Climate change is not all bad news for Africa

Friday, 22 May 2009 11:59

Africa is the continent least responsible for climate change in terms of global warming brought on by greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, it is the continent that, in the view of many experts, will suffer most from the consequences.

But according to former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Professor at the London School of Economics Nicholas Stern, climate change does not have to be all bad news for Africa. Indeed, ”climate change opens up opportunities to generate revenues and diversify economies”.

For instance, Annan and Stern point to schemes that offer the opportunity for African countries to benefit from global payments for the preservation of forests, or long-term climate change strategies that offer a chance for African countries to ’leap frog’ towards efficient renewable technologies.

”Governments need to put in place effective policies and creative market measures to mobilize investment in renewable power such as wind, solar, geothermal and biomass as well as in national and regional infrastructure,” they say.

African finance ministers are meeting in Rwanda this week to work out a response to climate change. (Source: COP15.dk)