Umamah Bakharia 

The UN’s Africa Climate Week is underway in Libreville, Gabon, with more than 1 000 participants expected to tackle the climate emergency as it increases throughout the continent. With the severe drought, raging floods, and extreme weather in  Africa’s 54 nations.

The five-day meeting is set to focus on the significant elements required to lessen the dangerous effects of the rapidly changing climate. Speaking to Radio Islam, a researcher at the African Climate Foundation, Malik Dasoo, says the summit focuses on Africa’s climate issues that have long been ignored.

“Recognising that this Conference of the Parties (COP) is an African COP, we want to make an indentation and clarify our positions at Africa climate week,” says Dasoo.

This year the theme of Africa climate week will focus on building resistance against climate risks such as transport and infrastructure to agriculture systems. While also paying heed to lower emissions and building partnerships to solve the climate crisis in Africa.

“Despite that, the amount of finances mobilised internationally to support adaptation in Africa is $30bn less than adaptation cost estimates,” he says. Most of the finances are being sued to address mitigation in Africa rather than adaptation.

Dasoo reiterates that questions about the climate crisis have not been addressed; therefore, more leadership is required in South Africa to take Africa’s position on climate change forward.