US President Joe Biden has pledged a down payment of more than Sh18 billion (150 million dollars) in initiatives that specifically support adaptation efforts throughout Africa.

“This will go towards support for expanding early warning systems to help cover Africa broadening access to climate financing, providing disaster risk protection, and strengthening food security,” said Biden.

He made the remarks while addressing thousands of participants at the Conference of Parties (COP) 27 climate change summit in Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt.  

He said the fund would also help to mobilize the private sector and support a new training center in Egypt to accelerate adaptation across the continent.

“It’s true, so many disasters and climate crises are hitting hard those countries and communities that have the fewest resources to respond and recover. That is why last year, I committed to working with our Congress to support climate finance and provide Sh1.3 trillion (11 billion dollars) annually by 2024, including Sh366 billion (3 billion dollars) for adaptation," he said.

“The emergency plan for adaptation and resilience fund will help more than half a billion people in developing countries respond to climate change. I am going to fight to see that this and other climate change objectives are fully funded."

The President apologized to the world when the US pulled out of the Paris Agreement in 2020.

He said his administration is meeting the climate crisis with urgency and with determination to ensure a cleaner, safer and healthier planet for all.

He said his administration has led with a bold agenda to address the climate crisis and increase energy security at home and around the world.

“We immediately rejoined the Paris Agreement. We convened major climate summits," he said. 

He said during COP 26 summit in Glasgow, US helped deliver critical commitments to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

He said they have also ratified the Kigali Amendment to rally the world and phase down the production and consumption of greenhouse gases that are a thousand times more damaging than carbon dioxide.

“As the world's largest customer with more than 650 billion dollars in spending last year, the United States is putting our money where our mouth is. We are strengthening accountability for climate risk and resilience,” he said.

Biden said the climate crisis is about human, economic, environmental and NASA security and the very life of the planet. 

According to the World Meteorological Organization, the past eight years have been the warmest on record.

He said they are seeing historic drought, wildfires in the West of the US, and devastating hurricanes and storms in the East of the US.

Here in Africa, which it is home to many nations considered most vulnerable to climate change and food insecurity, the continent has experienced a devastating drought in the Horn of Africa.

Meanwhile, the Niger River in West Africa is swollen because of more intense rainfall and is wreaking havoc on fishing and farming communities.

In Nigeria, flooding has recently killed 600 people. 1.3 million more are displaced, and seasonal livestock migration routes that have been used for hundreds of years are being altered. By Agatha Ngotho, The Star