The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has called on African governments to scale investment in climate change response across the continent.

According to CAPPA, over 60 percent of the African population are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

‘Evident realities has shown that vulnerability is predominant in informal settlements where social and economic deprivation inhibits resilience’, CAPPA tweeted as civil society and concerned citizens marked the 2022 Earth Day.

‘From the massive destruction of mother earth, Africa has had her fair share and that is unfair. We are currently in crisis and potentially vulnerable to more devastating impacts.

‘We call for real and sustained investment in climate change mitigation, response, and resilience and demand for inclusive measures to protect the mother earth.

‘Now is the time to listen to the cries of mother earth and halt all that opens her for destruction’.

Data from the African Development Bank (AfDB) reveals that Africa is the most vulnerable continent to climate change despite having contributed the least to global warming and having the lowest emissions.

The bank noted that climate change poses systemic risks to the continent’s economies, infrastructure investments, water and food systems, public health, agriculture, and livelihoods.

Also, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) State of the Climate in Africa 2020 report shows that climate change effects in Africa have increased the frequency and intensity of droughts, lowered animal growth rates and productivity in pastoral systems and produced negative effects in food security in drylands.

The AfDB launched its Climate Change and Green Growth Framework in 2021. The framework is expected to enable the bank prioritise interventions, inform and guide the alignment of its future operations with the ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement.

Photo source: International Federation of Red Cross