Global health and climate experts have issued a stark warning: the escalating climate crisis is fuelling a parallel health emergency. Africa is at its epicentre. Devastating reports from The Lancet Countdown and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) reveal the severe toll on human well-being. Consequently, African nations are demanding that health be placed at the centre of global climate negotiations.
Recent findings underscore the grim reality. The 2024 Lancet Countdown report highlights that climate change is breaching critical health thresholds worldwide. This occurs through extreme heat, the spread of infectious diseases, and threats to food and water security. Without a radical, health-focused transformation, the world is heading towards a catastrophic health crisis.
A Continent on the Front Line
Africa, despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, is bearing the brunt of these impacts. The WMO’s 2024 State of the Climate in Africa report, released in May, paints a devastating picture of a continent besieged by extreme weather. Record-breaking heatwaves, catastrophic flooding, prolonged droughts, and destructive cyclones are leading to widespread displacement. Furthermore, these events result in loss of life and severe food and nutrition insecurity.
Emphasising the stark pattern of extreme weather events, WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo stated that the State of the Climate in Africa report reflects the urgent and escalating realities of climate change across the continent. These environmental stressors are overwhelming already precarious health systems. They exacerbate the spread of waterborne and vector-borne diseases, putting millions of lives at risk.
Demands for Action on Climate Change in Africa
In response, African climate change negotiators are making their voices heard. At the recent UN climate conference in Bonn, Germany, the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), representing all 54 African nations, called for the climate and health nexus to be formally integrated into the main agenda of all future climate negotiations.
Dr Richard Muyungi, Chair of the AGN, stated that Africa experiences some of the most severe impacts of climate change on human health and health systems. He said urgent help and adaptation support are needed for countries. The group is pushing for mandated dialogues on health to begin from COP30. Moreover, they insist on a holistic approach to these interconnected challenges.
Finance and Grassroots Solutions
A major obstacle remains the delivery of climate finance. African civil society leaders, such as Mithika Mwenda of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), have expressed deep frustration over the failure of developed nations to meet their financial obligations under the Paris Agreement. This funding is critical for building resilience.
Meanwhile, organisations on the ground are pioneering solutions. Amref Health Africa is advocating for greater investment in modern early warning systems to provide real-time data. This would help prevent avoidable losses.
Further showcasing local adaptation, the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) promotes agroecology. This is a practice rooted in traditional knowledge that fosters resilient food systems, improves nutrition, and enhances community health. As these voices from Africa grow louder, the message from Bonn is clear: climate action must also be a matter of health.