Climate change and African countries

byDraganD1

84 followers

4 years ago

We may not be aware that climate change is pronounced in all parts of the planet. The situation is drastically deteriorating not from year to year but much faster.
All members of the world community have become aware that rigorous measures must be taken to alleviate this situation and slow down climate change. In that way, we gain time and increase our chance to completely eliminate the biggest causes or minimize them and save the planet and ourselves.

What about poor countries?

The current situation has prompted the richest countries to take action and act in accordance with the Paris Agreement.
Unprecedented reforms are underway in many areas of human activity, primarily energy production, transport, which should contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and changing the situation as much as possible by investing in new renewable energy sources and technological progress. It requires large and complex programs and big money. The governments of rich countries are taking action in that regard but what about poor countries.
The circumstances here are completely different because poor countries do not have the money for such investments. Their priority is most often on the diet of the population. This leaves no room for some other activities of their governments, so they are forced to seek help from richer countries and the World Organization or to let things go their course.
Due to such a state, climate change in such countries is even more drastic and the consequences even more visible and over time more devastating.
One such example is the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Climate change may not emerge as a priority in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country ravaged by years of war.

One development coordinator at Caritas Congo explains why the issue should be addressed urgently because the effects of climate change could jeopardize food security and trigger new violence.

He confirmed that climate change is an essential problem for developing countries. They are the first victims of its effects. As he says, “We in Congo are directly experiencing the consequences, mainly on food safety and safety in general.”

In some regions, rain levels are now much lower, which is bad for agriculture. The water of Lake Tanganyika heats up, leading to the fall of algae. This will definitely reduce fish stocks.

A food crisis is already developing in some parts of the country. Malnutrition can affect not only children, but also adults, and especially pregnant and breastfeeding women. In some areas, the indigenous population that survives by picking wild plants complains about the decreasing number of mushrooms and caterpillars. Their whole way of life is endangered.

Climate change can also trigger violence. The bed of the Semliki River, the natural border between Uganda and Congo, is shifting as the ice cover of Mount Rwenzori melts. This leads to a shift in the border between the two countries. And there seems to be oil in the ground below. So, both countries will try to take advantage of the change in order to expand the borders of their country. This could become a conflict.

What to do?

A new conflict should certainly be prevented and a serious program inevitably adopted, primarily a document on a strategy for growth and poverty reduction. Along with it, work on the issue of climate change.
The documents on these two burning issues represent an action plan for the Democratic Republic of Congo drawn up by a specialist group made up of government officials, representatives of civil society organizations, and development partners such as the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the European Union.

If the effects of climate change are not taken into account, then this country, according to existing sources of information, is slowly heading towards a kind of quiet tsunami. The consequences could be shown in terms of war, that is, new conflicts, food crises, and malnutrition, which would make us witness a real catastrophe.
It is in the interest of this country for its government to address these issues.
But this situation and mood are not only in Congo but also across Africa. Congo expects to start projects in protected areas and a possible new conflict should not prevent the start of measures.

We must emphasize that the countries of East and South Africa have been facing an increase in floods, droughts, and other climatic events in recent years. That says it all, doesn’t it?

What renewable energies to promote in Congo?

Congo is taken as an example here.

Congo is at the equator, the weather is sunny all year round. Solar panels or solar energy could be a priority form of renewable energy here. Work must be done on promotion and education on this issue, on the benefits that solar energy brings.

In rural areas, “improved furnaces” also have great potential. They use very few trees to cook food. The technique has proven effective in north and south Kivu. These stoves do not pollute the kitchen because they emit very little smoke and are very economical.

Awareness of climate issues should also be raised in schools. Children should be involved in afforestation projects. They need to build a world about healthy living, a healthy environment, and the importance of clean energy for all.

Large companies that use resources must be responsible for their social and environmental impact. Hydroelectric micro dams are another interesting option for many rivers in Congo. This country is rich in rivers and they are a potential for this type of renewable energy.

To implement this change, we would need more support from developed countries. The outcome of the summit and gathering was quite disappointing in this regard, although some political will was shown by Western countries to address climate change issues in poor countries.

Developed countries need to spend 0.7% of their GDP on development aid, but few do. This is a pity because investments, for example in the field of renewable energy sources, could serve the climate, but also start long-term economic development here.

Conclusion

Africa is waiting for the developed world to understand that it is a part of the world and that action in this area is inevitable, no matter how much someone likes it or not.
The world cannot share the issue of climate change, the problem is common and it is the only way to solve it.
We can no longer view Africa as an exotic continent known for various dictators and safaris or as a raw material base.
Some African countries, especially those with significant natural resources, have made considerable economic progress and their voice is increasingly heard, not only on the African continent. This will certainly contribute to the inclusion of Africa in world trends, which should be everyone’s goal. Africa has yet to show its potential.