Africa accounts for only 4% of global carbon emissions, despite being the continent most affected by climate change. African leaders and delegates will gather this week in Nairobi, Kenya, for the continent's first climate summit.
Theth African Climate Summit, to be held 4-6 September 2023 and co-hosted by the African Union, will address African countries' critical climate issues, as well as climate finance solutions and green growth economies across the continent, home to around 1, 4 billion people live people. People. Africa is the continent most affected by the effects of climate change.
According to the International Rescue Committee, seven of the ten countries hardest hit by the climate catastrophe are in Africa.
How much does Africa contribute to global emissions? Carbon dioxide (CO2), the most important greenhouse gas, is emitted from the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas, as well as from deforestation and cement production. CO2 emissions contribute to the rise in temperature on the earth's surface and lead to unpredictable weather conditions such as droughts, floods, heat waves and tropical cyclones. In 2021, around 37.12 billion tons of CO2 were emitted worldwide.
According to Oxfam, more than half of all carbon emissions come from the world's richest 10%. Compared to emissions from other continents, Africa's carbon emissions have paled in comparison. At 11. China is the world's top polluter at 47 billion tons, followed by the United States (5 billion tons), India (2.7 billion tons), Russia (1.75 billion tons) and Japan (1.07 billion tons). Africa, home to around 17% of the world's population, is responsible for only 4% of global Stage 1 carbon emissions. Per capita, Africa has the lowest emissions of any continent, averaging 1 tonne of CO2 per year per person, followed by South America (2.5 tonnes), Asia (4.6 tonnes), Europe (7.1 tonnes) and Oceania (10). tons) and North America (10.1 tons).3 tons). For comparison, the average American or Australian emits the same amount of CO2 in a month as an African does in a year.
Which countries are the biggest carbon emitters in Africa?
In Africa, more than 60% of the continent's carbon emissions come from just three countries: South Africa, which contributed 435.9 million tonnes, and Egypt, which emitted 249 tonnes.6 million tons and Algeria - 176.2 million tons. South Africa is one of the most coal-dependent countries in the world, with almost 85% of its CO2 emissions coming from coal. Libya, an oil-producing country, has the highest CO2 emissions per capita on the continent. On the other hand, many of the poorest countries in sub-Saharan Africa - such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Somalia and the Central African Republic - have the lowest average carbon footprint, around 0.1 tons per year.
