Evaluating the Threats of Climate Change on Ocean Economies and Livelihoods in Africa

Africa’s ocean or blue economies, which encompass fisheries, coastal tourism, marine transport and emerging ventures such as offshore renewable energy, maritime biotechnology, blue carbon and conservation projects, are the backbones of many countries on the continent. However, climate change and their impacts are threatening the sustainability of this sector. Using a mixed-methods approach of qualitative and quantitative approaches as well as extensive literature materials, this paper evaluated the extent and nature of threats pose by climate change to the key coastal economies on the continent and adaptation strategies required to minimise the impacts of climate change on ocean economies. Our findings revealed that the vulnerabilities of Africa’s ocean economies are compounded by weak adaptive capacity, insufficient climate financing, and governance gaps in marine resource management. This study recommends policy reforms and alternative management strategies with much more focus on strengthening climate resilient strategies and adaptive mechanisms that integrate blue economy strategies into national policy, regional cooperation and a targeted investment in climate-smart infrastructure and community-based adaptation strategies. Furthermore, this study proposes an integration of ocean-based economic activities into long-term national climate and biodiversity plans that accelerate adaptation and improve resilience.