Johannesburg: Africa has contributed little to the global climate crisis, yet it is experiencing some of its most severe consequences.
According to Anadolu Agency, this imbalance was highlighted in November when UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned G20 leaders in Johannesburg that Africa would bear a “deadly price” for climate change despite having done “very little” to cause it.
Over the past twenty-five years, Africa has faced rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and frequent extreme weather events, transforming ecosystems and livelihoods from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa. These changes have exacerbated food insecurity, strained water resources, heightened health risks, and displaced millions, challenging governments’ and communities’ ability to adapt in a warming world.
Africa has experienced a steady warming trend since 2000, with North Africa warming at about 0.4°C per decade from 1991 to 2023, while Southern Africa has seen a slower increase of approximately 0.2°C per decade, as reported by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). In 2024, Africa’s average temperature was 0.86°C above the 1991-2020 baseline, with North Africa reaching 1.28°C above normal levels. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identifies human activity as the primary driver of this warming.
Rainfall patterns have shifted significantly, with heavy rainfall events intensifying and causing widespread flooding in East, West, and Central Africa. Meanwhile, prolonged droughts have become more frequent in other regions. Climate impacts vary across the continent, with North Africa facing increased water and food stress, East Africa and the Horn enduring recurring droughts, and shifting rainfall patterns in West Africa exacerbating instability in the Sahel.
Africa’s once crucial carbon sink forests have turned into a net source of carbon emissions due to deforestation and degradation, a trend highlighted by a 2025 study in Scientific Reports. The Democratic Republic of Congo alone lost nearly 52 million acres of tree cover between 2001 and 2024, releasing an estimated 13 gigatons of carbon dioxide. Despite these challenges, parts of the Sahel have seen regreening due to increased rainfall and farmer-led regeneration efforts, according to the IPCC.
The human toll of climate change is evident, with nearly 55 million people in West and Central Africa struggling to feed themselves during the 2024 lean season. Climate change has also reduced agricultural productivity growth by about 34% since 1961. Additionally, water stress has affected an estimated 250 million Africans since 2000, with one in three people in the World Health Organization’s African Region living under water stress.
Health risks associated with climate change are rising in Africa. Heat, malnutrition, malaria, and diarrheal diseases are projected to cause an additional 250,000 deaths annually worldwide between 2030 and 2050, with more than half expected in Africa, according to the WHO.
African governments have prioritized adaptation strategies, such as early warning systems, resilient housing, and climate-smart agriculture. However, urban adaptation remains a challenge due to rapidly growing cities with aging infrastructure and limited resources. Renewable energy deployment has accelerated, supported by climate finance for solar and wind power expansion, according to a 2025 review in Energy Strategy Reviews.
Despite these efforts, Africa’s progress remains uneven due to debt burdens, policy gaps, and funding shortfalls. As global temperatures rise toward 2°C to 3°C, Africa faces escalating risks, with rapidly growing cities becoming focal points for climate hazards. Closing the finance gap and strengthening institutions will be crucial for Africa to adapt to the accelerating changes, experts warn.