The implications of climate change for Africa’s economic development

Abstract

Studies confirm that developing countries could be hardest hit by climate change given that they have to contend with extreme poverty levels and harsh geographic conditions. Even Africa will not escape the adversity that climate change will engender. Climate change could impact negatively on water resources, land quality, forestation and ecosystems, which may threaten livelihoods and food security, making it foremost a development issue. Existent socio-economic conditions in developing countries place them at greater risk to climate change as these inequities are likely to be reinforced by climate change, thereby jeopardising their future economic development. The results of the analysis based on the calculation of an overall index comprising four proxy variables, showed that eleven African countries are high risk countries whose future economic development may be impeded by climate change. Adaptation, economic diversification, mitigation, climate-smart polices within the framework of development policy are pertinent policy options.