Experts canvass tech-driven solution to address climate challenges

Experts have called for the development of Afrocentric artificial intelligence to address climate challenges in the continent.

This appeal was made during a webinar hosted by the African Technology and Innovation Institute to commemorate Africa Day 2024.

The founder of African Technology and Innovation Institute, Prof. Rose Ekeng-Itua, emphasised the urgent need for Africa to equip its human talent with the skills necessary to leverage AI for addressing African challenges, particularly climate action.

Citing recent severe flooding in Kenya, she remarked, “The far-reaching effects of climate action are real, and they are here in Africa. It is high time we acted on it, and Africa should be at the forefront of this leadership.”

The annual Africa Day event, celebrated globally, marks the founding of the African Union, originally established as the Organization of African Unity on the same date in 1963.

This year’s theme “Education Fit for the 21st Century” underscored the importance of equipping Africa’s next generation for responsible AI use.

On the panel were the Dean of the Quality Assurance and Planning Office of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science, and Technology (KNUST), Ghana; Prof. Jerry Kponyo and the Co-Founder/CEO of LEGA.C Capital; Mrs Nela Ekpeyong,

Kponyo advocated for Africa to invest in research and development to lead the global conversation on climate action.

“We must invest in research and development to lead the conversation on climate action, ensuring that policies we put together address where we want to be as opposed to a global policy or protectionist agenda,” he said.

He also highlighted the importance of building capacity among users of new technologies, suggesting that training should start at the secondary school level.

Africa is disproportionately affected by climate change, despite contributing less than 10 per cent to global greenhouse gas emissions. The continent faces significant challenges due to its high exposure, fragility, and low adaptive capacity.

According to the Africa Development Bank, to address these challenges, African countries need significant investments in mitigation and adaptation efforts, estimated to be over $3tn by 2030.