Africa is sliding into a widening health and economic crisis driven by climate change, a landmark Health Policy paper published in The Lancet has warned, calling for urgent action as world leaders head to COP30.
The report, released by Lancet Countdown Africa, shows that rising temperatures are already worsening infectious diseases, deepening food insecurity, degrading air quality, and placing unprecedented strain on fragile health systems.
It adds that climate change is slowing progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals and fuelling economic losses across developing nations.
Despite contributing the least to global greenhouse gas emissions, the continent faces some of the world’s most severe climate-related threats.
The paper stresses that health must be placed at the centre of climate action and development planning, alongside strengthened data systems, equitable climate financing, and evidence-driven adaptation policies.
To close existing knowledge gaps and support African leaders with reliable evidence, the Lancet Countdown has established a new regional Centre in Africa.
The Centre, incubated at the Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia (MRCG) with Wellcome funding and now hosted at the University of Pretoria’s Future Africa platform, will generate local data, track climate-related health indicators, and guide policy making across the continent.
Lancet Countdown Africa Fellow, Dr. Zakari Ali, said the continent has a foundation to build upon, but the scale of the challenge demands urgent coordination.
“The solutions to adapt to the health impacts of climate change in Africa will not come easy, but we are not starting from zero. Now is the time to build new expertise and galvanise pockets of existing data to guide appropriate and effective action to safeguard human health,” he said.
Director of Lancet Countdown Africa, Professor Tafadzwa Mabhaudhi, said the Centre will play a pivotal role as climate impacts intensify.
“As the health impacts of climate change worsen, affecting millions of lives and livelihoods, the new Lancet Countdown will assemble eminent experts and work with partners to advance evidence and turn it into tangible solutions. The Centre will elevate the African voice in global discourse and support the translation of global climate commitments into meaningful actions,” he noted.
Also speaking, Lead of Nutrition and Planetary Health at MRCG at LSHTM,Professor Kris Murray underscored the importance of global collaboration.
“Advancing knowledge and action on the health impacts of climate change cannot be effectively achieved without bringing together voices, evidence and coordinated responses from all corners of the globe.
The establishment of the African Centre is aimed at doing just that, shifting the centre of gravity of climate and health science and policy to ensure solutions serve populations locally,” he said.
The publication reinforces a growing call for Africa to be placed at the centre of global climate discussions, both as a region bearing the brunt of the crisis and as a continent developing homegrown solutions to protect its people in a rapidly warming world.