Africa in 2024: Battling Climate Extremes
Africa has had quite a tumultuous year, grappling with extreme weather events like worsening droughts and severe flooding. Even though the continent contributes very little to global greenhouse gas emissions, it finds itself facing serious threats from climate change. At COP29, developed nations who are the biggest culprits when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions made a new pledge to ramp up climate action. However, their commitments still fall short of what African countries truly need.
The situation has been made worse by El Niño, which has intensified the frequency and severity of tropical cyclones. For instance, Hurricane Belal struck Mauritius in January, Cyclone Gamane hit Madagascar in March, and Hurricane Hidaya impacted Kenya and Tanzania in May. These storms often bring heavy rainfall, resulting in flooding and landslides. In 2024, heavy rainstorms wreaked havoc in parts of Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The DRC suffered significant damage, especially as conflicts in the region escalated, while countries in the Sahel faced severe flooding during the rainy season.
This year has also seen a concerning rise in global temperatures, with the Copernicus Climate Change Service reporting an average temperature anomaly of +0.14°C compared to 2023. In Zambia, the rainy season wrapped up early due to extreme heat, which has had a negative impact on food security and energy production. In South Sudan, soaring temperatures even led to school closures. Agriculture, which is vital for many livelihoods in Southern Africa, has taken a big hit, leaving millions at risk of hunger. The World Food Programme estimates that around 21 million children in the region are malnourished. While developed countries have set a climate finance goal of $300 billion annually by 2035, this is still far from the estimated $1.3 trillion needed for climate adaptation in developing nations.
Reference
By Rédaction Africanews Africa in 2024: Battling Climate Extremes and Seeking Global Action
.africanews.com Available at-https://www.africanews.com/2024/12/20/africa-in-2024-battling-climate-extremes-and-seeking-global-action/
(Assessed: 17th July 2025)
