Rising global temperatures that are causing global warming have compounded vulnerability to climate change in the Greater Horn of Africa region of the Horn of Africa.
The Head of disaster risk management at the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Dr Ahmed Amdihun says, the rise in temperatures above historical patterns over the past four decades between 1980 and 2020, and the inability by vulnerable communities in the region to cope nor recover from the resultant impacts to climate change are the main drivers for poverty and underdevelopment in the Horn of Africa.
In his presentation at the Regional Capacity Building Training Workshop for Journalists drawn from the IGAD region, Dr. Ahmed warned that climate shocks are intensifying in frequency and severity in the Eastern Africa region, this coupled with a low coping capacity among a majority of the population in the region, there is need to build resilience for the vulnerable households.
Dr. Ahmed is urging the media to report on unfolding disasters before they strike so as to improve understanding as well as build the momentum towards action before they occur. “It is not enough to just cover an event after calamity strikes,” he told journalists at a capacity building training on Anticipatory Action.
“This will help to ensure that measures are collectively put in place to protect the population as well as build resilience,” said Dr. Ahmed and added that, “it is difficult for vulnerable communities to recover from the vagaries arising from the impacts of climate change, but this can change if anticipatory action is taken before the disaster strikes.”
He told journalists drawn from seven Igad member states that enhancing reporting on anticipatory action and coverage of early warning, and climate risks will “help to build the capacity of communities who understand the unfolding disaster,” he said adding that, “this will promote efficient resource allocation while ensuring that lifesaving assistance reaches those at high risk.”
This, Dr. Ahmed said is happening at a time when Africa is facing challenges in securing climate finance, which is essential for mitigation and adaptation efforts, the continent is receiving about 3% of global climate finance yet estimates indicate that, the need for addressing climate change through to 2030 could be about US$ 3 trillion.
Studies now show that, in 2022 alone, African countries faced nearly US$9 billion in losses and damages due to climate disasters with projections estimating that under a 2°C warming scenario, these costs could reach US$290 billion by the end of the century.
The Head of disaster risk management at the IGAD said the region is working towards achieving the four priorities for action set out in the Sendai Framework through anticipatory action. These include; Understanding disaster risk, Strengthening disaster risk governance to manager disaster risk, Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience and Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to build back better in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
The seven global targets under the Sendai Framework are; Reduce mortality arising from disasters, reduce the number of people affected by disasters, reduce economic loss to the global gross domestic product (GDP) arising from disasters as well as reduce the damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services. The targets also include; increasing the number of countries with national and local Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) strategies, increase international cooperation to developing countries and increase the availability and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments.
