Climate change is making Africa’s debt burden worse – new debt contracts could help

The Conversation First Published,July 30,2025 Author: Magalie Masamba(Extraordinary lecturer at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria) Many African countries are already struggling with heavy debt burdens. Climate change is making this worse. Africa contributes the least to global emissions but suffers the most from extreme weather, rising temperatures and drought. These disasters affect not just people’s livelihoods but also national revenues, making debt repayment harder. Yet traditional debt contracts don’t account for this. The link between these pressure points is becoming undeniable. As climate-related disasters worsen, debt-laden countries are left…