Climate Change And Security In Africa: Emerging Threats And Policy Responses

Abstract

Climate change is a multiplier that exacerbates socioeconomic vulnerabilities and threatens governance institutions, climate change is becoming more widely acknowledged as a significant non-traditional security issue in Africa. The continent is disproportionately vulnerable to extreme weather events, such as protracted droughts, frequent flooding, desertification, and coastal erosion, even though it contributes less than 4% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. In order to investigate how climate change worsens human insecurity, this study uses a qualitative, desk-based methodology. It draws from secondary sources from 2019 to 2025, such as scholarly publications, government reports, and institutional studies. The article, which is informed by the Human Security Theory, emphasises how climatic stress strains state capacity and erodes social cohesiveness while undermining livelihoods, food security, health, and housing. Particularly in the Sahel, Lake Chad Basin, and East and Southern Africa, climate-induced resource scarcity, displacement, and loss of livelihood intensify grievances and foster an environment that is conducive to violent extremism and communal violence. The analysis highlights how women, young people, and underprivileged groups are disproportionately vulnerable. The study comes to the conclusion that integrated approaches that connect human security, peace building, and climate adaptation are necessary for effective solutions. Strengthening community-based early-warning systems and mainstreaming climate hazards into security planning are two important policy recommendations., strengthening cross-border resource governance and encouraging gender-responsive adaptation initiatives. By offering a human security-centered paradigm for comprehending and reducing climate-related challenges, the research advances African security scholarship.