Hope and Despair: Africa and the Politics of Climate Change, 1992-2024

Abstract

Climate change is one of the most important global issues in the early twentyfirst century. It has also been a central theme of international diplomacy since the 1990s. Climate change and other manifestations of environmental degradation worldwide have posed a  threat to sustainable development and efforts to improve the quality of life of a large section of global population. Indeed, many  experts on the environment regard climate change as a threat to the very survival of humanity on planet earth. It is thus one of the most  pressing issues in contemporary international relations. This article analyses the nature of Africa’s involvement in the politics of climate  change and action to address the climate problem. Using mainly reports of international organisations, government records, newspaper  reports and other secondary sources, the work analyses Africa’s engagement with the global community on the climate issue and the  extent to which it has contributed to the continent’s ability to effectively respond to the problem. It interrogates Africa’s climate  diplomacy and action within the context of the conflicting ideas on national interest and global governance. Power politics theory and  perspectives on global governance are utilised as framework for analysis. Many studies on Africa’s involvement in climate politics have  focused on the pattern of diplomatic engagement and the outcome. This work examines the issue from a broader context by  interrogating Africa’s diplomatic engagement within the domain of international politics and the crisis of global governance.  Furthermore, the climate crisis is a dynamic subject that requires regular and persistent analysis to understand its nature and dimensions  as events unfold and the global community responds to them. It concludes that for both Africa and the rest of the global  community, an approach that reflects more of altruism and less of national and group interest is that which will yield positive result and  help to effectively address the climate crisis.