Africa can't afford climate backsliders today

President Donald Trump’s 2017 Executive Order to pull America out of the 2015 Paris Agreement sent a chilling message to Africa, which requires collaboration from leading greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters to cope with g effects of climate change.

America’s pulling out of the international treaty that aims to reduce global GHG emissions and tame climate change, signaled a dangerous precedent likely to encourage backsliding on climate commitments by other rich nations. Over the years, effects of global warming have been felt across Africa, manifested in prolonged droughts, shrinking and flooding lakes, heatwaves to cyclones and floods that kill thousands, and destroy property, including crops, in a continent that  heavily relies on rain-fed agriculture. Climate change has stagnated development and economic growth, besides occasioning diseases, insurmountable loss and damage. The disasters in Africa also worsen food insecurity, conflicts and displacement, as was the case in Sudan’s 2020 floods that displaced over 800,000 people. All these show how urgent it is for countries to commit to the Paris Agreement.

Trump’s 2017 push for US’ withdrawal from the Paris treaty was successful much later, and was reversed soon after President Joe Biden assumed office in 2021, allowing the nation to participate in global climate negotiations and commit to finance climate action. Within his first 24 hours, Trump reverted to his earlier move.

If the US withdraws from the Paris Agreement, with its financing, it abdicates its responsibility, but does not stop emitting. In fact, with the other Executive Orders, including on energy and electric cars, the country’s carbon footprints may go higher, undermining collective efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

Another risk is possibility of other big emitters joining the fray. The US and China alone are responsible for 40 per cent of the global carbon emission. The country is playing politics at a time climate disasters torment people globally. Yet the US is financially endowed, with adequate capacity to be part of global climate action efforts.

For Africa to increase adaptation, it needs between $7 billion and $15 billion annually, according to banks estimates. By 2050, this could rise to $50 billion, especially if current action does not sufficiently tame global warming. If by 2024, responsible nations were still haggling over annual $100 billion, the global South sought $1.3 trillion, and the final $300 billion New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Change, any backsliding by the wealthy nations will leave Africa to shoulder an unfair climate burden, and undermines momentum, and moral authority to hold other polluters accountable.

Projects like Kenya’s efforts to transition to renewable energy, with over 90 per cent of its electricity generated from renewable sources, require huge investment and international support. There’s nothing like “economic interests justify” abandoning of climate commitments. Economic growth and climate action must go hand in hand. Global solidarity is crucial, as Africa requires adequate technology transfer (not dumping). Now, despite its opportunities, Africa is at the mercy of political goodwill and leadership of rich nations. This is not sustainable, considering the fragility of the progress made and the urgency with which climate action must be achieved. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has consistently warned that any slight increase in global warming will lead to more temperatures, and enable more frequent and severe weather events. Every delayed action means more fatalities, lost livelihoods, and biodiversity loss.

Africa only needs world’s richest countries to step up and honour their commitments through the Paris Agreement. Climate backsliding is a luxury the planet cannot afford, especially from nations that have benefited the most from industrialisation.

The writer champions climate justice. Lynnno16@gmail.com