Africa Change Lab has called for a more coordinated and integrated approach to climate action across the continent, warning that fragmented responses and disconnected policy priorities are undermining Africa’s ability to effectively address the growing climate crisis.
Speaking on the organisation’s strategic direction in an exclusive interview with Climate Watch Managing Editor Ishmael Barfi, Executive Director Bhekumuzi Dean Bhebhe said Africa’s climate vulnerability is being deepened by structural and systemic challenges, including weak energy systems, limited industrial capacity, and poor coordination among key actors driving climate and development agendas.
“Africa’s climate vulnerability is compounded by structural and systemic challenges,” Bhebhe stated. “These gaps are becoming more evident as the continent tries to tackle the ongoing climate crisis.”
He noted that outdated and inadequate energy infrastructure continues to constrain economic growth, industrialisation, healthcare delivery, and education across many African countries, while worsening climate impacts further deepen existing social and economic inequalities.
Strong Policies, Weak Coordination
Bhebhe acknowledged that Africa has made notable progress in developing renewable energy and climate-related policy frameworks. He cited initiatives such as the Africa Power Sector Reform Programme, the Africa Carbon Markets Initiative, the Africa Mining Vision, the Africa Green Minerals Strategy, and Mission 300 as examples of growing continental ambition toward sustainable development and energy transition.
However, he stressed that a major implementation gap persists.
“While there is a robust policy framework in place, there is a lack of effective coordination among diverse sectors working on the ground,” he said. “The understanding of emerging threats and opportunities for high-leverage intervention remains insufficient, which hinders the ability to foster meaningful and sustainable impact.”
Bhebhe further argued that Africa lacks a compelling shared narrative capable of aligning governments, civil society organisations, development finance institutions, and the private sector around common climate and development priorities.
According to him, this disconnect continues to limit the continent’s ability to unlock large-scale, coordinated climate action.
Push for Systems Change and Pan-African Leadership
To address these challenges, Africa Change Lab says it is developing systems-based approaches to map energy and climate challenges, identify strategic intervention points, and strengthen collaboration across sectors.
Bhebhe explained that the organisation aims to build a cohesive ecosystem that encourages cooperation rather than fragmented, siloed approaches.
“We need a checks-and-balances system so that civil society organisations push for policy, legislators formulate the policy, and governments implement it effectively,” he said.
“Africa is for Africans, and Africans should be leading. We need a coordinated Pan-African understanding to tackle renewable energy challenges and seize opportunities across the continent.”
He emphasised that climate change in Africa cannot be addressed in isolation from broader development and energy access concerns.
Bhebhe noted that transitioning away from fossil fuels and expanding renewable energy systems could also unlock new industrial and economic opportunities across the continent.
At the same time, he warned that currency volatility, limited refining capacity, and Africa’s continued dependence on exporting raw fossil resources while importing refined products leave many countries economically vulnerable.
According to him, Africa risks remaining a “price taker” in global energy markets if structural economic reforms and regional industrialisation are not prioritised alongside climate action.
Bhebhe described Africa Change Lab as a pioneering organisation seeking to reshape the continent’s climate and development discourse by connecting climate policy, energy transition, and economic transformation into a single, coordinated agenda capable of delivering long-term and transformative change.
Source: www.climatewatchonline.com
