African cities face climate change risk

Rapid population growth and poor infrastructure have put two out of three cities in Africa at extreme risk of the threats posed by climate change, according to a new analysis.

With UN figures showing 86 of the world’s 100 fastestgrowing cities are in Africa, experts warned nearly half of the continent’s GDP was exposed to the perils posed by our warming planet.

The findings were laid out in the 2018 Climate Vulnerability Index, which calculates an overall risk figure from more than 50 separate data sources, including state-of-theart climate models, socioeconomic factors and demographic trends.

It found Bangui in the Central African Republic, Liberia’s capital Monrovia and the Congolese city of Mbuji-Mayi to be the three most at-risk cities.

Eight African cities featured in the index’s top 10.

“It’s really assessing the ability to withstand climaterelated shocks and this is what makes African economies stand out as at risk compared to the rest of the world,” Niall Smith, an environment analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, which compiled the index, said.

The British-based risk consultancy also singled out DR Congo’s capital Kinshasa as being of particular concern for investors.

Home to 13.2-million people, the city regularly experiences weather events such as cyclones and flooding, which will cause greater disruption as the population swells to 26.7million by 2035.

“Urban population growth at this projected rate will, without doubt, intensify the city’s alarming risk profile,” the researchers said.

“Africa’s megacities already face issues like lack of clean water, sanitation and shelter.”

The study found that as much as 47% of Africa’s GDP – an amount totalling close to $1.4-trillion (R20.1-trillion) – to be at extreme risk from climate change by 2023, significantly higher as a percentage than any other continent.

“By no means are we saying don’t invest in these locations,” principal climate change and environmental analyst at Verisk, Richard Hewston, said.

“But climate risk should be one of the elements you consider.”

The data also showed that some of the most populous cities on earth – including Delhi, Mumbai, Mexico City and Karachi – were all at high risk due to climate change.