By Saio Marrah
A report by Institute for Governance Reform (IGR) and Afro Barometer has indicated that between 2010 and 2022, climate change has affected 215.3 million Africans.
This makes the continent having the top ten most climate vulnerable countries in the world with just over 20% of the world population.
The report further indicated that drought and flooding are the most prevailing effects on the African continent. On average of the 20 countries assessed, only 51% of their citizens are aware of climate change. Many of those who are aware of the climate change say it is making their lives worse.
Also, majority of the citizens want their governments to take action now to limit climate change, even if it is costly.
The report published this November further indicated that if action is not taken by 2030, about 80 million people worldwide will be affected by its impact. Half of that number will be from Africa and that it could push people into extreme poverty in the continent.
It also indicated that about 70% of African cities are highly vulnerable to climate shocks.
In Sierra Leone, the Afro Baro Meter indicated that only 49% of citizens have heard of climate change, of which which, 9% believe floods have been severe in the last decade and that 15% believe droughts have been more severe over the past decade.
While 84% stressed the need for more to be done to limit climate change, 66% believe that developed countries have more responsibilities to curb climate change. 82% said businesses and industries are more responsible while 68% think citizens have the responsibility to do more.
The Executive Director of IGR, Adrew Lavalie, informed journalist after his PowerPoint presentation of the report at a climate change conference held at the Family Kingdom Resort in Freetown that the effects of climate could see people losing their harvest due to drought, flood, famine, and among others.
He said poor people especially women and children will be adversely affected.
On the issue of mitigating climate change, he said everyone has a responsibility, farmers, government, the international community, and factories that pollute the environment.
He said government has the responsibility to ensure the timber logging is suspended.
He said while the African continent is only emitting 3% of carbon to the atmosphere, the rest of the 97% is being produced by the developed countries, but yet the African continent is more affected by the effects of climate change.
For this he said the international community should invest to ensure the African continent curb its effects.
Responding to how best the climate change can be prevented instead of emphasizing on the climate finance, which cannot stop its effect, Lavalie said awareness raising and encouraging people on tree planting , among othermeasures could be very instrumental in mitigating climate change.
A participant at the event,revealed that timber logging has already caused water shortage in some parts of Koinadugu and Falaba districts.
And a study indicated that a special tree that is being used as timber is where bees congregate. With the cutting of that tree, there has been a big drop in honey production in the twin districts.
Participants of the conference were divided into groups with the aim of producing resolutions on both the preventive measures and how developed countries can finance Sierra Leone like other developing counties to adapt to the effects of climate change.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (21/11/22)
