THE climate change it is possible exacerbate conflicts in fragile and warring states as a result the highest death toll and greatly reduced GDP, states the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in today’s report.

Every year the World Bank revises a list of countries listed as “war-affected fragile states”. Today their number is 39, of which 21 are in Africa. Today’s report covers all 61 countries, which have been on this list since 2006.

The report finds that climate change does not cause conflict, but exacerbates existing unrest and other underlying pathologies, such as hunger and poverty.

Conflict-related deaths as a percentage of the population could rise by almost 10% in fragile countries by 2060, according to the IMF, which notes that climate change could push an additional 50 million people in fragile states into hunger by 2060.

While evidence of climate change is mounting following record temperatures across the globe in recent months, a weakened economy is undermining political will to act.

African leaders have called for richer countries to contribute more financially to help their states adapt to climate change and make the transition to greener energy, given that most African countries have a proportionately smaller share of the emissions they cause the greenhouse effect.

They are expected to try to reach a common negotiating position on climate at the African Climate Summit from September 4 to 6 ahead of the UN climate summit (COP28) in the United Arab Emirates, which starts at the end November.