Climate change: Africa pays the high price [Business Africa]

Weather phenomena and conditions linked to climate change impose disproportionate burdens and risks on Africa. Droughts, floods and cyclones are increasing, leading to massive population displacements and considerable economic losses.

African countries lose on average 2 to 5% of their GDP each year due to extreme weather events. A significant portion, up to 9%, of certain national budgets is dedicated to the fight against these phenomena.

The World Meteorological Organization estimates that the cost of adaptation could reach between $30 billion and $50 billion per year in the next decade in sub-Saharan Africa. This is equivalent to 2 to 3% of regional GDP.

At COP29 where the question of financing is at the heart of the negotiations, the group of African countries denounced having to go into further debt to access financing.

African negotiators have made specific demands, including annual funding of around $1.3 trillion to help the continent deal with the impacts of climate change while meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement.

This money should enable the least developed countries to make a transition to green energies, to anticipate and repair the damage caused by natural disasters, but also to organize selected climate migrations.

Rwanda: electric shift of motorcycles in Kigali

In January 2025, Kigali will transform its public transport system by banning the registration of petrol-powered motorcycles for transport.

Only electric motorcycles will be allowed, as part of Rwanda’s electric mobility strategy. However, this transition will pose major financial challenges for owners and operators of gasoline-powered motorcycles.

Currently, about 20% of trips in Kigali are made by gasoline-powered motorcycle taxis, which contributes significantly to air pollution.

The country’s Climate and Nature Finance Strategy, launched in October 2023, aims to reduce emissions by 38% by 2030. It also proposes measures to attract green investments, with tax incentives for the participation of the private sector to climate-friendly initiatives.

Currently, Rwanda spends around 23 billion Rwandan francs on fuel imports each year, while electric motorcycles would only require 14 billion Rwandan francs per year for electricity, which is produced locally.

Uganda-Japan Partnership for Sustainable Rice

Uganda is adopting eco-friendly, high-altitude rice varieties to preserve its wetlands, the government reports. In collaboration with Japan, researchers at the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) are working to develop high-yielding rice varieties. These new varieties, resistant to drought, are specifically adapted to arid lands.

Until now, Uganda’s rice was mainly grown in swamps, practices the government wants to reduce to protect wetlands. This policy impacts many farmers who must now get used to growing in drier areas.

The country has suffered a loss of more than 30% of its wetlands over the past twenty years, mainly due to agricultural activity. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, these new initiatives offer a double promise: they aim to lift farmers out of poverty while preserving the environment.