Africa is a highly complex region – blessed with natural capital and biodiversity; home to 1.13 billion people, one-third of the world’s languages, and a rich and diverse culture; yet also mired in conflict and other crises. This impedes basic activities such as food production, local economic development and healthcare access.

Of the 46 countries of sub-Saharan Africa, 32 hold Least Developed Countries (LDCs) status, six are Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and 33 are considered fragile states.

This Snapshot explores regional NDC submission, ambition and quality status while assessing progress on key systems and architecture for NDC implementation. It also looks at areas of past and future Climate Promise support, showcasing regional champions and providing insight on emerging trends and opportunities.

​The 2022 State of Global Ambition Regional Snapshots provide regional analysis of Climate Promise supported countries NDC status and implementation readiness. They build upon, and update information, from UNDP's Global NDC Outlook Report 2021: The State of Global Ambition.

Reasons for Africa’s vulnerability are diverse and include - lack of economic diversification, poor diffusion of technologies and information relevant to support adaptation, and high dependence on agro-ecosystems for livelihoods
(around 70 percent of the population in Africa are smallholder farmers) which has resulted in lower adaptive capacity of livelihood systems. Among the key projected impacts are biodiversity loss, water shortages, reduced food production, loss of lives, and reduced economic growth. Endowed with substantial renewable energy resources, Africa could meet nearly a quarter of its energy needs from indigenous and clean renewable energy by 2030.

Modern renewables amounting to 310 gigawatts (GW) could provide half the continent’s total electricity generation capacity – this corresponds to a sevenfold increase from the capacity available in 2017, which amounted to 42 GW