EXPLAINER
Africa contributes simply 4 % of world carbon emissions regardless of being the continent that can undergo essentially the most from local weather change.
African leaders and delegates are assembly in Nairobi, Kenya this week for the continent’s first local weather summit.
The 2023 African Local weather Summit, from September 4 to six and co-hosted by the African Union, will cowl crucial local weather points going through African nations, in addition to local weather finance options and inexperienced progress throughout the continent of some 1.4 billion individuals.
Africa is the continent most weak to the results of local weather change. In response to the Worldwide Rescue Committee, out of the ten nations most weak to local weather catastrophe, seven are in Africa.
How a lot does Africa contribute to international emissions?
Carbon dioxide (CO2), the predominant greenhouse gasoline, is emitted from the combustion of fossil fuels like oil, coal, and gasoline, in addition to from deforestation and cement manufacturing.
CO2 emissions contribute to the rise in international floor temperatures, resulting in unpredictable climate circumstances akin to drought, floods, heatwaves and tropical cyclones.
In 2021, some 37.12 billion tonnes of CO2 was emitted throughout the globe. In response to Oxfam, the richest 10 % of the world’s inhabitants is liable for greater than half of all carbon emissions.
Africa’s carbon emissions are dwarfed by the emissions of different continents. At 11.47 billion tonnes, China is the world’s largest polluter, adopted by america (5 billion tonnes), India (2.7 billion tonnes), Russia (1.75 billion tonnes) and Japan (1.07 billion tonnes).
Comprising about 17 % of the world’s inhabitants, Africa contributes simply 4 % of world carbon emissions at 1.45 billion tonnes.
On a per capita foundation, Africa has the bottom emissions out of all continents with a mean of 1 tonne of CO2 emitted yearly by every particular person, adopted by South America (2.5 tonnes), Asia (4.6 tonnes), Europe (7.1 tonnes), Oceania (10 tonnes) and North America (10.3 tonnes).
To place that in perspective, a mean American or Australian emits as a lot CO2 in a month as a person in Africa does in a 12 months.
Which nations are Africa’s main carbon emitters?
Inside Africa, greater than 60 % of the continent’s carbon emissions are produced by simply three nations – South Africa, contributing 435.9 million tonnes, Egypt, with 249.6 million tonnes, and Algeria, liable for 176.2 million tonnes.
South Africa is without doubt one of the world’s most coal-dependent nations, with almost 85 % of its CO2 emissions coming from coal.
On a per capita foundation, oil-producing nation Libya has the continent’s highest CO2 emissions.
Conversely, lots of the poorest nations throughout sub-Saharan Africa – such because the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Somalia and the Central African Republic – have the bottom common CO2 footprints at about 0.1 tonnes per 12 months.
The desk beneath offers a breakdown of complete carbon emissions and CO2 emissions per capita for every African nation. Use the search bar to seek out your nation.
