Author: THINKTEAM Support

We spoke with Reem Elsayed, an international health expert, about how climate change and health systems intersect in Africa. Some countries are doing better than others, but many are struggling with funding cuts, a high pre-existing burden of disease, and climate-vulnerable health infrastructure.

Members of the WHO are deliberating over a draft Global Action Plan on Climate Change and Health, but African countries want to see greater differentiation between which countries are expected to decarbonise their health sectors, and stronger linkages between actions and finance.

Health remains an under-developed topic in African NDCs, however many African countries lack the necessary health data, information and finance to develop and implement responsive policy. Despite these challenges some regions are seeking to prioritise health in their adaptive responses, underscoring the importance of integrated climate and health policy.

In February, Ali Mohamed, the special Climate Envoy of the President of Kenya and the (then) chair of the African Group of Negotiators met with senior Russian representatives to discuss climate matters, ending in agreement on a joint work plan. A long history of collaboration between the regions, dwindling climate finance from the West and a push by Russia for African critical minerals, may see more strategic climate alliances between the two regions.

Climate change is reshaping Africa’s migration landscape, but extant international laws leave millions unprotected. Regional free movement agreements—especially IGAD’s forward-thinking protocol—provide a framework to address this gap.

Only 15 countries met the 10 February deadline to submit their updated NDCs under the Paris Agreement, but it looks likely that an extension will be granted. Ozayr Patel unpacks how this round of NDCs must be a step up from the last, and the key issues African countries should focus on.