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African Countries Urged to Invest in Meteorological Services Amid Rising Climate Challenges

Climate and Weather

Drought, Meteorological, Weather, Investment

Business Honor
02 September, 2024

African nations advocate for investment in meteorological services to combat climate impacts and GDP losses.

Accordingly, African countries lose 2–5 percent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) due to extreme climate-related conditions, while some countries divert as much as 9 percent of their budget for response efforts, the WMO State of the Climate in Africa 2023 says. While the cost of adaptation is estimated at between $30 billion and $50 billion annually in sub-Saharan Africa over the next decade, it would suffice to account for 2–3 percent of the region's GDP.

Exposure to drought, floods, and extreme heat may put at risk poverty alleviation and economic growth for up to 118 million extremely poor people in Africa by 2030. Investment in National Meteorological and Hydrological Services should rise, as should the implementation of the early warnings for all initiatives to reduce risk and enhance resilience.

Africa has recently witnessed unprecedented climate-related impacts: deadly heatwaves, heavy rains, and protracted droughts, with serious economic implications. Some regions in Africa faced multi-year droughts, while others endured extreme rain, leading to significant flooding, WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo pointed out.

As these extreme weather patterns continue into 2024, the humanitarian crisis continues its downward spiral in some parts of East Africa, including Sudan and South Sudan. The WMO report will be presented at the Climate Change for Development in Africa conference on 2 September 2024, with considerable hope it will draw attention to investment in meteorological services to adapt to and reduce the effects of climate change across Africa.