Climate change affects everything from geopolitics to economies to migration. It
shapes cities, life expectancies and has presented a major challenge to Africa's
achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that the costs of climate change
adaptation across Africa could reach $50 billion annually by 2050, even if global
temperature rise stays below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. African countries have
outlined bold aspirations to build climate-resilient and low-carbon economies in their
Nationally Determined Contributions, and more than $3 trillion of investment in
mitigation and adaptation is needed by 2030 to implement them.
Those commitments are conditional on access to adequate financial, technical and
capacity-building support. At the same time, climate change offers African countries
the opportunity to harness their resource potential to achieve the Sustainable
Development Goals. Addressing climate change in Africa will create significant market
opportunities, especially for the private sector and institutional investors.
C3AMS is therefore proposed as an African disruptive research-based learning, climate
policy design and formulation centre, and a one-stop shop for climate adaptation and
mitigation expert advice.
