Economist interview with Mo Ibrahim on climate leadership

In a recent interview, Jonathan Rosenthal, Africa Editor at the Economist, engaged in an eye-opening conversation with Mo Ibrahim, delving deep into the tangled challenges confronting Africa, focussing on Africa's distinct vulnerability to climate change and the ensuing impacts.

Jonathan kicked off the conversation by pointing out that Africa, despite contributing a mere fraction to global carbon emissions, is grappling with the harshest blows from climate change. He underscored how the repercussions of climate change intertwine with long-standing issues such as poverty and infrastructure gaps.

Mo pointed out that Africa's share of global emissions between 1960 and 2020 was just 3.3% of the world's emissions, yet Africa is the continent most adversely affected by climate change: the ten most vulnerable countries in the world are all African.

The continent faces the challenge of erratic rainfall patterns leading to destructive floods and punishing droughts, problems made worse by rising temperatures. Even worse, many African countries lack the resources and resilience to combat these changes effectively.

Jonathan highlighted the complex connection between conflict, governance, and climate change. Mo revealed a correlation that the countries most susceptible to climate change often sit at the bottom of the governance table. Inadequate governance worsens the impact of climate change and other shocks.

Mo also acknowledged that while climate change might trigger some conflicts, he stressed the pivotal role of good governance and effective policies. 

To learn more about what has been said regarding COVID-19 and coups watch the full interview: