New Data for Africa’s Changing Climate

The African continent is highly vulnerable to climate-related risks. At the same time, Africa contributes only 4% of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. Policymakers need foundational data on key climate indicators to point the way towards a low-carbon, climate-resilient path. Yet these data remain limited for most African countries. This report aims to fill the gap in foundational data. First, it shows how African countries and cities are exposed to major climate-related hazards, such as extreme heat, while assessing adaptation readiness of countries. Second, it describes the climate mitigation policy landscape in African countries along with key policy trends. In doing so, it breaks new ground by building on novel datasets that use robust methodologies developed by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the OECD Sahel and West Africa Club (SWAC) and the World Bank, covering 28 African countries that jointly account for around 73% of African GHG emissions.