Climate change has been a topic of dialogue the recent debates. Its emergent concern has risen due to the ongoing disastrous effects of climate that have consistently tools lives and destroyed properties.

In this article, we expound on the measures the African continent has taken to respond to the effects of climate change.

African countries being one of the most hit continents with droughts, floods, and other climate change calamities, feel a sense of urgency to act, adapt and build resilience.

Every year, people are experiencing more floods, soaring temperatures, coastal erosion, land degradation, and other climatic shocks. The ozone layer is depleting, the sea levels are rising and greenhouse gases accumulating.

In western and central Africa, recent floods across the region have affected millions of people, claiming lives and displacing tens of thousands from their homes and livelihoods adding to the soaring number of refugees.

Africa emits less than any other part of the world with China and the USA being the largest polluters. It emits less than 4% of the global greenhouse gas emissions and is also today the largest contributor to carbon absorption because of the tropical forests in the Congo Basin.

Its forests are estimated to contain between 25 to 30 billion tonnes of carbon. It is one of the most important hotspots on the planet for beneficial biodiversity, which is rapidly depleting. The climate crisis is compounding other chronic problems pushing the continent to the brim. All the developmental strides taken are highly threatened by climate change.

The natural resources in the continent like forests, oceans, and lakes are a major source of livelihood for the poor, through food, forest produce, and fishing. A study shows a rapid decrease in the number of pink flamingos in lake Nakuru in Kenya because of the reduced water volume and pollution in the lake. The Congo Basin and other tropical forests both in Africa and the rest of the world represent a first line of defense against climate change.

Together with governments and partners such as the Central African Forest Initiative, Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, and Forest Investment Program, the World Bank is committed to supporting forest-smart development in the Congo Basin, empowering local and indigenous communities, and promoting the transparent and effective use of natural resources.

Aspects of climate change

Drought and floods

The continent, especially the horn of Africa is known for its extreme drought seasons that Perch the land. Drought and famine have killed 2,500 people in Uganda and affected eight million in Ethiopia this year. While more than 600 people have died in Nigeria’s worst floods in a decade.

Southern African countries, including Madagascar and Mozambique, are affected by flood tides to immense episodes of storms killing at least 890 people.

Heat

Temperatures reached 48C in Tunisia in the northern part of Africa in July. Heat has been a contributor to extreme wildfires. High temperatures cause heat stress on humans, livestock, crops, and infrastructure. Heat stress exposure is stuck to increase with ongoing climate change with many parts of the world already suffering from its effects.

"Africa’s climate has warmed more than the global average since pre-industrial times. In parallel, the sea level rise along African coastlines is faster than the global mean, contributing to increases in the frequency and severity of coastal flooding and erosion, and salinity in low-lying cities. Changes in continental water bodies have major impacts on the agriculture sector, ecosystems, and biodiversity,” said Prof. Taalas.

Building resilience

Sub-Saharan Africa’s climate changes are characterized by extreme weather conditions that have caused a menace and disturbance to daily living, everyone from governments, Non-Governmental Organizations to small-scale farmers are increasingly looking for innovative ways of dealing with agricultural challenges brought about by climate change. These solutions in one way or another combat climate change.

For instance, alternative animal feed, climate-friendly grasses, and the use of fodder trees provide farmers with the needed economic input their need and foster a habit of climate conservation Natural techniques conserve nitrogen in the soil, avoid soil erosion, and minimize carbon emissions.

*Education**

Climate change and health should be incorporated as part of undergraduate and postgraduate studies. If from childhood, children are incorporated with climate change awareness, its risks, and measures to curb they would be able to better respond to and mitigate the effects of climate change.

Awareness can be done through informing, educating, and empowering the public at large. Most governments are putting in place policies that promote and enhance climate conservation. Knowledge of the health risks, and the damages of climate change as well as primary and secondary prevention strategies can reduce the impact.

Policies

For example, In 2013 Kenya's National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) established the Adaptation Consortium (ADA) to support the mainstreaming of climate adaptation into both national and county-level planning.

These initiatives are meant towards constraining and understanding better the nature of drought within the counties.

Wajir County and Makueni County in Kenya passed legislation to formalize the mechanism, known as County Climate Change Funds (CCCF), creating the legal ground for counties to accept climate finance from both international and local sources. These steps are geared to cater to the shocks of desertification in the region.