A just climate transition for Africa

A just climate transition for Africa

Meanwhile, the developed economies, which bear the lion's share of responsibility for climate change, largely ignore what is happening in Africa, refusing to take action on the scale that is needed. As a Nigerian proverb says, the roof fights the rain, but the person who is sheltered ignores it.But those in the advanced economies who still feel protected from climate change will soon find that their roofs are leaking. And if Africa is already suffering, the devastation will be that much worse. The COVID-19 pandemic is far from being the only shared challenge we face in an interconnected world.To be sure, the advanced economies pay plenty of lip service to climate cooperation. In 2015, the Paris climate agreement raised hopes that world leaders were finally ready to put the planet's well-being ahead of short-term political interests by pursuing decisive, cooperative climate action. But after five years, the gulf between promises and actions is wide.It is not too late to change course - but it soon will be. This is the year when the world must unite to respond jointly to the climate crisis. Developed countries must work with low-income, developing, and emerging economies to chart a path toward a low-carbon