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Image: Dong Jianghui/dpa/XinHua/picture allianceImage: Dong Jianghui/dpa/XinHua/picture alliance

Tackling Africa's climate change challenges

Africa emits the least greenhouse gases, yet the continent is the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

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All Content on this topic

Children play near stagnant pools of water in Lilanda township in Lusaka, Zambia, Saturday March 9, 2024.

Children play near stagnant pools of water in Lilanda township in Lusaka, Zambia, Saturday March 9, 2024.

World Bank stamps $208 million Zambia grant to face drought

The sum was granted to help the African nation address the social and economic impact of drought.

People plant trees on the outskirts of Khartoum, Sudan

People plant trees on the outskirts of Khartoum, Sudan

Africa's Great Green Wall struggles to halt desertification

Billions have been poured into the Green Wall project to stop land degradation but little progress has been made.

Closeup of two people planting a sapling in the ground

Closeup of two people planting a sapling in the ground

Climate change activist in Zimbabwe to plant 1 billion trees

Agriculture and mining are threatening forests in Zimbabwe. One activist aims to plant 1 billion trees by 2030.

A group of young people stand on a stage holding certificates

A group of young people stand on a stage holding certificates

Young Africans join the global fight against desertification

Young African activists are fighting desertification. They met other change-makers in Bonn, Germany.

Water of the Katse Dam in the green Maluti-Mountains in Lesotho

Water of the Katse Dam in the green Maluti-Mountains in Lesotho

Lesotho's water: Will villagers be compensated?

Experts want revenue from the sale of water to compensate villagers for their resettlement.

Ghana Überschwemmte Gemüsefarm

Ghana Überschwemmte Gemüsefarm

West Africa's biggest vegetable farm destroyed by floods

Floods destroyed West Africa's biggest vegetable farm.

Magazin Global Us | Uganda Treehugging

Magazin Global Us | Uganda Treehugging

Tree hugging for a better world

Climate commitment: Patricia Ariokot from Uganda is in the Guiness World Records for the longest tree hug.

Doku | Benin - Flucht vor der Dürre

Doku | Benin - Flucht vor der Dürre

Nomads of Benin - Driven away by drought

Boubé is a nomad. He belongs to a Beninese pastoralist tribe called the Fulani.

Ägypten Korallen

Ägypten Korallen

Mass tourism increasing the pressure on coral reefs

The Red Sea coral reefs are threatened by mass tourism and greed for profit. Creative ideas are needed to protect them.

A presenter dressed in black stands superimposed on a photo of flooding in Africa

A presenter dressed in black stands superimposed on a photo of flooding in Africa

What are the key lessons from East Africa's floods?

Experts have warned African governments to establish urgent proactive actions as climate-related disasters intensify.

A girl stands on a pile of debris next to a damaged car buried in mud in an area heavily affected by torrential rains and flash floods in Kenya in 2024

A girl stands on a pile of debris next to a damaged car buried in mud in an area heavily affected by torrential rains and flash floods in Kenya in 2024

The race to fix Africa's poor weather forecasting

Most of Africa's 1.3 billion people have little advance knowledge of the weather. Knowing the forecast could save lives.

Two men stand in brown swirling floodwaters and sort through items on a concrete platform that was a house

Two men stand in brown swirling floodwaters and sort through items on a concrete platform that was a house

Why managing Africa's natural disasters is taking on urgency

Africa is particularly vulnerable to suffering natural disasters, such as floods, severe storms and droughts.

A firefighter motions to direct traffic, as people walk in a flooded street in Kitengela municipality of Kajiado County, near Nairobi, Kenya May 1, 2024

A firefighter motions to direct traffic, as people walk in a flooded street in Kitengela municipality of Kajiado County, near Nairobi, Kenya May 1, 2024

Kenya: Cyclone Hidaya threatens flood-hit region

Kenyan President William Ruto warned that weather reports paint a "dire" picture, as a powerful cyclone nears the coast.

Kenia Überschwemmung in Kajiado

Kenia Überschwemmung in Kajiado

How can Africa prepare for natural disasters?

A deadly heatwave in Mali killed hundreds in April and Kenya, Burundi and Tanzania experienced devastating floods.

A man carries some belongings in a yellow bag while walking on muddy waters in an area heavily affected by floods in Nairobi, a picture taken on April 25, 2024.

A man carries some belongings in a yellow bag while walking on muddy waters in an area heavily affected by floods in Nairobi, a picture taken on April 25, 2024.

Kenya flooding leaves dozens dead after dam collapse

The disaster has also damaged infrastructure and caused schools to be shut down.

Residents of Nairobi's Mathare neighborhood are seen in a flooded street after heavy rains as they try to evacuate the area with their belongings

Residents of Nairobi's Mathare neighborhood are seen in a flooded street after heavy rains as they try to evacuate the area with their belongings

El Nino climate pattern intensifies in East Africa

Millions have been displaced due to widespread flooding, with entire areas in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania under water.

