As global leaders prepare for COP30, Africa faces a stark reality: the continent suffers disproportionately from climate change, with escalating economic losses and mounting threats to public health. A new health policy paper by Lancet Countdown Africa, unveiled at the University of Pretoria (UP), underscores the urgent need for action.
Despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, African nations are contending with rising food insecurity, infectious diseases, deteriorating air quality, and the mounting strain on fragile health systems. The paper warns that without immediate interventions, climate change will reverse hard-won gains in health and development across the continent.
Dr Zakari Ali, a fellow with Lancet Countdown Africa, emphasised that while challenges are significant, African countries are not starting from scratch.
“The solutions to adapt to the health impacts of climate change in Africa will not come easily, but we are not starting from zero,” he said, highlighting the importance of using existing expertise and data to guide effective interventions.
In response to these urgent health needs, Lancet Countdown Africa has launched a new regional centre at UP’s Future Africa pan-African platform. Previously incubated at the Medical Research Council Unit in The Gambia (MRCG) and funded by Wellcome, the Centre will coordinate regional experts, generate locally relevant evidence, and track climate-related health indicators to empower policymakers with robust data.
Professor Tafadzwa Mabhaudhi, Director of Lancet Countdown Africa, said the Centre’s mission is to elevate African voices in global climate discussions and translate international commitments into actionable strategies that protect health and livelihoods.
“As the health impacts of climate change worsen, affecting millions of lives across the continent, the new Lancet Countdown will assemble experts to provide evidence-based solutions for Africa,” he stated.
Professor Kris Murray, Lead of Nutrition and Planetary Health at MRCG at LSHTM, stressed the importance of collaboration:
“Advancing knowledge and action on the health impacts of climate change cannot be effectively achieved without bringing together voices, evidence, and coordinated responses from all corners of the globe.”
The establishment of the African Centre signals a new approach: one that places local evidence at the heart of climate-health policy, ensuring interventions are tailored to the continent’s unique vulnerabilities. As the impacts of climate change continue to escalate, African policymakers are being called on to prioritise health in climate action and development planning, making the protection of communities and livelihoods central to the continent’s response.