Accra has secured funding under the African Urban Heat Resilience Grant Program, joining three other cities — Paynesville, Monrovia, and Kassa — as the first beneficiaries of the initiative.
The program, part of the Africa Climate Summit 2.0 Flagship Initiative led by Climate Resilience for All (CRA), will provide each city with US$40,000 to strengthen their response to rising urban heat.
With the grant, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) will focus on heat mapping, vulnerability assessments, and community-driven awareness campaigns aimed at protecting women and other vulnerable groups who are disproportionately affected by extreme heat.
“This grant will empower us to tackle urban heat challenges head-on, safeguarding our communities and contributing to a sustainable future,” said Accra Mayor, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey. “We are committed to promoting heat vulnerability awareness through community-led heat planning and adaptation.”
Experts warn that the risks are growing. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects that the number of people in African cities exposed to extreme heatwaves could rise from 27 million in 2010 to 360 million by 2100, under moderate warming.
CRA CEO Kathy Baughman McLeod called the announcement “a signal of a new era of African extreme heat leadership,” stressing the importance of women’s voices in shaping adaptation strategies.
The grants build on lessons from Freetown’s pioneering Heat Action Plan launched earlier this year, and will help Accra integrate heat resilience into long-term urban planning and service delivery.
