A primary finding reveals that, despite Africa being the epicentre of the climate crisis, the dialogue is predominantly led by non-Africans. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg stands out as a key influencer, overshadowing many African activists in the spotlight.

NGOs, both African and international, are the leading voices on Twitter, with Climate Story Lab Africa (@CSL_Africa), Future Climate for Africa (FCFA) (@future_climate), and Greenpeace Africa (@Greenpeaceafric) leading the pack.

But where are the local voices? The study indicates a palpable absence. Only three African online media outlets found their way into the top ten platforms publishing climate stories. Instead, US-owned news aggregator allafrica.com seems to be the dominant source circulating these tales.

Local climate events, however, are gaining traction. Contrary to popular belief that media attention spikes during global climate events, this study discovered that local events, such as droughts or floods, draw more media attention in Africa.

When analysed as individual nations, Madagascar is depicted with stereotypical disaster narratives; Ghana showcases a more optimistic tone, Kenya balances between disaster and mitigation, while Nigeria offers a mixed bag, featuring activism, government-led initiatives, and disaster news.

Interestingly, just five countries - Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, and Madagascar - seem to influence the African climate change narrative considerably.

At the age of 22, Vanessa Nakate began her individual protest against climate change outside the parliament. Today, she stands as one of Africa’s most outspoken climate advocates and a significant figure in the climate movement. With her “Rise Up Movement”, she has motivated numerous young individuals throughout the continent.

Racial undertones are evident, with many tweets embroiled in geopolitical and racial tensions. The discourse often leans towards casting blame, especially between Africa and the West, rather than promoting actionable solutions. Tweets heavily accentuate conflicts and disasters, most notably the famine in Madagascar and fires in Tunisia and Algeria.

This report underscores the pressing need to shift Africa’s climate dialogue, spotlighting the continent’s proactive endeavours to tackle climate change and amplifying authentic African voices in the global narrative.

Read the full report here: https://africanofilter.org/documents/Climate-Change-Report.pdf