African nations push for funding to adapt to climate change
The Hindu
Ephraim Shitima, the group's chair, said Africa is keen to see the outcomes of the negotiations translated into action for the continent where millions are facing climate-related disasters.
Battling droughts, sandstorms, floods, wildfires, coastal erosion, cyclones and other weather events exacerbated by climate change, the African continent needs to adapt, but it needs funds to do so, leaders and negotiators from the continent said at the U.N. climate summit.
It's one of the main priorities for the African Group of Negotiators at the summit, known as COP27, currently under way in Egypt. Ephraim Shitima, the group's chair, said Africa is keen to see the outcomes of the negotiations translated into action for the continent where millions are facing climate-related disasters.
Mr. Shitima said the summit “should provide solutions to the millions of people in the continent,” adding that Africa needs finance to adapt to extreme weather as well as “to facilitate just energy transition and boost renewable energy uptake.”
Editorial | A necessary signal: On COP27 U.N. Climate meeting
A recent study released by the World Bank said that climate-related events will squeeze more than 132 million people into poverty worldwide with African countries losing between 10% and 15% of their GDP by 2050.
Africa produces only 4% of the world's planet warming emissions despite making up 17% of the world's population but is particularly vulnerable to climate change.
Climate finance for adapting to climate-related disasters and stopping them from getting worse remains a thorny issue at climate negotiations. A promise of $100 billion a year in climate funding is yet to be fulfilled despite being two years past its deadline.