THE CLIMATE CRISIS IN AFRICA AND PATHWAYS TO SUSTAINABILITY – A REVIEW

Abstract

Climate change presents significant challenges for Africa, as it does the rest of the world. The continent faces a diverse array of crises associated with extreme weather events, including increasingly frequent and severe floods and droughts. These extreme weather events adversely impact on infrastructure, human health, food and water security, and socioeconomic development. African coastal countries face accelerated sea level rise, leading to devastating flooding and loss of lives and properties. In East Africa drought has worsened, leading to acute food insecurity for millions of people. Urbanisation and povertydriven deforestation are eroding Africa’s natural carbon sinks. The widespread use of fossil fuel in electricity generators due to unreliable power supply in many African countries has further escalated carbon emissions. This review explores the carbon emission drivers and climate crisis in Africa,
examining its consequences, and possible solutions. In particular, the review highlights the complex causal effects between poor transportation, chaotic urban development, poverty, corruption, and climate change. To address these challenges, a multilayered approach is essential. This should include enforcing land use regulations, investing in renewable energy, adopting circular economy practices, promoting sustainable agriculture, and tackling systemic corruption. Awareness campaigns to educate communities about the consequences of deforestation and the importance of sustainable development are crucial for African countries striving to meet their United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.