Africa suffered an estimated $8.5 billion in economic damages due to climate change last year, with more than 110 million people on the continent directly affected by weather, climate and water-related hazards.
This is according to the State of the Climate in Africa 2022 report released at the ongoing Climate Change Week in Nairobi, Kenya.
The report outlined 5,000 deaths on the continent in 2022 of which 48% were related to drought, and 43% to flooding. However, the numbers are likely higher due to under-reporting.
"Heatwaves, heavy rains, floods, tropical cyclones and prolonged droughts are having devastating impacts on communities and economies, with increasing numbers of people at risk," said the secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organisation, Petteri Taalas.
"There are big gaps in weather observations in Africa, and early warning services are woefully inadequate. We are determined to close those gaps and ensure that life-saving early warnings reach everyone."
African economies and ways of life rely mostly on agriculture, with 55% of the workforce earning their income through this sector.
But because of climate change, the continent's agricultural productivity has decreased by 34% since 1961 – a great decline compared to other parts of the world.
Food crisis
It is anticipated that African nations' annual food imports will rise nearly three times, from $34 billion to $104 billion by 2025, according to the report.
The rate of global warming has been faster in North Africa, which was engulfed in intense heat in 2022, causing wildfires in Algeria and Tunisia.
In Africa, the average rate of warming increased from +0.2°C/decade between 1961 and 1990 to +0.3°C/decade between 1991 and 2022.
Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia were heavily-impacted in the Horn of Africa, which saw its worst drought in 40 years. Agriculture productivity and food security were reduced by five consecutive years of poor rainfall.
Due to the devastating effects of the drought on farming and pastoral livelihoods, as well as hunger throughout the year, about 1.2 million people in Somalia suffered internal displacement.
In Ethiopia, 512,000 people were displaced by drought. There was also major flooding in the Sahel, particularly in Nigeria, Niger, Chad and the southern half of Sudan during the monsoon season.
In addition to its efforts to generate up to 14 billion for its Africa Development Fund, the African Development Bank has raised its climate finance to approximately 20 billion by 2025 and dedicated 67% of it to adaptation to climate change.
