Exposing World Wide Inequalities: Africa
Photographer Ninno JackJr ,2019, via www.unsplash.com
It is believed that Africa is where humankind originated and where the first humans resided, it is the birthplace of humanity. Being the second largest continent on Earth, it makes up 1/5th of the world’s land and is surrounded by the Indian and Atlantic Oceans as well as the Mediterranean and Red Sea. There are 54 countries in Africa and 14,7% of the world’s population and approximately 1.216 billion people reside there. More than half of Africa's land surface is covered in savanna – vast regions of grassland, shrubs, and scattered woodland - and the continent boasts more than 1,100 mammal species and 2,600 bird species. The continent of Africa is well known for its vast amount of resources and it is currently world's biggest producer of platinum, diamonds and cocoa beans. Africa’s environment and views are some of the most unique in the world and it is home to the seven natural wonders of the continent, which attract millions of people every year.
History of Africa’s Regions
Throughout its lengthy history, the African continent witnessed the emergence of several renowned civilizations and empires, such as that of the Egyptians and the Islamic Empire. This Empire was founded and grew on the principles of the Islamic religion, which developed in the late 7th century in North and East Africa. The birth of this new religion induced a period of deep cultural transformation, and this stage saw the rise of new cultures such as the Swahili people, the Mali Empire, and the Ghana empire. These empires, often referred to as the three great empires of West Africa, quickly grew to dominate the global trade industry, and began to trade more than any European power at the time. Parallel to this development was the continued growth of Islam, which spread quickly in these regions. While the expansion of the Islamic Empire brought forth many positive changes like the introduction of new types of administration, law and even architecture, the spread of Islam also coincided with an increase in the slave trade, which negatively impacted Africa's development until the 19th century. Muslim rulers in Africa justified enslavement with the Muslim belief that non-Muslim prisoners of war could be bought and be sold as slaves; this resulted in an influx of slavery across the continent. European countries took advantage of this context, beginning to exchange goods for slaves, a process which paved the way to the development of the Transatlantic Slave Trade - this was a system in which slaves got exchanged for European goods and sent to work for colonies in the Americas, from which American produce would end back in Europe and the exchange would continue, and which characterized the international economy throughout the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. This trading system was effective until the 19th century, when slavery began to be abolished. But it was already too late: once slavery was abolished, the Europeans’ culture of exploitation in the continent led Western powers to switch from the slave trade to settling and conquering the continent. The effects of colonialism and the exploitation that preceded it layed a lasting imprint on the region's development, and since the beginning of the slave trade the African region has suffered a toll that it is still recovering from. This historical aspect goes hand in hand with the present-day continued exploitation of Africa’s resources, of its people and of its environment.
Impact from the region
The climate crisis was not caused by Africa, but Africans will feel the brunt of the changing climate’s consequences more than most other continents. As a continent, Africa has only created around approximately 2-3% of global emissions, due to Africa having lower levels of industrialisation compared to other continents. The entirety of the continent of Africa produces 1.45 billion tonnes of carbon emissions yearly whilst the United States produce circa 5 billion tonnes. Africa also has the lowest emissions out of all continents, with an average of 1 tonne of CO2 emitted per capita: to put that into perspective, an average American emits as much CO2 in a month as an individual in Africa does in a year. On top of this, countless African nations are investing in renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydropower to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and to mitigate emissions. Initiatives such as the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative aim to scale up renewable energy projects across the continent, and show that despite its small contribution to the issue, African nations are investing into creating solutions for climate change.
Impact on the region
Climate change exacerbates food insecurity in Africa through adverse impacts on agricultural productivity. Erratic rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts, and increased frequency of extreme weather events disrupt livestock rearing, causing farmers to have to seek alternative land; crop cultivation has also been disrupted, whether it’s a 2% decrease in sorghum production or a 35% decrease for wheat. Changing precipitation patterns also contribute to water scarcity in many regions of Africa. Reduced water availability affects agriculture, sanitation, and access to clean drinking water, aggravating poverty and health challenges by 17% in already impoverished communities. Africa experiences more frequent and intense extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and heat waves due to climate change, and there has been an increase in natural disasters since 2019. These events have led to the loss of lives, displacement of communities, destruction of infrastructure, and disruption of livelihoods. Countries in the Horn of Africa, including Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti, face recurrent droughts, floods, and food crises. Climate-related disasters intensify humanitarian crises, displacement, and conflict in this region. Coastal areas of Africa, including the Gulf of Guinea, the East African coast, and the Indian Ocean islands, are vulnerable to sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and storm surges. Low-lying coastal communities are at risk of inundation, loss of means of living, and displacement due to climate-related coastal hazards more than any other community. The entirety of the continent, along with all its population, suffers deeply from the effects of climate change.
