COP26 Climate Change and Africa

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-24021772 What is climate change? A really simple guide 13 October World temperatures are rising because of human activity, and climate change now threatens every aspect of human life. Left unchecked, humans and nature will experience catastrophic warming, with worsening droughts, greater sea level rise and mass extinction of species. We face a huge challenge, but there are potential solutions. What is climate change? Climate is the average weather in a place over many years. Climate change is a shift in those average conditions. The rapid climate change we are now seeing is caused by humans using oil, gas and coal for their homes, factories and transport. When these fossil fuels burn, they release greenhouse gases - mostly carbon dioxide (CO2). These gases trap the Sun's heat and cause the planet's temperature to rise. The world is now about 1.2C warmer than it was in the 19th Century - and the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has risen by 50%. Temperature rises must slow down if we want to avoid the worst consequences of climate change, scientists say. They say global warming needs to be kept to 1.5C by 2100. However, unless further action is taken, the planet could still warm by more than 2C by the end of this century. If nothing is done, scientists think global warming could exceed 4C, leading to devastating heatwaves, millions losing their homes to rising sea levels and irreversible loss of plant and animal species. What is the impact of climate change? Extreme weather events are already more intense, threatening lives and livelihoods. With further warming, some regions could become uninhabitable, as farmland turns into desert. In other regions, the opposite is happening, with extreme rainfall causing historic flooding - as seen recently in China, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. People in poorer countries will suffer the most as they do not have the money to adapt to climate change. Many farms in developing countries already have to endure climates that are too hot and this will only get worse. Our oceans and its habitats are also under threat. The Great Barrier Reef in Australia, for example, has already lost half of its corals since 1995 due to warmer seas driven by climate change. Wildfires are becoming more frequent as climate change increases the risk of hot, dry weather. And as frozen ground melts in places like Siberia, greenhouse gases trapped for centuries will be released into the atmosphere, worsening climate change. In a warmer world, animals will find it harder to find the food and water they need to live. For example, polar bears could die out as the ice they rely on melts away, and elephants will struggle to find the 150-300 litres of water a day they need. Scientists believe at least 550 species could be lost this century if action is not taken. If temperatures continue to rise, almost all warm water coral reefs could be destroyed How will different parts of the world be affected? Climate change has different effects in different areas of the world. Some places will warm more than others, some will receive more rainfall and others will face more droughts. If temperature rise cannot be kept within 1.5C: • The UK and Europe will be vulnerable to flooding caused by extreme rainfall • Countries in the Middle East will experience extreme heatwaves and farmland could turn to desert • Island nations in the Pacific region could disappear under rising seas • Many African nations are likely to suffer droughts and food shortages • Drought conditions are likely in the western US, while other areas will see more intense storms • Australia is likely to suffer extremes of heat and drought What are governments doing? Countries agree climate change can only be tackled by working together, and in a landmark agreement in Paris in 2015, they pledged to try to keep global warming to 1.5C. The UK is hosting a summit for world leaders, called COP26, in November, where countries will set out their carbon reduction plans for 2030. Many countries have pledged to get to net zero by 2050. This means reducing greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible and balancing out remaining emissions by absorbing an equivalent amount from the atmosphere. Experts agree that this is achievable, but it will require governments, businesses and individuals to make big changes. What can individuals do? Major changes need to come from governments and businesses, but scientists say some small changes in our lives can limit our impact on the climate: • Take fewer flights • Live car-free or use an electric car • Buy energy efficient products, such as washing machines, when they need replacing • Switch from a gas heating system to an electric heat pump • Insulate your home. The COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow in November is seen as crucial if climate change is to be brought under control. Almost 200 countries are being asked for their plans to cut emissions, and it could lead to major changes to our everyday lives. COP26: What African climate experts want you to know Africa is the continent likely to bear the brunt of the effects of climate change even though studies show it has contributed least to the crisis. So even though Africa has released relatively small amounts of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, those living on the continent are likely to be the victims of climate emergency disasters. It is already suffering from extreme weather events and changes to rainfall patterns linked to climate change - leading to droughts and flooding. With a rapidly rising population, this has knock-on effects for food, poverty and gives rise to migration and conflict. Here five climate experts tell the BBC's Dickens Olewe the issues world leaders need to remember as they hammer out solutions to rapid climate change at COP26. 