Climate Change and Development in Africa Post COVID-19: Some Critical Reflections
A post coronavirus recovery in Africa should address the fundamental causes of vulnerabilities and go beyond fiscal and monetary adjustments whose sole aim is to ensure the survival and perpetuation of the current system of production, consumption and distribution which is responsible for the climate crisis, according to a new discussion paper published by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). The paper addresses the climate emergency and lessons from COVID-19, global warming, financing the twin crises, the required energy transition, climate change perceptions and whether COVID-19 lessons can benefit climate action. The paper highlights that the fundamental reason for the recognition of COVID-19 threats and the limited recognition of climate change threats is that COVID-19 has been clearly understood, beyond the health impacts as an immediate and present threat to global development, while climate change continues to be viewed as a long term and uncertain threat to some remote communities of the world.
