By 2055, the African population is expected to double from its current level to 2.7 billion. The continent is also projected to see the fastest rate of urban growth anywhere in the world: by 2050 Africa’s cities will be home to an additional 950 million people. This is expected to take place at a time when African societies will need to transform their economies to address the unprecedented impacts of climate change and land degradation.
These challenges offer a series of important and game-changing opportunities if existing resources are put to better use. Most notably, Gabon has become the first African country to be paid for protecting its rainforests. As part of the deal struck in 2019, the UN backed Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI) has handed over $17 million to the country – the first tranche of $150 million. Read more
