Researcher Pedro Vicente, co-founder of the NOVAFRICA study centre at the Faculty of Economics of the Nova University of Lisbon, said that Mozambique represents a paradigm case of the challenges and opportunities that climate change poses for the African continent, according to Lusa.
According to the report, the researcher explained that in countries like Mozambique, poverty and the lack of resources to deal with climate impacts make it essential to review public policies, especially in the areas of agriculture and urban development.
As one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change, Mozambique faces constant threats such as prolonged droughts and extreme flooding, phenomena that seriously affect subsistence agriculture, the basis of the country’s rural economy.
According to Vicente, the situation opens up an opportunity to reconsider agricultural policies so that they become more productive and resilient. ‘Climate change is demanding a response from governments that goes beyond palliative measures. In Mozambique, agriculture is not productive enough, and this requires structural transformations,’ he said.
Another challenge specific to Mozambique is managing growing urbanisation. Vicente pointed out that although the rural exodus to the cities is increasing, it is happening without effective policies for urban integration and development.
In Mozambique, urbanisation is not the result of an active public policy, but rather the lack of alternatives for rural communities, who move to urban centres in search of better living conditions. ‘Urbanisation [in Mozambique] is happening because people have no alternative, not because it’s a public policy,’ the researcher noted.
In Mozambique, urbanisation is not the result of an active public policy, but rather the lack of alternatives for rural communities, who move to urban centres in search of better living conditions. ‘Urbanisation [in Mozambique] is happening because people have no alternative, not because it’s a public policy’
The land issue is also pointed out as an obstacle to the necessary reforms. In Mozambique, land is state property and cannot be sold or hypothecated, according to the Law on the Right to Use and Enjoy Land. Vicente believes that this policy limits development and suggests that making the land regime more flexible could encourage more dynamic and modernised agriculture.
In addition to domestic policies, Vicente emphasised that Mozambique and other African countries, despite having little responsibility for global greenhouse gas emissions, are highly impacted by the consequences of climate change.
The researcher argues that African nations should use COP29, which takes place this year in Baku, Azerbaijan, to demand greater financial support from developed countries, which are responsible for most of the global pollution. ‘African countries need to clarify that they need help, in a logic of justice, and that they deserve to be compensated for the damage they are suffering due to the pollution generated by developed and emerging countries,’ he reiterated.
Despite Africa’s low contribution to global emissions, the continent contributes significantly to deforestation, a problem that, according to the Portuguese researcher, can be tackled with international support. ‘It’s relatively inexpensive to support local communities not to practise deforestation, and the developed world should invest more in this type of measure,’ the researcher argued.
COP29, which brings together representatives from 197 countries and the European Union, will be a crucial moment for African countries to present their specific needs in the fight against climate change. The summit, which takes place this month in Baku, is seen by environmental organisations as an opportunity to reinforce commitments to reduce emissions and to increase climate finance, with a view to preparing the most vulnerable countries to face climate challenges by 2030 and beyond.
