Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon highlights the urgent necessity of boosting climate adaptation financing in Africa
In a recent article published by The Guardian, Ban Ki-moon, the former UN Secretary-General and current chair of the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), highlighted the urgent need for a significant boost in climate adaptation finance directed to Africa. Speaking at the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, Ban Ki-moon stressed that funding must surge up to tenfold by 2035 to adequately address the escalating impacts of the climate crisis in the region.
Ban Ki-moon emphasised that no nation should be in a position where it has to choose between poverty eradication, fostering climate resilience, and servicing its debts. However, this is the grim reality many countries are facing at the moment. He noted that the predicament is exacerbated by an underestimation of the funding required for Africa’s nationally determined contributions (NDCs) towards climate resilience, a calculation formed when climate impacts were not anticipated to escalate as rapidly or as severely as they currently are.
According to research from the GCA, where Ban serves as chair, the continent might forfeit up to £4.8 trillion of economic benefits in the next decade without an approximately £80 million annual investment till 2035. The alarming data signals a pivotal moment for world leaders to rethink financial strategies and commitments in order to protect a continent already grappling with the adverse effects of climate change.
During the summit, various testimonials depicted the dire circumstances already prevalent in Africa. Kenyan farmer, Phoebe Mwangangi, shared her personal ordeal of seeking water daily for her livestock due to changed rainfall patterns, disrupting her life and the lives of her children.
Despite the grim circumstances, there seems to be a deviation in focus from discussions centring around the historical responsibility for carbon emissions, with leaders like Kenyan President William Ruto urging to explore other solutions. The need for an expanded pool of climate funding, possibly through global carbon taxes and financial reform, was echoed, highlighting the pressing need for debt relief for the beleaguered African nations struggling to balance development needs and climate action.
As the chair of the GCA, Ban Ki-moon advocates for a swift, comprehensive action plan that transcends discussions and progresses towards tangible solutions to save the current and future generations from the severe repercussions of climate change, urging global entities to fulfill their financial commitments and facilitate Africa’s journey towards a resilient and sustainable future.
Link to original article Climate adaptation finance to Africa must increase tenfold, research shows
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