The United Kingdom government says it is more committed now than ever, to help African countries combat the effects of Climate Change as the continent is more exposed to the ever-changing weather patterns.
Speaking at the launch of the Global Humanitarian Overview 2022 (GHO), the UK Minister for Africa, Vicky Ford applauded the move by richer and wealthier nations to increase support to developing countries, particularly in Africa towards the fights against climate change.
“For communities living across Africa, climate change isn’t a future challenge – changing weather patterns are having catastrophic impacts for people living on the continent right now.
In South Sudan, flooding has affected over 600,000 people this year alone. In Northern Kenya, just one locust swarm was reported to contain up to 200 billion locusts, each capable of eating their own weight in food every single day. In 2019, Cyclone Idai tragically took the lives of 1,000 people and left 2.6 million people in need of shelter and food across Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi.” Ford said.
In October, global leaders agreed to a climate change pact that would see nations working together to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Due to climate change, Zimbabwe has witnessed severe droughts which have affected the daily lives of, mainly, women and girls who bear the burden of unpaid care work. (Lovejoy Mtongwiza/263Chat)
Ford said the Glasgow Climate Pact supports a just transition for developing countries, and for the first time agrees on a common timeframe and methodology for national commitments on emissions reductions.
“And critically for African communities – particularly the women and girls who are most at risk of the impacts of climate change – governments of wealthier nations have committed to double the overall climate finance for adaptation,” he added.
According to the recently launched GHO, up to 216 million people may be forced to abandon their homes by 2050 due to the effects of climate change.
During the Glasgow meeting, state nations agreed to stop deforestation by 2030 and protect forests by 2030.
Ford said the UK’s role in delivering green investment is impeccable.
“This includes the announcement at COP26 that we will be working with the African Development Bank, delivering ‘Room to Run’ – a new UK guarantee which is expected to unlock up to $2 billion worth of new financing for projects across the continent, half of which will help countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change,” he added.
