Business NewsEditors Pick

Climate change action is good for African economies

Investing in effective management of environment assets is critical to reducing poverty and hunger and spur inclusive growth on the continent, director of special initiatives division at the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Fatima Denton, has said.

Denton said this on the eve of the 2017 Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development which kicked off on Thursday.

Denton: We need a new growth model

The meeting is advocating for a green transformation and an industrialisation that does not harm the environment.

Said Denton: “It could constitute Africa’s greatest potential to adapt to impacts and to usher in a new model of sustainable development, but, on other hand, it could also decimate African fragile economies, thus compromising its ability to realise several of [Sustainable Development Goals] SDGs.”

Reducing Africa’s carbon emissions would not, she added, harm African economies.

Close to 200 million Africans lead insecure lives due to climate change as their livelihoods depend on climate sensitive economic sectors. The continent loses an estimated $68 billion per year due to soil degradation, affecting 180 million people in Africa.

Related Articles

Back to top button