Africa faces key challenges in balancing economic growth with urgent need to conserve rich biodiversity, according to a new report from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
Titled Economic Development in 2024, the report warns that continental biodiversity faces significant risks from climate change, agricultural practices and resource extraction, which will affect the economic outlook. did.
As the most climatic and obstructive continent, Africa is experiencing increasingly frequent droughts, floods and rising temperatures. They damage ecosystems, destroy habitats and cause substantial biodiversity loss, the report says.
The authors of the report highlighted the specific sensitivity of an economy that relies on agriculture to the effects of climate change. Severe weather conditions can interfere with food production and have a negative impact on rural populations.
In 2022 alone, climate-related disasters affected more than 110 million people in Africa, the analysis shows. The economic damages have exceeded $8.5 billion, he added.
Many African countries face difficulties in investing in climate resilience due to their substantial debt burden. Approximately 46% of these countries have debts exceeding 60% of GDP in 2023.
Agriculture is an important sector for many African economies, but it also contributes to biodiversity losses. Reports show that over 60% of Africa’s exports come from natural resources. Expanding farmland leads to the loss of forest forests. This threatens species that depend on these ecosystems.
