Measured against other issues such as corruption and unemployment, climate change is not a top-of-mind concern for Africa, according to a new report.
The African Youth Survey 2020, based on 4,200 interviews with young adults from sub-Saharan Africa, shows that only 2 per cent of the respondents ranked climate change as the most important concern facing the continent.
The survey covered 14 countries, including East African nations of Rwanda and Kenya.
Only 4 per cent said climate crisis was a future priority while 7 percent saw climate change and other environmental challenges as the biggest impact on Africa in the past five years.
However, the report says, when pressed on individual environmental issues, a huge majority showed concerns. As many as 81 per cent of respondents showed climate anxieties when asked specifically about climate change - without competing against other policies.
The report concludes that young Africans deem the past influence of climate crisis as more impactful to their lives than either the present day or future effects.
Climate interventions in Rwanda
Nearly two-thirds of African youth believe that developing countries have equal responsibility in addressing climate change as Western, developed countries.
For about a decade now Rwanda has maintained a strict policy on environmental matters with view to help addressing climate change.
In 2011, the country adopted the green growth and climate resilience strategy (GGCRS) to drive its vision of becoming a climate-resilient economy by 2050 through resource efficiency and low-carbon emissions.
Since then, US$ 159 million have been mobilised to support the cause. As part of this effort, the proposed international airport in Bugesera District is, upon completion, expected to become East Africa's first Green Certified Airport with a host of green building features promoting resource efficiency.
Opening the GGSRS review dialogue last week, Environment minister Amb. Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya said that climate change hs for some time been considered a problem of the future.
"Unfortunately, the world has not moved fast enough to limit the amount of warming gases in the atmosphere and we are now facing the consequences,” Mujawamariya noted.