Every online article proclaims that Sub-Saharan African nations are ground zero for the worse effects of Climate change but Arab and Europe's elite are racing to get in! Ibrahim Traore Explains:
British Broadcasting Company climate specialist Richard Washington explains that Africa is more susceptible to the changing weather patterns than any other region. A recent report, echoed by 1000 news outlets in the continental USA, highlights that Africa remains severely affected by the outcomes of climate change, despite having the lowest greenhouse gas emissions contributing to its effects. The United Nations, China, The World Health Organization, and every aid organization worldwide warn about the potential disappearance of Africa’s last glaciers. Despite this, African nations struggle to compel Europeans to leave when their visas expire.
Historically starting in the 1880s, in what became known as the “Scramble for Africa,” European countries raced to occupy the continent, seeking economic and strategic gains. Britain established control over many parts of Africa, including Sudan and much of the south. France began to rule a large territory in the west and north. It is widely understood that, over a half-century ago, most nations of Africa gained formal independence from colonial powers. But today, more than 60 years after the last European countries relinquished their colonial claims in Africa, the continent is still riddled with corruption, poverty, and turmoil.
It is not widely known that in former French and Portuguese colonies, France maintained a significant level of control over the economics and politics through a neocolonial system known as la Françafrique. This system involved the utilization of the CFA franc, management of natural resources, and one-sided commercial agreements to extract a large portion of the economic surplus generated by these 23 nations. Furthermore, France established puppet governments in many nations and suppressed dissent across the continent. Resistance to French dominance in Africa has been present throughout the history of Françafrique, and has grown notably stronger in recent times. A number of West African governments are now openly defying France, while diasporan communities and influential figures are increasingly voicing their support for and interpretation of this opposition.
The book Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (2004) by John Perkins, a New York Times bestseller, reveals his involvement in a private US consulting group that intentionally increased the debt of third world countries. Perkins admitted to playing a crucial role in the global system to impose debt on third world nations, whose leaders either agreed to impossible terms or risked facing coups or assassinations. Recent data shows that sub-Saharan Africa actually owes more than $41 billion to the rest of the world. While money does flow into the region, with approximately $161 billion coming in annually through loans, remittances, and aid.
Not only is there $203 billion exiting the continent, but a portion of this amount, such as $68 billion from primarily evaded taxes, is being siphoned off. Multinational companies effectively appropriate a significant portion of this money, legally, by claiming their profits are generated in tax havens. These illicit financial transactions, known as “illicit financial flows,” represent approximately 6.1 percent of the continent's total GDP – three times more than the aid Africa receives. These multinational corporations also exert political influence on countries to prevent them from developing infrastructure that would enable them to compete fairly with resource-poor nations in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Despite having resources, the USA has deliberately hindered its production capabilities over the past six decades to suppress middle-class growth and exploit inexpensive automated labor. By scapegoating immigration and BIPOC communities, it rallies the dominant white society to vote against its own interests, promising future wealth access without investing in skills development or infrastructure, further boosting profits for corporations that relocate jobs abroad and keep national wages low.
Furthermore, these corporations also repatriate around $30 billion - profits generated in Africa but sent back to their home country or elsewhere to enjoy their wealth. The City of London benefits from profits originating from Africa's resources and workforce. Climate change is expected to bring about three major global economic shifts: a reassessment of the causes of and prospects for development, a resurgence of transition economics, particularly in renewable and sustainable energy, and the most significant impact of climate change is projected to be a potential reduction of up to 20% of the global GDP by 2050 if current global temperature trends persist.
The EU has lost around €145 billion in a decade due to climate change related events, according to Eurostat. And temperatures in Europe have risen twice as fast as any other continent coupled with the fact they are behind in heat infrastructure by 100 years the coming finance and farming calamity is a given. Climate change and transition policies have already begun to hit the most vulnerable businesses and households hardest. Europe needs to invest in well-targeted temporary fiscal measures and retraining initiatives for its populations but the declining demographic and social and cultural upheavals it engenders are a roadblock to progress.
According to a significant report on the impact of global warming, the alarming trend is not only causing environmental changes but also leading to severe consequences for human health and migration patterns. The rising temperatures and changing climate conditions are directly contributing to the loss of life, exacerbating existing health disparities, and facilitating the spread of disease-carrying ticks and parasites throughout Europe.
While there is a common perception that African migration poses the most significant challenge for Europe, a closer look reveals a more complex reality. Young people from countries such as England, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, and Greece are increasingly seeking refuge in North Africa as they try to escape the harsh effects of poverty and overcrowding in their home countries. This unexpected migration pattern highlights the interconnectedness of global issues and the far-reaching impacts of climate change on human populations.
The displacement of individuals from European countries to North Africa underscores the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to address the root causes of migration, including economic inequality, environmental degradation, and social instability. As global warming continues to reshape our world, policymakers, organizations, and communities must work together to mitigate its effects, protect vulnerable populations, and create a more sustainable future for all.
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