As world leaders gather at COP29, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) raises concerns about the worsening effects of climate change in Africa, particularly in regions affected by conflict.
The IRC points out that 12 of the 17 countries most vulnerable to climate change and conflict are in Africa. It urges global leaders to use predictive tools and harness local knowledge to foresee disasters and implement proactive response measures.
Over the last five years, Africa has significantly suffered from climate-induced disasters like severe floods and droughts, impacting millions.
These climate shocks have worsened ongoing humanitarian issues in areas already coping with conflict, increasing food insecurity and displacement.
Flooding has severely impacted agriculture, damaging crops, undermining farming systems, and increasing public health issues due to spreading waterborne diseases. The IRC emphasizes that these incidents highlight the pressing need to treat climate change as an urgent crisis.
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Chad’s floods have affected 1.9 million people and Cameroon 450,000 this year. In Burundi, heavy El Niño has displaced over 200,000 people, while Mali, Niger, and Nigeria face flooding affecting over 3 million.
Floods have devastated homes and crops, causing rises in cholera, malaria, and malnutrition, worsening ongoing conflict and humanitarian needs.
Severe flooding in East Africa has displaced 1.3 million in South Sudan, with El Niño causing damage in Kenya and beyond. This follows a drought in late 2022 that impacted over 35 million people, highlighting the region’s extreme weather challenges.
The IRC partners with local organizations to provide African communities with cash support, shelter, clean water, and improved sanitation services.
In Niger, mobile clinics offer healthcare and nutrition support, while economic recovery initiatives strengthen climate resilience.
In Adamawa State, Nigeria, almost 4,000 people received cash transfers and training for flood preparedness. Meanwhile, the IRC is mobilising resources in Somalia to address emergencies related to La Niña effects.
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Bob Kitchen, IRC Vice President for Emergencies said, “Anticipatory action is crucial to how we respond to climate shocks.”
He added, “It enables us to provide earlier and targeted assistance to help populations caught up in the vicious cycle of poverty, conflict, and displacement- challenges exacerbated by climate change. The IRC urges donors to commit 5% of humanitarian budgets to anticipatory actions.”
As COP29 advances, the IRC stresses the urgent need to support vulnerable regions affected by climate change and conflict. They advocate for funding mechanisms for anticipatory action to boost community resilience before disasters, improved early-warning systems to trigger financial support, and flexible multi-year funding models to ensure sustained recovery efforts in conflict zones.
