LThe most violent impacts of the climate crisis are on several countries, where they are combined with serious conflicts and extreme poverty. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is witnessing this in many countries where it helps war-torn populations. In these countries, climate change is synonymous with hunger, population displacement and increased conflicts over land and available resources.
Some 205 million people today live in fifteen countries that are both extremely climate vulnerable and conflict-affected. Eleven of these countries are in Africa. The African continent has contributed little to climate change, producing only 4% of global emissions, and East Africa, which recently held [du 4 au 8 septembre, au Kenya] Climate Week Africa contributes to less than 1% of global emissions.
Yet countries in the region, particularly Ethiopia, South Sudan and Somalia, are among the most vulnerable to climate change and receive the least international support for climate action.
holding the UN General Assembly [du 19 au 26 septembre] It should be a key moment to focus international attention on particularly vulnerable communities that have so far been left out of global climate efforts.
Insufficient donor commitments
In East Africa, 76.7 million people are suffering from acute hunger, while Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia have experienced unprecedented droughts followed by severe floods. If we add to this the consequences of the expiration of the Black Sea grain agreement, food insecurity will worsen dramatically.
Unfortunately, donor commitments to climate finance for fragile and conflict-affected states are systematically insufficient. Commitments made during Africa Climate Week in Nairobi last week highlight the lack of investment in adaptation and resilience of the most vulnerable.
Most of the discussions focused on renewable energies, which is clearly an essential issue for the development of the continent, but, again, countries seriously affected by conflicts, i.e. the 10% of countries that have experienced the most violent incidents. The 2010-2020 period is lagging behind and should receive only a fifth of the climate investment compared to countries destined for conflict-free states. However, the needs of the population are still vital and the delivery of aid is becoming more and more difficult.
Source: Le Monde
I’m Joel Redick, a journalist currently working for an Run Down Bulletin. I specialize in writing articles on world news, and my work has been featured on multiple platforms, where I write about current affairs and global issues.
