ABUJA, Nigeria—Many poor countries in Africa face the harshest effects of climate change: severe droughts, vicious heat and dry land, but also unpredictable rain and devastating flooding. The shocks worsen conflict and upend livelihoods because many people are farmers—work that is increasingly vulnerable in a warming world.
It comes amid criticism that the lending institutions are not taking climate change and the vulnerabilities of poor countries enough into account in their funding decisions. During a panel in Marrakech this week, IMF economist Daniel Lee said the organization is “mainstreaming climate change in policy advice, capacity development and lending.” He did not detail the size or breakdown of funding.
In Niger, whose leader was ousted in a coup in August, as well as northern Nigeria, thousands of hectares of arable land is being lost to soil erosion and dry conditions. It’s led farmers and livestock herders to battle for resources and reduces economic opportunities, helping armed groups recruit, said Idayat Hassan, senior Africa program fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
He added that “the challenges are enormous” because of strict conditions to get IMF and World Bank funding.