The Stark Reality of Climate Change and Financial Obligations of Rich Nations to East Africa

The devastating impacts of climate change have brought to the forefront the financial obligations that rich polluting nations, particularly those in the global North, owe to the communities and countries most affected by this crisis. East Africa, despite contributing almost nothing to global carbon emissions, is among the worst-hit regions, facing extreme weather conditions and a severe hunger crisis. Currently, over 31.5 million people across Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and South Sudan are experiencing acute hunger.

Between 2020 and 2022, the region experienced severe droughts in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia, and floods in South Sudan, resulting in economic losses estimated between $15 and $30 billion—2-4% of its annual GDP. Farmers and pastoralists were particularly affected, with Oxfam estimating that the four countries lost approximately $7.4 billion worth of livestock between 2021 and 2023. The loss of livestock has plunged millions of already struggling people into deeper poverty and hunger.

The Failure of Wealthy Donor Countries

Despite the increasing damages, wealthy donor countries, which are some of the biggest polluters, have failed to provide adequate climate finance to East Africa. In 2021, only $2.4 billion in climate-related development finance was provided to Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and South Sudan, far short of the needs of these countries for climate change mitigation and adaptation. This shortfall highlights the urgency for increased humanitarian and climate financing to address the current hunger crisis and build resilience in East Africa.

The Increasing Severity of Climate-Induced Hunger

The climate crisis is intensifying extreme weather patterns, making them more severe and prolonged in East Africa. The region is now experiencing its worst climate-induced extreme weather, fueling an alarming hunger crisis. The five failed rainy seasons have created the driest conditions in the Horn of Africa in 40 years, while successive years of flooding have battered South Sudan. Climate change has increased global temperatures by up to 1.2° Celsius, making droughts 100 times more likely and contributing to the deterioration of food security in the region.

The Impact on Livelihoods and Agriculture

Agriculture is a cornerstone of East Africa’s economy, accounting for over 30% of its GDP and providing livelihoods for over 132 million people. However, the sector is highly vulnerable to climate shocks such as droughts and floods. The reliance on rain-fed agriculture, agro-pastoralism, and pastoralism makes these communities particularly susceptible to climate-induced weather extremes.

Dwindling Humanitarian Funding

In 2023, 41 million people across Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and South Sudan needed urgent humanitarian assistance due to extreme weather compounded by other factors. Yet, only 65% of the $7.5 billion United Nations Humanitarian appeal for these countries was funded. The situation in 2023 is even bleaker, with only 33% of the necessary funds raised by August 2023. This inadequate funding means there is only enough to meet the most urgent needs, leaving millions unable to recover and break the cycle of hunger and poverty.

The Need for Long-Term Climate Finance

High-income countries pledged to provide $100 billion annually by 2020 for climate change mitigation and adaptation in less wealthy countries. However, Oxfam estimates that the real value of financial support specifically aimed at climate action was only around $21 billion to $24.5 billion in 2020, far less than needed. Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and South Sudan have indicated financing needs averaging $53.3 billion annually from 2021 to 2030 to implement their Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement. The annual climate finance flows in these countries in 2021 stood at $2.4 billion, according to the OECD.

Recommendations

To address the climate-induced hunger crisis and build resilience in East Africa, the following recommendations are made:

1. Increase Climate Finance- High-income countries must pay their fair share of climate finance and honor their commitment to provide 0.7% of their Gross National Income to East African countries. This includes the $8.74 billion needed to support the humanitarian response in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and South Sudan.

2. Provide Grants, Not Loans- Climate finance should be provided as grants rather than loans to help East African governments scale up their climate mitigation and adaptation efforts and enable the most impacted communities to recover from climatic shocks.

3. Compensate for Loss and Damage- High-income polluting countries should commit to paying their fair share of the losses and damage suffered by East African countries. This finance is crucial for supporting communities to adapt to climate change, recover from damage and loss, and transition to clean development.

In conclusion, the climate crisis, driven by the greenhouse gas emissions of the global North, is causing unprecedented suffering in East Africa. The financial obligations of the wealthy polluting nations must be fulfilled to ensure that the most affected communities can build resilience and secure a sustainable future.