African nations are losing as much as 5% of their GDP each year due to climate change, according to a report released Monday, following one of the continent’s hottest years on record.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that many African countries are dedicating up to 9% of their national budgets to climate adaptation efforts.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo noted that Africa has experienced a warming trend over the past 60 years that has accelerated more rapidly than the global average. She warned that this trend is impacting various sectors, including food security, public health, and stability.
Despite contributing less than 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Africa remains the most vulnerable region to extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and heatwaves, the WMO said.
The report, which highlights the year 2023 as one of Africa’s three hottest years on record, urges governments on the continent to invest in early warning systems and meteorological services. Without sufficient measures, up to 118 million Africans could face droughts, floods, and extreme heat by 2030, the report cautioned.
For sub-Saharan Africa, the report estimates that adapting to extreme weather could cost between $30 billion and $50 billion annually over the next decade.
The impact of climate change has been severe. Between September and October 2023, floods affected approximately 300,000 people across West Africa. Zambia experienced its worst drought in 40 years, impacting nearly 6 million people.
Extreme weather patterns have continued into 2024. In the Sahel region south of the Sahara, flooding has affected more than 716,000 people this year, according to the United Nations. In Mali, authorities declared a national disaster last week due to floods that have impacted 47,000 people since the start of the rainy season.
West Africa also faced an unprecedented heat wave earlier this year, which resulted in a significant increase in deaths.
