Why Africa’s voice on climate and conflict matters more than ever?

Africa faces a staggering $2.5trn climate financing gap by 2030. African leaders demand renewed commitments to the Paris Agreement that seeks to limit global warming to 1.5°C and money from developed countries that have historically been the world’s biggest polluters. The continent accounts for about 4% of greenhouse gas emissions and has contributed only a negligible amount of carbon dioxide that is warming the planet’s atmosphere. But climate change is not just an environmental problem. It can also contribute to conflict, for example when changing rainfall patterns make land less arable in areas where farmers compete for water and land. Well aware of these risks, the African Union (AU) is working to finalise a…