Exploitation of Africa’s resources
During the Scramble for Africa in the late 19th century, European powers colonised much of the continent, primarily for its rich natural resources. Colonial administrations implemented policies that facilitated the extraction and export of valuable resources, including minerals, timber, and agricultural products. Indigenous populations were often subjected to forced labour, displacement, and violence to extract resources for the benefit of colonial powers. Africa's mineral wealth, including gold, diamonds, copper, and oil, attracted significant interest from foreign investors and multinational corporations, and this contributed towards environmental degradation and social inequality in Africa. Despite achieving political independence, many African countries continue to face the exploitation of their resources by foreign powers, multinational corporations, and international financial institutions. Neo-colonial economic structures, characterised by unequal trade relations, debt burdens, and dependence on foreign aid and investment, perpetuate patterns of resource extraction and underdevelopment in Africa. The exploitation has continued for many great African nations, and still affects the people and economy in many ways. One African country currently facing exploitation from the West is the Democratic Republic of Congo, in a conflict that has come to be known as The Congo Crisis. One of the key aspects of the Congo Crisis is the exploitation of the country's vast natural resources, such as minerals like copper, cobalt, and diamonds, by various foreign powers and companies.This exploitation has worsened the conflicts in the region as different groups fight for control over these valuable resources, leading to further instability and suffering for the Congolese people.
Climate change and social impacts
Climate related disasters, such as floods and droughts, force communities to migrate in search of food, water, and shelter. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre reports that in 2019, Africa experienced the highest number of new displacements associated with climate-related disasters, with over 3.8 million people being displaced. Internal displacement and cross-border migration worsens the tension amongst peoples and strains resources in host communities, with more people having to relocate to safer communities, many of which, however, already experience levels of poverty and a scarcity of resources. These displacements aggravate such issues and overall worsen living conditions for everyone involved in the process. The impact of climate change also disrupts the lives of people dependent on agriculture, fisheries, and natural resources, leading to loss of income and employment. Vulnerable groups, such as smallholder farmers and pastoralists, are particularly affected by changes in weather patterns. The International Labour Organization estimates that climate change could lead to the loss of 72 million jobs in Africa by 2030, particularly affecting sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, and tourism. Climate induced environmental stressors, such as competition over scarce resources will also intensify social tensions and lead to or contribute to aggravating conflicts. People having disputes over land, water, and grazing rights are common in areas that are experiencing significant climate change impacts. Nomadic Fulani herdsmen in the Nigerian Sahel region have historically grazed their cattle throughout the region, but the Sahel is experiencing the acute effects of climate change. Environmental degradation has diminished and the grazing opportunities available to the Fulani, and, according to the World Bank, 75% of the Sahel is now too dry for livestock herders to settle in one place, forcing many herdsmen to migrate to more fertile grazing spaces. Oftentimes however, their migration into certain areas has become a source of dispute with settled farmers. As they compete for access to scarce water and grazing resources, these disputes often spill over into violent conflict. This is just one example of how climate change is currently causing violence in the African region and how it will continue to.
A quote from Vanessa Nakate, a Ugandan Climate Activist, sums up perfectly the battles Africans have been fighting to be acknowledged and to be helped for the past several decades: “Historically, Africa is responsible for only 3% of global emissions, and yet Africans are suffering some of the most brutal impacts fueled by the climate crisis. While the African continent, while the global South is on the front of the climate crisis, they are not on the front pages of the world’s newspapers. We have seen activists from the areas most affected being erased from pictures, from conversation, and removed from rooms. But how will we have climate justice if people from the most affected areas are not being listened to?”
BIBLIOGRAPHY
This is discussed further in:
African Development Bank (2019). African Development Bank - Building today, a better Africa tomorrow. [online] Afdb.org. click here
Contributors to Wikimedia projects (2003). continent on the Earth’s northern and southern hemispheres. [online] Wikipedia.org. click here
Environment, U.N. (2023). Climate action. [online] UNEP - UN Environment Programme. click here
Environment, U.N. (2017). Responding to climate change. [online] UNEP - UN Environment Programme. click here
Ilo.org. (2020). International Labour Organization. [online] click here
www.unocha.org. (2024). Internal displacement | OCHA. [online] click here
Anon, (n.d.). U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization - Relief International. [online] click here
www.uneca.org. (n.d.). United Nations Economic Commission for Africa | Ideas for a prosperous Africa. [online] click here
Written by Gianna Hector
Edited by Beatrice Bos Researched by Jeronimo Sarmiento
