The Infrastructure Of Resilience: Why Africa’s Climate Future Is An Engineering Problem We Are Failing To Solve

Africa emits less than four percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet the continent frequently bears the brunt of climate change impacts. Ghana experienced this starkly in June 2015 when devastating floods and fires claimed over 150 lives, exposing weaknesses in Accra's drainage and urban planning systems. As the world focuses on reducing emissions, Africa must prioritize adaptation by building infrastructure that can withstand climate change effects.

This includes climate-adaptive cities, renewable energy grids, sustainable transport, food security systems, and clean water systems. However, the engineers needed to create these solutions often lack the necessary training to address Africa's pressing challenges. Engineering education in many African countries focuses on applying established solutions, rather than equipping graduates to identify unfamiliar problems, understand their social context, and develop practical solutions.

The rigorous entry requirements for engineering programmes, designed to filter out less qualified students, may inadvertently limit the pool of future engineers. A well-structured introductory engineering education could bring more students into the pipeline. Engineering education must also be interdisciplinary, grounded in context, and emphasize the ethical dimensions of engineering.

By addressing these gaps in engineering education, Africa can build the infrastructure necessary to confront its climate future.