Greta Thunberg's foundation to donate €150,000 to climate change activists in Africa

17-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, on September 23 announced her foundation would donate $175,000 (150,000 euros) to charities working to support ‘people on the frontline of the climate crisis in Africa’. While taking to Twitter, Greta informed that organisations including the International Red Cross, Red Crescent Movement, Oil Change International and Solar Sister, would each receive $59,000 for their efforts in Africa. 

The teen environmentalist, in a statement said, “We are in a global emergency, which affects all of us. But everyone is not suffering its consequences equally. Africa is being disproportionately hit by the climate crisis, despite contributing to it among the least. Africa is a key in the fight for climate justice and now faces both huge risks as well as many opportunities to develop sustainable societies which put people and planet first”. 

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Climate crisis in Africa 

According to a press release, Africa is one of the most vulnerable regions for the impacts of the climate crisis, as heatwaves, droughts and floods intensify with rising global temperatures. The sub-Saharan Africa, especially, is believed to have seen ‘climate extremes’, which has become ‘more frequent and more intense’. Scientists also say that the climate crisis is causing more extreme floods and droughts in Africa and recently countries across the continent have been hit by heavy floods, including Sudan, Ethiopia, Niger, Chad and Nigeria. 

Further, the press note informed that the donation by The Greta Thunberg Foundation comes after the 17-year-old was awarded the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity in July 2020 along with a donation of €1 million to her foundation. The foundation will be donating the full sum to charitable projects combatting the climate and ecological crisis and supporting people facing its worst impacts. Additionally,  the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation has donated €500,000 of the award sum already, and the second part will be donated when Greta accepts the award in Portugal.

(Image credit: AP) 

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