This year culminated with Egypt hosting COP27. Beyond the summit in Sharm El Sheik, the political and policy debates around how to deal with have grown in intensity as the effects of climate change and environmental degradation continue to be felt across Africa.

Below is a selection of blog posts from the last year on the issue of climate change. They include posts on the role of Africans in global debates, the future of climate finance, and on the role of communities in mitigating the worst impacts of the climate emergency.

The environmental year started with a prominent African activist being cropped out of a photo at COP26 – The erasure of Vanessa Nakate shows why Africa needs a voice in climate debates.

Climate finance is a major policy dispute to watch in the coming years and here are two pieces on ‘Innovative sources of finance’: Climate trends for 2023 and how Diaspora bonds can help fill climate finance gaps in developing economies.

The blog carried several posts that addressed Africa’s policy issues: Countering climate change in Africa requires a concerted effort, The impacts of climate change on human wellbeing in developing countries, and How policy can address frequent flooding in African coastal cities.

The role of communities was also highlighted Climate change and pastoralism contribute to the Sahel’s conflict and insecurity and Investing in communities is key in mitigating Nigeria’s extreme weather events.

Two posts looked at how some projects are failing Ongoing EACOP debates neglect injustices faced by local communities and Corruption and mismanagement may derail cleanup of Niger Delta.

There is also a piece on how physics can help fight climate change How the UK can support African physics to fight climate change.

Finally, LSE director Baroness Minouche Shafik spoke at COP27 and declared We can choose the economy of the future.

Photo credit: IRENA used under license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0