Africa accounts for just 3.8% of global greenhouse emissions, yet it risks bearing the brunt of some of the worst impacts of climate change. Populations in vulnerable areas, such as coastal settlements, as well as many crucial areas of economic activity, could be under significant threat in the coming decades. Yet, many Africans already face significant economic difficulties in their day-to-day lives, even before considering climate change.
For these reasons, and plenty more, the concept of a just transition — that the shift to a sustainable economy must be a shared global responsibility, that its benefits must be distributed fairly and that communities should not be worse off as a result — is particularly important in an African context. It also highlights the importance of challenging assumptions that may be appropriate in developed economies, about what are the most pressing environmental, social and governance (ESG) priorities and solutions.