'Africa's development is non-negotiable' Dr Rose Mutiso, Kenyan - research director of Energy for Growth Hub: The average African uses less electricity each year than one refrigerator consumes in the US or Europe. But this is going to grow - especially as temperatures rise - as Africans will have to have more energy to cool their homes and irrigate farms. Africa too must be allowed to develop and build up its infrastructure - something that requires more energy. So we must simultaneously have more power for rapid economic growth and quickly find alternatives to fossil fuels to provide this energy. Yet African countries are being constrained by rich nations who make grand statements about their commitments while continuing to burn fossil fuels at home. Kenya already generates a far greater share of its renewable power than the US or Europe. This is because there are schemes that enable rich countries to offset their emissions by paying poorer one to switch to cleaner fuels. While Africa welcomes partnerships, countries on the continent cannot sacrifice their ambitions. More thought needs to be given to what Africa needs in terms of industrialisation and creating jobs. This means that richer nations need to actually reduce their own emissions and they need to live up to funding promises - in the past there have been pledges but little upfront money. 'Donors should not dictate' Dr Youba Sokona, Malian - vice-chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: Climate change academics at African institutions are often not consulted by policymakers or governments on the continent. Their research and potential solutions are shelved for too long and almost never enter into policy debates. This fragmented approach also effects government policies. Different ministries will often be pursuing different donor-conceived ideas - with no systematic senior political co-ordination. This leads to piecemeal solutions. So donors should not dictate policy but work more closely with governments on a co-ordinated approach. This is a chance for Africa to think creatively about how to develop and address climate change at the same time. 'Emissions need to rise first' Prof Chukwumerije Okereke, Nigerian - climate governance and international development scholar: Despite the large-scale and deep impact of climate change on Africa, the support countries are given to adjust is minimal. Instead international partners focus on preventing or reducing the emission of greenhouse gases - three times more is spent on this. The global consensus seems to be that all countries must quickly achieve a target of net zero - which means not adding to greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, so any emissions are balanced out by removing greenhouse gasses via plants or new technologies. This neglects the massive development and energy challenges Africa faces. Put bluntly, emissions from the continent may need to rise significantly in the near term before they fall. Many rich countries seem to be expecting Africa to leapfrog to clean technologies for producing energy - but are not so keen to commit the scale of investment needed to make it happen, though the recent deal for South Africa to reduce its reliance on coal is a step in the right direction. Fossil-fuel-rich African nations do need to know that the world is changing fast and create institutions and policies to drive a transition to green energy. There are great examples in Rwanda and Ethiopia. But much more needs to be done and poor governance remains a major barrier. 'Give grants not loans' Dr Christopher Trisos, South African - African Climate and Development Initiative says: Many countries in Africa already rely heavily on renewable energy - hydropower for electricity generation. But recent droughts, such as El Niño of 2015-16, caused widespread electricity shortages. Research shows future climate change could reduce hydropower capacity considerably in major African river basins - and hit the agricultural sector where many people are employed. The combination of climate change and rapid urbanisation will have devastating effects. Limiting global warming to 1.5°C would massively reduce future damage to African livelihoods, health, infrastructure, economies and ecosystems - the World Bank estimates climate change could push around 40 million more Africans into extreme poverty by 2030 if not addressed. To achieve this requires deep emission cuts, especially from high-emitting countries outside Africa. Yet investment to help African countries adapt to the changing weather, known as adaptation funding, is crucial. Between 2014 and 2018 only 46% of what was committed by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries for adaptation in Africa was disbursed. The quality of finance also matters as most of it is provided at the moment via loans rather than grants. This means countries that have done little to cause the climate crisis are becoming further indebted to adapt to climate change. African policymakers also need to adopt a government-wide approach so all sectors can become more climate resilient. 'Polluters must pay' Dr Kgaugelo Chiloane, South African - founder of KEC Environmental Solutions says: Vulnerable and poor African communities need help to adapt to the inevitable impact of climate change - but their voices must also be heard. There is a lot of traditional knowledge and expertise on the ground that is ignored. Policies are often implemented without the involvement of local communities and their buy-in. A bottom-up approach in Africa needs to be part of a government's overall climate change policy. And the "polluter pays principle" should be a key strategy for all governments. Article Eight of the 2015 Paris Agreement recognises the importance of addressing the loss and damage associated with adverse effects of climate change, yet there hasn't been finance allocated for this. Big carbon-emitting companies should be made to take responsibility and pay for the loss and damage they have caused as big polluters given they have generated profits for decades. These comments have been edited for brevity and clarity. Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-58982118