Africa is facing the devastating impacts of climate change, with global warming intensifying the rainy season in many countries in 2024, leading to deadly floods. The World Weather Attribution (WWA) network has found that human-driven climate change, fueled by the use of fossil fuels, has made seasonal downpours across the Niger and Lake Chad basins 5-20 percent worse this year, resulting in a humanitarian catastrophe. Researchers warn that spells of heavy summer rainfall have become the new normal in countries like Sudan, Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad, with the risk of extreme floods increasing with every fraction of a degree of warming.
Floods have already caused significant damage in West and Central Africa this year, resulting in the loss of 1,500 lives and displacing over one million people, according to the UN aid agency OCHA. The heavy rains have also overwhelmed dams in Nigeria and Sudan. WWA scientists predict that if global temperatures increase to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, these catastrophic downpours could become an annual occurrence as early as the 2050s. The researchers focused on Sudan, a country already grappling with conflict and millions of displaced people, finding that intense monthlong spells of rainfall had become heavier due to climate change.
Despite Africa contributing a minimal amount of carbon emissions globally, the continent is bearing the brunt of extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change. Joyce Kimutai, a researcher at the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College in London, highlighted the disproportionate impact of climate change on Africa. Scientists have emphasized the need for better maintenance of dams and investments in early warning systems to mitigate the impacts of floods in the region. Clair Barnes from the Centre for Environmental Policy warned that the situation will only worsen if the world continues to rely on fossil fuels.
The devastating floods in Africa underscore the urgent need to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels to curb the impacts of climate change. The upcoming United Nations COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan presents an opportunity for world leaders to take decisive action to address the climate crisis. Izidine Pinto, a researcher at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, stressed the importance of reducing reliance on fossil fuels to prevent the escalation of extreme floods in African countries. Climate change poses a significant threat to vulnerable communities in Africa, particularly those already affected by conflict and displacement.
As climate change continues to exacerbate extreme weather events in Africa, urgent action is needed to address the root causes of the crisis. Researchers have warned that without significant reductions in carbon emissions and a shift towards renewable energy sources, the continent will face more frequent and severe flooding in the future. The international community must prioritize climate action to protect the most vulnerable populations in Africa and mitigate the impacts of climate change. The findings of the WWA network serve as a stark reminder of the devastation that climate change is already causing in Africa and the need for immediate and bold solutions to safeguard the continent’s future.
