IPCC Report Reveals Africa’s Involvement is Key to Climate Change Success

The Sixth Assessment report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) uncovers that the world is already locked into significant impacts and the global climate action going forward will greatly determine how extreme the effects will get.

NAIROBI, KENYA (AUGUST 10, 2021) — The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) yesterday released the Sixth Assessment report on the current state of climate change. The report found that human activity resulted in the increase of carbon in the atmosphere and the global surface temperature escalated every year for the past four decades.

The report broke down the impact human-induced climate change has had in every region across the globe. This further reiterates African Wildlife Foundation's message that the benefits we get from nature diminish as emissions increase. If Africa chooses to increase emissions, it will undercut nature's ability to counteract those increases and further threaten Africa's food and water security, livelihoods, and natural heritage.

AWF CEO Kaddu Sebunya stated that, “What this report puts in bold letters is that the battle for climate action requires global solutions because the irreversible impact will be universal. There is a need for a stronger voice to speak for the voiceless: Africa’s wildlife and wild lands. The COVID-19 recovery plans that are under implementation now will lead to climate solutions in the future.

To prevent a climate crisis, cornerstone actions must be made now. The youth can no longer stay sidelined. It is their future we are all fighting for, and they must join the fight. Most importantly, Africa's contribution to climate change has been the least but, as we chart our economic future, Africa must be central to the global climate solution.”

Now more than ever, AWF is committed to being a champion of Africa's wildlife and wild lands. We will use  the strength and power of our voice to ensure that Africa’s biodiversity gets the attention it deserves. It is our conviction that Africa's future depends on connecting the conservation agenda to the aspirations and mindsets driving change on the continent.

The decisions that Africa makes for development will greatly impact whether the rest of the world will succeed in the fight against climate change. How we farm, produce energy, and conduct transportation will be the great determinants of seeing success.

The IPCC Report reaffirms the urgent need for the world to recognize that African countries are in fact critical partners to the future of our planet - both in creating climate solutions and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

About African Wildlife Foundation

The African Wildlife Foundation is the primary advocate for the protection of wildlife and wildlands as an essential part of a modern and prosperous Africa. Founded in 1961 to focus on Africa’s conservation needs, we articulate a uniquely African vision, bridge science, and public policy, and demonstrate the benefits of conservation to ensure the survival of the continent’s wildlife and wildlands.