A woman looks out from her submerged home following a night of heavy rainfall

A woman looks out from her submerged home following a night of heavy rainfall

Flooding in Kenya wreaks havoc in Nairobi

Flooding in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, has left at least four people dead. Some residents were left stranded on rooftops.

A young girl breaks a stick against a rock

A young girl breaks a stick against a rock

Africa's El Nino crises demand action and funding

The El Nino weather pattern is causing extreme weather events in East Africa, as well as crippling drought in the south.

Simbabwe Dürre Katastrohpe Hunger

Simbabwe Dürre Katastrohpe Hunger

AfricaLink on Air — 17 April 2024

El Nino plagues Africa +How hard is it to get a visa for Nigeria +Zambia's copper mines under new ownership

Residents cross a road damaged by rains in Tula, Tana River county in Kenya

Residents cross a road damaged by rains in Tula, Tana River county in Kenya

Malawi, Kenya and Mali in the path of climate change

Many countries are being hit by the effects of climate change, including extreme drought, floods and a heat waves.

A person walks through a field of dried out crops

A person walks through a field of dried out crops

Zimbabwe declares drought-induced state of disaster

A crippling drought has disrupted 80% of planted crops, leaving Zimbabwe's farmers in dire straits.

Zimbabwean in field during drought

Zimbabwean in field during drought

Zimbabwe declares national disaster amid El Nino drought

Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa is asking for $2 billion in food aid to help milllions of people impacted by drought.

A person in a hat in a field of dry crops

A person in a hat in a field of dry crops

Severe drought in Zimbabwe threatens millions with hunger

The World Food Program has said it might not be able to assist families in Zimbabwe facing food insecurity.

Mud cracks in dried up flood sediment lying on former farmland following the catastrophic 2015 Malawi floods

Mud cracks in dried up flood sediment lying on former farmland following the catastrophic 2015 Malawi floods

Malawi: Call for 'urgent support' after disaster declared

Malawi's President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera declared a state of disaster in 23 of its 28 districts on Saturday.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Russian President Vladimir Putin

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Russian President Vladimir Putin

Do Russian grains feed Africa or fuel influence?

Observers say the grain donated by Russia during Zimbabwe's devastating drought isn't purely humanitarian.

Simbabwe Dürre Katastrohpe Hunger

Simbabwe Dürre Katastrohpe Hunger

AfricaLink on Air - 20 March 2024

Zimbabwe receives grain donation from Russia amid drought +++ Is Russia using food aid as diplomatic tool?

A dried up maize field in Malawi

A dried up maize field in Malawi

More drought across sub-Saharan Africa

Government subsidies can help smallholding farmers in Africa only so much, with demand for novel solutions increasing.

A motorcycle being ridden along a road into the sunset, which can be seen in the distance

A motorcycle being ridden along a road into the sunset, which can be seen in the distance

What's stalling Africa's switch to electric vehicles?

On African roads, electric motocycles are only one bearer of change. For cars, a large-scale transition is yet to begin.

A desert in Ethiopia's Tigray region

A desert in Ethiopia's Tigray region

Tigray: Drought causes food insecurity and malnutrition

Drought has intensified an already dire humanitarian crisis in a region already suffering from a two-year conflict.

Electronic waste left behind from defunct laptops

Electronic waste left behind from defunct laptops

E-waste in Kenya: How to recycle old electronic devices?

In Kenya, a center of young technician is transforming the way e-waste is handled.

Turbines at Olkaria V Geothermal Power Station in Kenya

Turbines at Olkaria V Geothermal Power Station in Kenya

East Africa's new love affair with geothermal energy

Kenya has been trailblazing geothermal power generation for over a decade. Now other countries hope to join the club.

Simbabwe Elefantensterben durch Dürre

Simbabwe Elefantensterben durch Dürre

Zimbabwe: Climate change kills scores of elephants

As weather forecasters predict drought across Southern Africa, elephants face serious risks — including death.

A little girls is looking through a trash heap for food in Zimbabwe

A little girls is looking through a trash heap for food in Zimbabwe

Hunger, drought, child mortality in Africa fall out of focus

Care International has listed the top ten forgotten humanitarian crises of 2023 — all of them in Africa.

DW Eco Africa (Sendungslogo mit Partnerlogos englisch)

DW Eco Africa (Sendungslogo mit Partnerlogos englisch)

Eco Africa — The Environment Magazine

What do we do when the well runs dry? How to cope with water scarcity.

Members of the refugee fire brigade are seen conducting an exercise to prepare for a real fire

Members of the refugee fire brigade are seen conducting an exercise to prepare for a real fire

Mauritania: The refugees putting out fires - and prejudice

As Mauritania faces its bushfire season, a group of refugees teams up with the local community to put out the flames.

