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NEWS: To what extent are Africa's megacities equipped and prepared to cope with the impacts of climate change?

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The health repercussions of climate change in African cities require immediate attention. These urban areas find themselves on the front lines, facing rising temperatures and worsening air pollution. To safeguard both people and the environment, governments must act decisively. They must channel investments into green infrastructure, champion clean energy initiatives, and bolster healthcare systems. African cities face substantial health challenges due to climate change, including flood risks, droughts, and the spread of vector-borne diseases. Droughts are a significant cause of mortality globally and are indirectly linked to extreme heat. Indirect health issues arise through food-borne and vector-borne diseases, non-communicable illnesses, displacement, and mental health stressors. Air pollution intensifies with fossil fuel combustion, contributing to over 5 million deaths annually. African cities have responded by implementing policies to minimize resource consumption and reduce gree
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NEWS: Investment in Africa's water infrastructure is key to delivering social justice and economic growth

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Access to clean water is well understood as a public health issue, but in Africa, limited water access and poor sanitation act as a major drag on economic growth. The International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa estimates that sub-Saharan Africa loses 5% of its GDP annually – US$170bn per year – as a result of poor water infrastructure.


Access to water is also critical at the intersection of social justice and economic productivity. Each year, 40bn hours of otherwise productive time is spent collecting water. And that burden falls disproportionately on women and girls, robbing them of time in education or at work.

Investment in water infrastructure, therefore, is key to the continent realising its fullest human and economic potential. The pay-offs from that investment are immediate, multiple and central to sustainable development. The African Union highlights that every US$1 invested in climate-resilient water and sanitation returns at least US$7 in improvements to health and education, food security, the environment, gender equality and progress towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) partnership is dedicated to generating and leveraging the political will and leadership needed to make and manage that investment.

In October, working with the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), SWA brought together 40 finance ministers and development partners from across Africa to discuss ways to mobilise an extra US$30bn annual investment in water and sanitation infrastructure.

In this series of articles, we look at why that investment is so critical and how it could be put to work.

“Dramatic progress is possible with forward-thinking leaders who can connect the dots and understand the importance and urgency of investing in water infrastructure,” says Catarina de Albuquerque, CEO of SWA.

“The cost of inaction is too great,” argues Abida Sidik Mia, Malawi's water and sanitation minister. “Water is the foundation of all healthy, productive and sustainable countries – that's what we are striving to be.”

This hardhatNEWS article was first published on Economist Impact

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