By Paul Lodry DONGMO, Environmentalist, Disaster Risk Reduction and GHG MRV Expert and Coordinator of African Environmental Network, Africa

Heatwaves are becoming more and more prevalent around the world. Indeed, 2023 was the year in which we experienced the most heatwaves (WMO, 2023); however, we realise that 2024, which began with a series of heatwaves mainly in Africa, is likely to be a warmer year than 2023. These anomalies range from +1 to +8 °C on average at the global level, leading to extreme heatwaves.

In Africa in particular, we are observing anomalies of +8 to +12 °C caused by anthropogenic climate change (C3S/ECMWF, 2024). In fact, these anomalies manifested themselves in temperatures of almost 48 °C in March 2024 in Mali, causing more than 102 deaths. Since the beginning of March to May, many people in Niger, including the most vulnerable: babies and the elderly, have been hospitalised, often ending up dead. In Cameroon, we are seeing temperatures of over 45 °C, leading to the deaths of pregnant women and children and the loss of harvests. The same high temperatures are consuming agricultural production in the western and central regions, and are also leading to a proliferation of malaria through the multiplication of mosquito larvae. In Kenya, education has been affected by the postponement of the start of the summer school term as a result of rising temperatures brought on by heatwaves ranging from 37 to 40 °C in Kenya, combined with other extreme weather phenomena. This is one of the serious natural disasters associated with drought and famine, and the death of livestock and people. The Kenyan government has had to review the national action plan on climate change and prioritise a rapid response that could save the situation, as 38 of the 42 counties have been affected, a clear indication that Kenya remains highly vulnerable to heatwaves.

The adaptation measures taken include: improving the management of natural resources such as water, land and forests to stimulate climate-resilient agriculture and reduce over-dependence on rain-fed agriculture; improving the integration and coordination of climate actions in policy, planning and investment; implementing policies and measures that mobilise climate finance in the public and private sectors. These measures are inclusive and integrated management measures that take into account: local communities, which are mainly constituted of women and young people, the public sector represented by decentralised local authorities, civil society and the media. Countries such as Kenya, Cameroon, Niger and the DRC^[1] have taken steps to implement these measures.

Other activities have been carried out by communities in their own environment, such as the local awareness-raising, information and training campaigns facilitated by the African Environmental Network in 7 countries, where more than 600 people have been reached, informed and trained about extreme weather phenomena and slowly associated with solutions to be promoted at local level. Among these solutions we have the one mentioned above to which we have added urban forestry which is a long-term nature-based solution to reduce the impact of heatwaves and associated diseases by providing a favourable microclimate, we also have agroforestry and agro-ecologies with selective trees resisting high-temperature conditions and also facilitating local micro condensation to provide fresher and dew water to crops.

Heatwaves will become more and more common if we don’t act now, collectively, by sharing technologies and taking innovative approaches for the benefit of our communities.

[1] Democratic Republic of Congo.

Photo credit: African Environmental Network.

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