Africa’s Businesses: It’s Secret Weapon Against Climate Change

Despite Africa’s low contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions, at just 3.8%, it remains the most vulnerable continent to climate change adverse impacts. It poses a considerable threat to human well-being, national economies, infrastructure investments, water and food systems, public health, agriculture, and livelihoods on the continent.

Many African countries are heavily-reliant on climate-vulnerable sectors such as energy, tourism, water and agriculture to survive and grow their economies. 

According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)’s State of the Climate in Africa 2021 report, extreme weather and climate change are undermining human health and safety, food and water security and socio-economic development on the African continent. As a result, African economies have taken a hit of between 5% and 15% to their economies as a result of these impacts. However, a growing number of businesses in the country are working on innovative solutions to climate change that improve adaptation and mitigation.

This article by Brickstone reviews some institutional reports and publications on how businesses in Africa are thriving and adjusting to these climate change challenges. 

Africa’s Continental Climate Crisis

According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)’s State of the Climate in Africa 2021 report, extreme weather and climate change are undermining human health and safety, food and water security and socio-economic development on the African continent. 

Worryingly, the report according to WeForum, also found that the rate of temperature rise across Africa is faster than the global average, and that 2021 ranked between the third and fourth warmest year on record for Africa. The African Development Bank has acknowledged the impact of climate change on Africa, and has pointed out that African economies have already taken a hit of between 5% and 15% to their economies as a result of climate

Curbing the climate crisis requires creating awareness of the severity of climate change in Africa, reducing emissions from key industrial value chains, the restoration of forest landscapes and investing in low carbon transport among other crucial interventions.

While climate activists around the world continue to consistently urge world leaders and other relevant stakeholders to save our planet, combatting the climate crisis requires a multi-disciplinary approach — given the scale of the challenge, collaboration between government, the private sector, activists, consumers, educational institutions and the media is essential.

Through its expertise and resources, the private sector can be at the forefront of this major social transformation. Not merely a corporate box-ticking exercise, the private sector’s efforts in fighting climate change should be seen as an opportunity to create a meaningful and lasting contribution toward the fight against climate change and global movement to create a sustainable planet.

African Expertise Is Moving To The Fore

According to WeForum, some companies in Africa have already heeded this call.

Sustainability in business therefore demands that companies deliberately operate a business strategy that reduces the negative environmental and social impacts of their operations. Such practice is typically viewed from the lens of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics such as greenhouse gas emissions, water security, energy efficiency, diversity and inclusion, data protection and privacy, board composition, shareholder rights, amongst others.

Born and bred in Africa, entertainment and media company MultiChoice is investing in Africa and has committed to helping deliver a sustainable future for the continent. Now MultiChoice is collaborating with The Earthshot Prize, an ambitious global environmental prize, with the goal of finding innovative solutions to the world’s biggest environmental problems.

The partnership between MultiChoice and the Earthshot Prize has the potential to make a massive positive impact in the fight against climate challenge. Innovative and scalable climate change solutions are at the heart of this work. This colaborative approach recognises and supports unique local solutions that speaks to communities at the grassroots level.

A less-often cited part of the fight against climate change, the media has a clear role to play in bringing to ebar its unique position to create awareness and mobilize communities and populations to rally behind the cause.

Multichoice is not the only African company collaborating with The Earthshot Prize.

The Earthshot Prize was launched in 2021 with three African organizations selected as finalists: Sanergy from Kenya, Reeddi Capsules from Nigeria and Pole Pole Foundation from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Sanergy, based in Nairobi, takes a circular economy approach to managing organic waste in Africa’s fast-growing cities by converting it into regenerative agricultural inputs — insect-based protein for animal feed, organic fertilizer for farming and ecofuel.

Pole Pole Foundation is a grass roots NGO whose goal is to protect the critically endangered Eastern gorillas which live in the Kahuzi-Biega National Park, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Only thousands of them remain, their population ecimated by illegal hunting.

Reeddi leverages its proprietary and innovative technology to provide clean, reliable and affordable electricity to people, households and businesses operating in the energy-poor regions of the world. Currently, Reeddi serves more than 1,000 households and businesses every month in Nigeria.

These finalists have access to resources across numerous professions and sectors including manufacturing, retail, supply chains, legal advice, digital technology, business strategy and government relations — and they are using them for the betterment of the African people and planet.

Read more here.