Seize the Moment
Climate change and a lack of critical infrastructure are among a range of obstacles in Africa. The continent is facing political and war issues, leaving some parts poor and underdeveloped.
Climate change worsens existing vulnerabilities and adds to the pressures for the environment and natural resources on which Africans directly rely.
African governments and the world’s environmental organisations are facing huge challenges to prevent dangerous consequences towards climate change.
For Africa to succeed in building green sustainable economies and become climate resilient, growth needs to be inclusive and focus on transparency, education, good governance and security.
Africa is often spoken about as if it is one country even though it is the second largest continent, the second most populated continent in the world and comprises of 54 separate sovereign states.
It’s possible for African governments to adopt sustainable means of producing environmentally friendly goods and services and develop successful industries. Changes to achieve this means:
Banning the use of harmful chemicals in production and farming.
Monitor, built an action plan with specific targets to reduce carbon emissions.
Encourage production and use of recyclable products and sustainable materials.
Governments must be pro-active in engaging communities (e.g municipality and town hall meetings), as this can help improve, built trust and communication between communities and governments.
Run campaigns to encourage responsibility for the environment, particularly in the areas of emptying and burning of waste, smoking in public and public littering.
Prioritise actions to improve and invest in infrastructure (transport systems, renewable energy, technology, access and inclusions for people with disabilities), education and knowledge needed for all people to prosper.
Educate the public about the value of the African biodiversity and opportunities for green and decent livelihoods, enterprises and jobs that lie in protecting the African biodiversity.
Improve mental health facilities, remove taboos around dealing with mental health and educate communities about the value of mental health.
Significant increases in temperature, droughts, intense tropical storms, mudslides- highlight we have reached a critical time and must focus our attention to the threats of climate change.
Worldwide leadership has to act to reverse these trends.
Africa is slowly adapting to new technologies that are available but there are challenges with moving development at a faster pace because most countries are dealing with economic and political instability, and the effects are magnified in African countries with weak rule of law.
Worldwide economies incentivise the destruction of natural wealth and overconsumption. It’s urgent we adopt a different mindset.
It takes commitment and time to build green sustainable economies and get going, as communities need to adopt a different mindset to foster growth so sustainable practices can gain momentum.
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