Experts from various countries in Africa and beyond have initiated a study on climate-induced migration throughout the continent, as one speaker cautioned that as many as 86 million people could be displaced by 2050 due to climate-related factors.
During a gathering of representatives from African economic consultative bodies in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ahmed Reda Chami delivered the warning in his address to the assembly.
There could be “internal migration of about 86 million people by 2050 if no action is taken to reduce the impacts of climate change,” he said on Tuesday.
The UCESA study, which is backed by funding from the World Bank, aims to proactively assess the magnitude of potential future challenges.
Reda Chami serves as the leader of the Union of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions of Africa (UCESA), an organization comprising delegates from primarily French-speaking nations, totaling 19 countries.
The general assembly of UCESA commenced in Kinshasa on Tuesday, with representatives from analogous European and Chinese institutions also in attendance.
“The destiny of humanity is at play,” said Jean-Pierre Kiwakana, the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s economic and social council.
Experts contend that Africa is confronted with severe risks associated with global warming. The rise in extreme temperatures and reduced rainfall are expected to have devastating effects on impoverished nations on the continent.
As an illustration, an abrupt flood in conflict-stricken Libya this month, as per official reports, resulted in the tragic loss of over 3,800 lives. Additionally, tens of thousands of individuals have been forced to evacuate their homes.
