Unprecedented Human Loss Across Africa During the Climate Crisis of 2021-2025: A Catastrophic Decade With a High Death Toll

Africa has been hit hard by the climate crisis over the past five years, with the deadliest crisis in over a decade claiming at least 28,759 lives and affecting over 221.57 million people.

The crisis was particularly severe in the Horn of Africa, where five consecutive unsuccessful rainy seasons led to the worst drought in 70 years by January 2023. Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya were among the hardest hit, with Ethiopia experiencing the most significant impact, a 17-fold increase over the previous five years.

Flooding was a significant factor in the increased mortality rates in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where there was a seven-fold spike in deaths, and Malawi, where deaths increased 16-fold. Notably, Libya accounted for 13,205 deaths, mainly from the Derna floods on September 10, 2023, making it the country with the highest fatality rate in North Africa.

Droughts were the most severe hazard, affecting approximately 178 million people, or more than 81% of those affected between 2021 and 2025. Approximately 46% of deaths during this time were caused by the Derna floods in Libya alone.

The increase in disaster-related deaths from 4,684 in 2011-2015 to 28,759 in 2021-2025 is due to institutional shortcomings in disaster preparedness and the growing severity of climate-related occurrences.

Africa emits less than 4% of the world's greenhouse gases, but suffers disproportionately due to its low adaptive capacity, poor infrastructure, and high vulnerability. The cost of adaptation in sub-Saharan Africa is projected to be $30-50 billion per year over the next decade, amounting to 2-3% of the region's GDP.

Recovery efforts are threatened by a projected 42% drop in U.S. humanitarian aid in 2025. However, initiatives like the Early Warnings for All Action Plan for Africa aim to ensure that vulnerable populations receive timely and accurate alerts.

Dr. Emily Greenfield, an accomplished environmentalist with over 30 years of experience, emphasizes the need for urgent action to combat the climate crisis and support vulnerable communities. She highlights the significant environmental challenges faced by countries like Brazil, which faced significant environmental challenges due to deforestation and climate-related pressure despite government efforts to reduce it, and European countries like Italy, Germany, and Austria, which also experienced impacts linked to climate-sensitive outbreaks and disruptions.

The Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) maintains EM-DAT, which includes records on over 26,000 global disasters since 1900. These records serve as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of the climate crisis and the urgent need for action.