Climate change is a global problem already impacting millions of people around the world, but it can be an overwhelming subject, sometimes depending on the geopolitical location.
Climate change poses grave threats to countries across Africa, especially fragile and conflict-affected states.
Therefore, African states must come together through the aid of new technology to support the continent’s most vulnerable countries to adapt to extreme weather or spillovers could become more disruptive.
The State of the Climate in Africa 2022 report shows that the rate of temperature increase in Africa has accelerated in recent decades, with weather- and climate-related hazards becoming more severe.
And yet financing for climate adaptation is only a drop in the ocean of what is needed, according to the Reliefweb.
This goes by the old business adage: “We can't manage what we don't measure”.
This is relevant now in the struggle to fight with a triple global crisis; pollution, waste, loss of nature and biodiversity, and climate change.
More climate data is available than ever before, but how that data is accessed, interpreted, and acted on is crucial to managing these crises.
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One technology that is central to this is artificial intelligence (AI).
Artificial intelligence of things (AIoT) solutions are integral to tackling some of the challenges associated with carbon management.
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) can play a vital role in fighting climate change in Africa.
ICTs can be used to educate African citizens about the causes and impacts of climate change, and to promote sustainable practices.
This can be done through social media, websites, mobile apps, and other ICT-based platforms.
Findings from the International Livestock Research Institute show that, unless massive adaptation measures are put in place, the number of extreme heat events driven by climate change – especially in the continent’s tropics – will increase.
Poultry and pigs already face major heat stress challenges in many regions of the tropics where they are currently raised.
The same is true for all five major domesticated species in large swathes of West Africa, where heat stress is likely to make it nearly impossible for livestock to be kept outdoors.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations has provided ICT equipment worth US$34 million to counties to support climate change data collection.
The use of ICTs can help to develop and implement climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.
In countries like China, they use new technology to monitor and predict climate change impacts, to develop early warning systems for extreme weather events, and to design and implement sustainable agricultural practices.
ICTs can be used to promote climate change financing by connecting investors with viable climate change projects and by making it easier for countries to access climate change funding.
Some farmers in Kenya are using mobile apps to access weather forecasts and agricultural advice, which helps them to adapt to climate change and improve their yields.
In Ghana, a company called Esoko is using mobile messaging to connect farmers with buyers and suppliers, which helps to reduce food waste and improve food security.
In Tanzania, a company called Rainforest Connection is using solar-powered audio sensors to monitor rainforests for illegal logging and poaching.
The African Risk Capacity is using ICTs to develop and implement early warning systems for extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods.
The Green Climate Fund is using ICTs to make it easier for countries to access climate change funding.
The potential for ICTs to help Africa fight climate change is vast.
However, there are several challenges that need to be addressed, such as lack of access to ICTs, limited infrastructure, and lack of skills and expertise.
To overcome these challenges, African governments and other stakeholders need to invest in ICT infrastructure and skills development, and to create policies that promote the use of ICTs in climate change adaptation and mitigation.
The success of leveraging ICT to fight climate change in Africa depends on various factors, such as access to technology, digital infrastructure, capacity building, and policy support. Collaboration between governments, private sector, and civil society is crucial to harness the full potential of ICT in tackling climate change.
*Evans Mathanda is a multimedia journalist and development practitioner, who writes in his capacity. For feedback email: evanngoe@gmail.com
