The biggest risk for Mozambique is the impact of climate change on the country’s road, rail and port infrastructure.While the 2021 Global Climate Index ranks Mozambique as the most vulnerable African country to climate change, it is also ranked among the 13 countries in the world least able to respond to climate change disasters. In April Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi told the general assembly of the Association of Road Funds of Africa that, of the total of 30 491 kilometres of classified roads, 8 244km, or 27%, were paved.This was after Cyclone Freddy left a trail of destruction when it hit Mozambique in March.In May, the World Bank made $150 million available to help the country recover from Cyclone Freddy.A third – $51m – was allocated to rehabilitating transport infrastructure.Cyclone Freddy hit the provinces of Zambézia, Nampula, Manica, Tete and part of Sofala.The area is served by around 13 886km of roads, 5 446km of which were severely affected. This included 47 bridges, 2 682 aqueducts and 29 drifts, according to the National Road Administration (A NE).It emphasises the need for urgent action to be taken to mitigate the impact of storms on the country’s freight corridors.In August 2022, the World Bank approved a $400m International Development Association grant to support Mozambique’s “Safer Roads for Economic Integration” project. The bulk of the funding will finance the design and rehabilitation of safer and more climate-resilient roads, which will include road improvement and maintenance. Roads that have been prioritised include:Metoro – Pemba (94km) in the Cabo Delgado province; Gorongosa – Caia (202km), and Inchope – Gorongosa (70km) in the Sofala province; Chimuara – Nicoadala (176km) in the Zambezia province. Over the medium to long term, “the government and its donors are trying to shift their response. Instead of picking up the pieces after each disaster strikes, they want to prevent the worst from happening in the first place,” wrote Nehar Wadekar in an analysis of the Mozambican response published by The New Humanitarian.Mozambique’s 2013-2025 National Climate Change Strategy provides a policy framework for climate priorities identified at sector, provincial and district levels.The country is now seeking funding to implement local climate adaptation plans for about 75% of its districts. Going green is paying off. In 2021, Mozambique became the first country to receive payment for reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) for a “Forest Carbon Partnership Facility Programme” in Zambezia province".
