No nation is immune to the impact of climate change but it is the world 's poorest that will be hit the hardest . A fair and inclusive global agreement to combat climate change is a moral imperative . Time is of the essence for Africa . World leaders are gathering today in New York for the Climate Summit in an attempt to breathe new life into climate talks , which are now approaching their 21st round . With the Kyoto Protocol deadline fast approaching , it remains to be seen how much international support Africa can leverage to advance its agenda . We all know that enlightened leadership is essential . Politicians must think beyond their tenure . Countries must look beyond their borders . We need a radical rethink of how the world makes and uses energy . But with China and India -- which together account for almost a third of global emissions -- deciding not to attend , it will be a challenge for the Summit to fulfill its potential . In China and India 's absence , small , developing nations must unite . It is they that bear the greatest burden of climate change . We can no longer wait for the world 's dominant powers to act benevolently for the benefit of all humanity . All countries , regardless of their level of development , must look to reduce their own CO2 emissions . We must prevent further warming and reverse the trend . We must act to mitigate the effects of climate change that are already being felt throughout the world . There is no doubt that climate change threatens to derail Africa 's impressive recent growth and compromise the socio-economic gains made over the last decade . Africa 's development relies heavily on climate-sensitive sectors including agriculture , fishing and tourism . Agriculture alone accounts for 30 % of Africa 's GDP and 50 % of the continent 's total exports . Even if the present pledges to limit emissions by 2020 are fulfilled , global temperature is still predicted to increase by 3.5 to 4 degrees Celsius by 2100 . This would lead to a 30 % reduction in rainfall in sub-Saharan Africa , which would be disastrous on a continent in which 96 % of agriculture is rain fed . Persistent drought and flooding are already exacerbating food and water insecurity , threatening livelihoods and health . Severe droughts in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel between 2011 and 2012 saw crops fail and livestock die , leaving 13 million people in need of humanitarian assistance . The effectiveness with which Africa addresses the link between food production , water and energy will determine how many millions are pulled out of poverty in the coming decades . No less than a climate-smart agricultural revolution is needed to guarantee food security . Water management strategies must be developed to protect and rehabilitate groundwater sources and river basins . The energy sector should be geared towards the promotion and adoption of clean and renewable sources of power . And African governments and business leaders must make significant investments in science and technology to support mitigation and adaptation efforts . While international assistance is vital , effective and sustainable solutions must be developed locally . Developing nations have the opportunity to 'do it right . ' Partnerships must be created to share technology and best practice . We must end the specter of national self-interest in a world where climate change knows no boundaries . If emerging economies focus on growth at all costs we risk handing future generations a terrible legacy . There is a wealth of evidence to show that the impact of climate change will be more expensive than the changes needed to halt it . But what is clear is that for the first time Africa is not on the back foot . The continent is beginning to adopt a proactive approach to tackling climate change , empowering its people and strengthening its institutions . The continent 's impressive economic growth , buoyed by an export boom , improved governance and increased foreign investment has fueled the 'Africa Rising ' narrative . By 2050 , a quarter of the global population will be African , and 60 % of Africans will live in cities . The continent is on the cusp of a transformation . Policy makers are developing ambitious plans to create clean and green economies across Africa . Partnerships are being forged between government , the private sector and civil society for the swift implementation of national climate action plans . In the absence of global leadership from those countries which contribute most to climate change , small , developing nations must do what they can to ensure that their interests are represented before it 's too late . Ahead of next year 's crucial U.N . Climate Change Conference in Paris , which will set a new agenda to replace the Kyoto Protocol , it is essential that African countries not only make their voices heard , but they make them count . More from Marketplace Africa .
Carlos Lopes : World 's poorest will be hit the hardest by climate change . He argues climate change threatens Africa 's recent socio-economic gains . Lopes says continent needs to take a more proactive climate approach . Big carbon emitters like China and India seem to have lost interest in Kyoto process .