Kenya’s leader says climate change is eating away Africa’s GDP, calls for talks on global carbon tax

By CARA ANNA and EVELYNE MUSAMBI
Associated Press

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya’s president says climate change is “relentlessly eating away” at Africa’s economic progress and it’s time to have a global conversation about a carbon tax on polluters. He spoke while hosting the first Africa Climate Summit. He says the continent of more than 1.3 billion people is losing 5% to 15% of its GDP growth every year to the impacts of climate change. That’s a source of frustration in the region that contributes the least to global warming. The summit includes calls to reform the global financial structures that deepen African debt with higher interest rates. Africa also wants to make more of its extensive natural wealth.