Climate change is undeniable, globally. Cyclones, wildfires and other catastrophes are forcing governments to reckon with the (un) sustainability of the systems that they have built for their populations. However, the move towards climate change resilience on the African continent is not without its challenges. The proposed stream of Climate Change Resilience in Africa seeks to understand the multidimensional aspects of climate change resilience policies in African countries. Firstly, the politics of climate change resilience is fraught with ideological battles around decarbonisation for African countries whose resources and minerals have been ruthlessly extracted to profit industrialisation processes in the global north. As such, African countries are sceptical about methodologies for decarbonisation, which will change their already struggling economies. Secondly, the policymaking around climate change resilience relies on the skills, institutions and political will of bureaucrats to be successful. Can policymaking abilities be improved or hindered through the need to generate climate resilient policies? Finally, governance on the African continent is often weak, owing to a number of administrative, structural and political problems. The one certainty around governance on the continent is that it is reactive to problems arising. This is demonstrated through decentralisation reforms (1980s – 1990s) and the theory about pockets of effectiveness. Therefore, how will climate change resilience impact governance on the continent? What are the links between resource extraction and governance for African citizens? Two panels are proposed for this stream:

Panel 1: Climate Change Resilience and Ideologies – discussing the political and ideological obstacles to implementing climate change resilience policies in African countries.

Panel 2: Climate Change Policymaking and Governance – discussing the policymaking (formulation, funding and implementation) and institutional frameworks required for climate change resilience policies.

This stream will investigate African interventions in climate change resilience, and the challenges to economic and social systems on the continent.
Convenor: Thokozani Chilenga-Butao
thokozani.chilenga1@wits.ac.za
Department of Political Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa