Two third of African cities face extreme risk of climate change

A new climate analysis report has sounded the alarm, this time for Africa. Two out of three cities in Africa are at “extreme risk” of the threats posed by climate change. Issuing the warning, the British risk consultancy firm Verisk Maplecroft through its CEO Dante Alighieri says two thirds of African cities could be affected by global warming in 2035.

“Well, I think its not surprising that many African cities are being called out in this manner. One of the unfortunate aspects of climate change is that the countries and the companies that are the worst emitters don’t directly bear the consequences of those actions. It is largely in developing and emerging countries where you start the impacts first-hand. So, it is unfortunate but not surprising that African cities are being identified in this manner,” said Dante.

The study found that as much as 47% of Africa’s GDP – an amount totalling close to $1.4tn – to be at “extreme risk” from climate change by 2023, significantly higher as a percentage than any other continent. Scientists in May released the findings of a study suggesting that prompt global action to tackle climate change could save the world economy $20tn by the end of the century.

“So, here’s the biggest opportunity on the planet. I’ve long argued in all the talks that I give and the work that I do in my company, that investing in resilience is humanity’s not only single biggest market opportunity, it is the single most urgent thing we have to do. And we have to do that in equal footing. All too often, African countries and many developing countries are last in line. So, we have to figure out how to move up the market, so that this incorporates investments, it incorporates investments in resilience, human adaptation. And also expanding the net of insurance that can be provided around the world for which Africa in particular is falling behind. But here too, its a big opportunity, and there’s enough capital on the planet to resolve these issues. We just need to deploy it better,” said Dante

Verisk only finds three British cities are best prepared to manage the impact of climate change.