Climate Mitigation Is Under Attack: Africa Must Prioritize Adaptation

Africa today has only one real climate priority: adaptation. Africa should still push the rich countries of the Global North to cut emissions. But Africa should not have any illusions. Past mitigation efforts have had some positive effects but have not been sufficient to stay on track with the targets of the Paris Agreement. There is no reason to believe that future efforts will fare any better. Political developments in the United States and Europe do not augur well for global mitigation efforts. Emissions will most likely remain stable or even increase a little, which means that temperatures will probably continue to rise to nearly 3 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels by the end of the century. Africa must be prepared for this eventuality. It would be irresponsible not to start preparing now for the worst-case climate scenario. This does not mean that Africa should accept the failure of rich countries to mitigate climate change. It must continue to point out their role in creating the climate crisis and to demand justice. Countries of the North have a moral duty to support adaptation efforts in Africa.