celsius. According to a UNICEF report, at least 242 million students around the world have been deprived of education due to extreme weather phenomena, most of them in African countries.
High temperature is not only an obstacle to education, but also a direct threat to health and development. Schools that are not prepared for such conditions become unsafe places, while hospitals are unable to provide services amid water cuts and disease outbreaks. The Meteorological Organization indicates that the past ten years have been the hottest on record, with expectations that the danger will escalate if emissions continue at the same pace.
In light of this escalation, talking about sustainable development is no longer a luxury or an additional option, but rather an existential necessity, especially in the most fragile countries. Creating a safe educational and health environment is at the core of Goal (4) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and cannot be achieved without decisive global action to contain the climate crisis and address its accelerating effects.
Climate change is displacing millions
In western Africa, torrential rains this year caused widespread devastation, with floods sweeping away roads and homes, displacing more than four million people. A number of this magnitude reflects a humanitarian catastrophe that requires an immediate response. In Nigeria alone, the September 2023 floods killed 230 people and displaced about 600,000 in the city of Maiduguri, in addition to the destruction of hospitals and the contamination of water sources in displacement camps.
At a time when some areas are suffering from excessive flooding that is swallowing villages, displacing families, and destroying infrastructure, other areas are suffering from deadly thirst that is splitting the land, withering crops, and eliminating agricultural and livestock wealth. In countries such as Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, the drought crisis has become more severe and recurring, as these countries recorded the lowest rates of grain harvest in more than two decades, with a shocking decline of up to 50% compared to the annual harvest rate during the past five years.
The sharp contrast between droughts and floods reflects a complex environmental reality that is exacerbating crises in Africa and putting additional pressure on development efforts. This calls for actual applications of Goal (13) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), related to climate action, as it is a basic condition for achieving food security, reducing poverty, and advancing growth in the most fragile regions.
Does technology solve the water crisis?
With the expansion of the water crisis in Africa, the option of desalination is presented as a potential solution, but the reality reveals complexities that go beyond technical solutions. As Dr. Dawit Solomon, a participant in the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa-AICCRA, emphasizes, desalination does not represent a magic solution, but rather poses profound economic, environmental and social challenges, and raises fundamental questions about equity and long-term sustainability.
In the absence of sufficient resources, scientists stress the need to invest in adaptation strategies, such as early warning systems and agricultural infrastructure capable of withstanding harsh climate conditions. In the town of Kapoeta in South Sudan, FAO projects showed promising results, with months of drought reduced from six to just two months thanks to water storage.
As Dr. Ernest Afesimama from the Meteorological Organization’s regional office in Addis Ababa explained, adaptation must be a top priority, especially in areas that lack irrigation resources. This type of adaptation not only contributes to saving crops, but also to achieving Goal (6) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is related to ensuring clean water and sanitation for all.
In the face of this accelerating reality,Earth Guards believes that technical solutions alone are no longer sufficient to confront climate change. Rather, the need has become urgent for a real will and global solidarity that places climate issues at the heart of development policies, from education to health and agriculture. She also believes that despite the fragility of the structure in many countries of the African continent, the capabilities are available to transform it into a model. A pioneer in climate adaptation, if there is the will and support.
