88% of Africans surveyed for the first African edition of the EIB 2022 Climate Survey believe that climate change is already affecting their everyday life, while 61% believe that climate change and environmental damage have affected their income.

More than half of respondents (57%) in ten African countries (Angola, Cameroon, Egypt, Ivory Coast,  Jordan, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia) say they or people they know have already taken some form of action to adapt to the impact of climate change.

When asked about the sources of energy their country should invest in, 76% of African respondents believe renewable energy should be prioritised, far ahead of fossil fuels (13%).

Africa is the part of the world most affected by climate change, although it contributes least to the problem. The continent faces an increased threat from extreme weather events and chronic climate change, which influence agricultural yields, food and water security, ecosystems, livelihoods, health, infrastructure and migration. By damaging vital resources and increasing competition for natural resources, climate change is likely to increase poverty, inequality and unemployment.

The results of the survey come at a critical moment for Africa, after COP 27 where the mobilization of resources for the mitigation of global warming and the adaptation to its effects were at the heart of the debates with the decisive agreement reached on a new “loss and damage” fund for vulnerable countries hard hit by climatic disasters.

Since 2018, the EIB has conducted similar large-scale climate surveys across Europe, China and the United States. Conducted in partnership with the market research firm BVA, this first African edition aims to inform the broader debate on attitudes and expectations in terms of climate action. More than 6 000 respondents aged 15 and over from 10 African countries participated in the survey between 1 and 25 August 2022, with a representative panel for each of the countries polled.

More findings from the first African edition of the EIB Climate Survey: https://www.eib.org/en/surveys/climate-survey/5th-climate-survey/africa

The EIB has been a strong partner of African countries for more than 55 years. EIB financing includes providing access to clean and modern energy for hundreds of millions of people in Africa. For example, we are supporting clean water in Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Niger, flood protection in Burkina Faso, solar energy in Zambia, wind power and geothermal projects in Kenya, hydropower in Liberia Ghana and Madagascar, and off-grid solutions in Benin that will improve access to energy for households and micro-entrepreneurs.