Boosting adaptation through climate change literacy in Africa

The research paper examines the role of climate change literacy in Africa, highlighting a significant gap in public understanding of the human causes of climate change despite high perceptions of its impacts. It argues that increasing literacy—particularly for women and vulnerable populations—is essential for informed adaptation decisions, reducing vulnerability, and achieving the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The paper emphasizes the need for localized climate data, early warning systems, and the integration of climate literacy into education and policy to manage risks such as climate-forced migration and economic disruptions in sectors like hydropower.

• While public perception of climate change impacts is high in Africa, there is a significant lack of understanding regarding its human causes, with national literacy rates across 33 countries ranging from 23% to 66%.
• A notable gender gap exists in climate change literacy, with rates being 12.8% lower for women than men on average, which is concerning given women's higher vulnerability to climate impacts.
• Low climate change literacy in rural areas, where less than 10% of the population is literate, hinders informed decision-making for pastoralists and businesses regarding future risks like flooding and supply chain disruptions.
• Climate change impacts on the Zambezi River Basin could lead to hydropower revenues being up to 58% lower than in a future without climate change, illustrating the need for literacy in infrastructure planning.
• Education is the primary predictor of climate change literacy in Africa, followed by mobility, income, and urban residence, suggesting that improving education can provide co-benefits for both climate action and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• Approximately 60% of Africa lacks access to early warning and climate information services, a gap that needs to be closed to support vulnerable groups and those in border areas facing climate-induced mobility.
• The African Union identifies climate change literacy as a key intervention to transition from coping to transformative adaptation, prioritizing its integration into formal and informal education and vulnerable sectors such as food systems and health.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2023). Boosting adaptation through climate change literacy in Africa. https://saiia.org.za/research/boosting-adaptation-through-climate-change-literacy-in-africa/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Boosting adaptation through climate change literacy in Africa. 2023. https://saiia.org.za/research/boosting-adaptation-through-climate-change-literacy-in-africa/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Boosting adaptation through climate change literacy in Africa |date=24 March 2023 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/boosting-adaptation-through-climate-change-literacy-in-africa/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2023boosting, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Boosting adaptation through climate change literacy in Africa}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2023}, month = mar, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/boosting-adaptation-through-climate-change-literacy-in-africa/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }