Undoubtedly climate change is leading to ever-growing pressures on health systems and populations across the world. This is most notable in developing economies, such as those in Africa that are being disproportionately impacted by extreme weather conditions. Climate change, from droughts, floods and other natural disasters, is leading to population displacements and as a result greater risk of pandemics and other health outbreaks.
The COVID-19 crisis has further constrained climate and health adaptation. Rising government debt has complicated domestic resource mobilisation, and global climate finance decreased by 10% in 2020. As a result, climate impacts far outpace adaptation action. To break with this trend, adaptation must be mainstreamed in COVID-19 recovery plans, and in development agendas, leveraging the triple dividend of responding to the health crisis; driving Africa’s economic development; and building climate-resilient societies.
This poses the question: how can African countries prepare for the next pandemic? What needs to be done to ensure health systems across the continent are strengthen and what policies and risk mechanisms need to be put in place to support adaption?