The towers of the coal-fired Kelvin Power Station are seen in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni in South Africa

The towers of the coal-fired Kelvin Power Station are seen in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni in South Africa

South Africa prepares to navigate a coal-free future

The country's transition plan will cost billions and put jobs at risk. But is there a light at the end of the tunnel?

Magazin Global Us am 04.12.2023

Magazin Global Us am 04.12.2023

Kenya: Promoting conservation with a camera

With animal portraits and photo safaris, a Maasai conservationist is raising awareness of threatened species.

Tree trunks arranged in rows on a river, with a young Black man walking among them

Tree trunks arranged in rows on a river, with a young Black man walking among them

Nigeria's logging industry booms while its trees disappear

Nigeria's growing wood industry is causing its forests to rapidly disappear.

Activists hold a giant banner reading "World Bank: End Fossil Finance" as well as placards with slogans such as "Dignity not debt" and "Make polluters pay" during a demonstration

Activists hold a giant banner reading "World Bank: End Fossil Finance" as well as placards with slogans such as "Dignity not debt" and "Make polluters pay" during a demonstration

Africa's inspiring climate activists

As Africa is hit by climate change, activists fight back and stoke hopes that green goals can prevail against profits.

Benin | Desertification in Benin

Benin | Desertification in Benin

Global conflicts overshadowing African desertification

Africans discussing desertification in Uzbekistan called for more funds to offset the effects of climate change.

Kenia Nairobi | Africa Climate Summit 2023 | William Ruto, Präsident, Kenia

Kenia Nairobi | Africa Climate Summit 2023 | William Ruto, Präsident, Kenia

Africalink on Air — 16 November 2023

Kenya's parliament approves police deployment to Haiti+++ Malawians face Kwacha devaluation+++ Zambia's anthrax outbreak

Gray boxes with the location Ibadan, Nigeria sit on a shelf at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway

Gray boxes with the location Ibadan, Nigeria sit on a shelf at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway

Norway's seed vault protecting Africa's food supply

African scientists have preserved precious seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, deep in Norway's Arctic permafrost.

Internally displaced Somali children wade through flood waters outside their makeshift shelters following heavy rains at the Al Hidaya camp for the internally displaced people on the outskirts of Mogadishu

Internally displaced Somali children wade through flood waters outside their makeshift shelters following heavy rains at the Al Hidaya camp for the internally displaced people on the outskirts of Mogadishu

Somalia: Dozens killed, half a million displaced by floods

Heavy rains have caused flash floods in Somalia, displacing half a million people and killing more than 30.

A woman in a refugee camp in the Cameroonian village of Bogo.

A woman in a refugee camp in the Cameroonian village of Bogo.

In Africa, climate change is igniting armed conflict

Fighting over water forced thousands to leave their homes in Cameroon in 2021. Many have not yet been able to return.

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Ethiopia's Grand Renaissance Dam faces far greater threat

Ethiopia has completed filling its controversial Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD) with water from the Blue Nile to power its millions of citizens. The project has irked neighbors Egypt and Sudan, who see it as a threat to their existence. However, the three countries ignore a bigger enemy: climate change and overuse of the Nile River. And that's the flip side.

A man sits with his face in the palms of his hands, in front of his destroyed buiilding, in Derna, on September 16, after floods washed away entire families in the coastal city

A man sits with his face in the palms of his hands, in front of his destroyed buiilding, in Derna, on September 16, after floods washed away entire families in the coastal city

Libya flooding: Land mines pose new threat, death toll rises

Libya's residents are faced with a new danger as they travel to get water: land mines displaced by strong currents.

A man sits in front of his destroyed house in Derna, head in his hands

A man sits in front of his destroyed house in Derna, head in his hands

Libya flood damage

Thousands are dead and missing after catastrophic flooding caused massive destruction in northern Libya.

A man walks through the debris, after a powerful storm and heavy rainfall hit Libya

A man walks through the debris, after a powerful storm and heavy rainfall hit Libya

Floods in Libya: Civil war compounds devastation

Climate change is partly responsible for the floods that have devastated Libya, but the legacy of war has made it worse.

Damage caused by flooding in Derna, Libya

Damage caused by flooding in Derna, Libya

Libya: Flood death toll rises to more than 5,000

Aid workers and officials have said that the death toll is likely to rise, as bodies continue to wash up ashore.

A general view of the Libyan city of Derna, that has been destroyed by floods.

A general view of the Libyan city of Derna, that has been destroyed by floods.

Libya: More than 2,000 dead after catastrophic floods

Dams collapsed and strong currents wiped out entire neighbordhoods in the country's east. Thousands are feared dead.