Perspectives of the UN Economic Commission of Africa regarding climate action- Jean Paul
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa has drawn a great deal of focus and attention towards supporting African countries on best approaches and practices towards ensuring sustainable investments for a Green recovery in a post-COVID-19 World; building forward better to address the adverse impacts of climate change.
According to a report released by the OECD, The African continent among others has been faced with far reaching hard hit impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic; wide ranging from continental-wide economic to health systems. Additionally, the impacts of climate change have presented a more highly significant negative toll on the economic stand of the continent than COVID-19 according to statistical reports of the United Nations Economic Commission. Evidently, the impacts of the twin crises; climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic come in with a wave of economic mischief for most African countries.
According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, it on average costs each 5% of the GDP of most African countries to respond to the impacts of climate change. A projected study through 2030 reveals an average 15% of the GDP of most countries in response to climate change impacts. This implies an increase in the cost of both adaptive and mitigative response to the impacts of the climate crisis when not tackled as a matter of urgency. Consequently, more negative impacts will be felt by countries presenting more vulnerable economic and health systems if the crisis is not tackled with the urgency it deserves. More prone and susceptible are the Regions and countries of the Sahel, far spreading to the Sub-Saharan region.
Uniquely, these present an opportunity for job creation and eco-sustainable development. Investment in clean energy and nature-based solutions has the potential to generate a proportionate 250 more jobs compared to fossil fuel energies, over 400% resilience in comparison to the later; based on a case study conducted in South Africa by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
Nature investments are key and relevant to ensuring and accelerating the roadmap for a recovery into a Green economy; whilst creating jobs, fostering socio-economic integrity of societies; ensuring healthy and climate resilient ecosystems for human life, health and well-being.
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