Afrobarometer’s New Country Cards Document Africans’ Demand for Action on Climate Change – African Business

Afrobarometer’s new series of country card on climate change (Afrobarometer)www.Afrobarometer.org) graphically summarises Africans’ perspectives on the climate crisis and their demand for urgent climate action.

Released just ahead the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), the country cards provide at-a-glance insights into Africans’ awareness of climate change, their experiences with deteriorating weather conditions, and their expectations of a response to the crisis.

Country cards for 20 African countries were released in the ongoing Round 9, 2021/2022 of Afrobarometer. This is the most reliable source of data on Africans’ thoughts and attitudes. As Round 9 is complete, cards for additional countries will become available.

The cards show that a significant number of citizens are suffering from worsening droughts or flooding. While awareness of climate changes varies across continents, most people who have heard of it say it is making life worse. Most citizens want their governments take immediate action to address this crisis, even if it is costly. Few citizens are satisfied with the efforts to date of governments, business and industry, developed countries, and ordinary citizens in fighting climate change, and most demand “a lot more” from these stakeholders.

All the climate cards can be accessed on the Afrobarometer website’s climate change country card page (https://bit.ly/3t1tQrO).

Highlights of Afrobarometer’s country cards on climate change

• Eight of the 20 countries have majorities reporting that droughts are worsening over the past decade. Large numbers see worsening droughts in Niger (72%), Madagascar (86%), and Tunisia (69%).
  • Basotho (73%), Nigeriens (64%) and Mauritians (68%) express the greatest concern regarding worsening floods.
• Only 51 percent of citizens in 20 countries are aware of climate change on average. Awareness of climate change is high in Malawi (74%), Mauritius (73%), and Gabon (70%). Only two-tenths of Tunisians (22%) are aware.
• There are many people who are aware of climate change.
  • Many people feel it is making their lives more difficult. This perception is particularly prevalent in Madagascar (91%), Lesotho (88%), Mauritius (86%), Malawi (86%), Benin (86%), and Benin (85%).
  • Majorities in all twenty countries want their government now to act to limit climate change. This is even if it’s costly, causes job loss, or impacts the economy. Eight countries have 80% or more citizens who are aware of the effects of climate change.
  • Most citizens are not satisfied with the efforts of various stakeholders in fighting climate change and its effects, and demand “a lot more” from their governments, business and industry, developed countries, and ordinary citizens.

Surveys of the Afrobarometer

Afrobarometer, a pan-African survey research network, provides reliable data about African experiences and evaluates democracy, governance, quality of life. It aims to share and amplify ordinary African citizens’ views to ensure their voices inform policy- and decision-making processes that affect their lives.

Since 1999, eight rounds of surveys in up to 39 countries were completed. Round 9 surveys (2021/2022), is currently underway. Afrobarometer conducts face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice with nationally representative samples of 1,200-2,400 adult citizens that yield country-level results with margins of error of +/-2 to +/-3 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.

Distributed by APO Group, on behalf of Afrobarometer.

For more information, please call:
Josephine Appiah-Nyamekye Sanny
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