While the world navigates a path towards reduced emissions and a goal of net-zero emissions by mid-century, Africa is facing an emissions challenge. By 2050 emissions across the continent are projected to more than double, suggesting that climate change mitigation will become increasingly necessary. Of concern is that despite these projections, Africa currently receives less than 3% of global climate philanthropic funding for mitigation.

What appears to be driving emissions growth are four major structural transformations taking place across the African continent. Electrification, urbanization, land-use change and industrialization are the four megatrends that will shape Africa’s economic development and the continent’s impact on climate in coming decades.

In 2019 Dalberg was brought in by the ClimateWorks Foundation and the Good Energies Foundation to advise on potential high-impact opportunities for philanthropy to drive climate change mitigation in Africa. 

The report’s research and findings are directed at helping the global philanthropic community better understand the opportunities that exist around climate change mitigation, and their role in delivering strong development benefits. 

Philanthropy has a key role

To this end, “Opportunities for Climate Philanthropy in Africa” identifies a range of opportunities based on a broad assessment of potentially high-emitting regions and sectors, as well as the current and potential philanthropic funding landscape. Seventeen key opportunity areas have been identified where philanthropy can shape critical systems, transform key sectors and support cross cutting investments around mitigation and adaptation efforts in Africa. 

Because climate philanthropy plays an important role in catalyzing the financing that supports broader mitigation efforts, it has the potential to boost economic and social development by increasing productivity, and reducing poverty, unemployment and inequality. 

The time is Now

Dalberg’s analysis indicates that there is an immediate window of three to five years for philanthropy to support climate change mitigation efforts in Africa, particularly since African countries are in the midst of developing implementation plans for their Nationally Determined Contributions as part of the Paris Climate Agreement, and mobilizing resources to achieve Sustainable Development Goals through low-carbon development pathways.