Fatshimetrie – In-depth analysis of climate challenges in Africa in 2024
The year 2024 will be remembered for the many climate challenges that Africa has faced. Extreme weather events, such as droughts, torrential rains and floods, have hit the continent, highlighting the vulnerability of its inhabitants to climate change. Despite their small contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions, African countries are bearing the brunt of the consequences of these climate disruptions.
At COP29, developed countries, responsible for the largest greenhouse gas emissions, signed a new agreement to strengthen their climate action. However, the commitments made by these nations do not match the needs of African countries. The situation has been exacerbated by the impact of El Niño, which has amplified the effects of climate change. Tropical cyclones, which have become more frequent and severe, have hit several parts of the continent in 2024.
In January, Hurricane Belal struck Mauritius, leaving thousands without power. In March, Cyclone Gamane ravaged Madagascar, affecting more than 5,000 homes and forcing 20,737 people to flee their homes. In May, Hurricane Hidaya caused widespread damage to coastal areas of Kenya and Tanzania, highlighting East Africa’s vulnerability to these increasingly severe storms. Cyclones are often preceded by heavy rains, causing flooding and landslides. In 2024, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo were hit by devastating torrential rains.
In Congo, where conflict is already rife in the eastern part of the country, torrential rains have destroyed roads and homes. Meanwhile, in the Sahel, the July-September rainy season was marked by significant flooding, especially in Sudan, Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon. 2024 was also a landmark year in terms of global temperature trends. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Monitoring Service, this year exceeded the 1.5°C warming threshold for the first time.
Their latest report, published on 9 December, shows an average temperature anomaly of +0.14°C compared to the same period in 2023. In Zambia, the rainy season, normally from October to March, ended prematurely in January, a direct result of the extreme heat. This prolonged drought is impacting not only food security, but also energy production across southern Africa. In South Sudan, temperatures reached a sweltering 45°C, prompting the government to close schools for the first time due to the heatwave.
These extreme climate changes are having a devastating impact on agriculture, on which 70% of the population in Southern Africa depends for their livelihoods. The region has faced severe droughts, pushing millions of people to the brink of starvation. Last October, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe declared their food crises as national disasters.
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), an estimated 21 million children in Southern Africa are currently malnourished due to crop failures. On a grand scale, African countries lose an estimated 2-5% of their GDP each year due to extreme weather events.
At COP29 last November, developed nations agreed to a new climate finance target: $300 billion per year by 2035. However, this target falls far short of the $1.3 trillion that developing nations, including those in Africa, say is needed for climate change adaptation.