• 75% of Angolan respondents say climate change is already affecting their everyday life.
• 57% believe that climate change and environmental damage have affected their income or source of livelihood.
• 84% of Angolan respondents believe investing in renewable energy should be prioritised.

These are some of the key findings from the first African edition[i] of the European Investment Bank’s (EIB’s) 2022 Climate Survey. The EIB is the lending arm of the European Union and the world’s largest multilateral lender for climate action projects. Since 2018, the EIB has conducted similar large-scale climate surveys across Europe, China and the United States.

EU Ambassador Jeannette Seppen stated:

«These results show that Angolans are aware of the negative impact that climate change is having on their lives and the need from authorities and international organizations to assist them in accelerating the transition to renewable energy and reduce risky and unproductive dependency on food imports”.

Thomas Östros, vice-president of the EIB, said:

“Angola has great potential for increasing investments in renewable energy. To address rural demand, the country is pursuing the development of small-scale off-grid projects, using both fossil fuels and renewable technologies such as solar, wind and small hydropower. While hydropower accounts for almost two-thirds of Angola’s installed power generation capacity, new renewable energy sources have the potential to further expand the country’s generation capacity – and decrease its dependence on fossil fuels. Beyond renewables, the EIB has provided support to Angola to unlock the development of advanced telecommunications services and to improve access to drinking water, and is working towards increased health resilience.”

Climate change and environmental degradationThe survey results confirm that climate change has negatively affected the livelihoods of Angolan people, with 57% stating that their income has been affected. These losses are typically due to severe drought, rising sea levels or coastal erosion, or extreme weather events such as floods or hurricanes.

More than half of Angolans (59%), slightly above the African average of 57%, say they or people they know have already taken some form of action to adapt to the impact of climate change. Some of these initiatives include investments in water-saving technologies to reduce the impact of drought and drain clearing in advance of flooding.

Although the formal economy in Angola is dominated by the oil and diamond industries, it is estimated that 85% of the working population is employed in the agriculture sector. Despite this, Angola is a net food importer and hence vulnerable to job and food insecurity due to climate change.

Investment in energy sources

When asked about the sources of energy their country should invest in to combat climate change, 84% of Angolan respondents (compared with the African average of 76%) say renewable energy should be prioritised, far ahead of fossil fuels (8%).

Decades of civil conflict in Angola destroyed much of its infrastructure and prevented substantial investment in infrastructure and utility companies outside the major cities. Approximately 60% of the population live in urban areas, with limited public services outside these areas. The EIB is committed to supporting the country’s efforts to meet its energy needs, by providing universal access to energy and making progress towards the increased use of low-carbon sources of energy, and supporting its ambition to link Angola to the Southern African Power Pool.

The EIB has operated in Africa since 1965. Since then, the EIB has invested €59 billion in 52 African countries, supporting infrastructure projects, innovative firms and renewable energy schemes, in the public sector and private companies, from microenterprises to the largest multinationals.

Africa needs to invest several hundred billion euros a year in addressing the challenge of climate change.

Background information

About the EIB Climate Survey

Conducted in partnership with the market research firm BVA, the first African edition of the EIB Climate Survey aims to inform the broader debate on attitudes and expectations in terms of climate action.

More than 6 000 respondents – including 503 Angolans – aged 15 and over from 10 African countries participated in the survey between 1 and 25 August 2022, with a representative panel for each of the countries polled.

More findings from the first African edition of the EIB Climate Survey

About the European Investment Bank

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union and is owned by the EU Member States. The EIB Group has adopted a Climate Bank Roadmap to deliver on its ambitious agenda to support €1 trillion of climate action and environmental sustainability investments in the decade before 2030 and to dedicate more than 50% of EIB funding to climate action and environmental sustainability by 2025. As part of the roadmap, all new EIB Group operations have been aligned with the goals and principles of the Paris Agreement since the start of 2021.

EIB Global is the EIB Group’s new specialised arm dedicated to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance. EIB Global is designed to foster strong, focused partnerships within Team Europe, alongside fellow development finance institutions and civil society. EIB Global brings the EIB Group closer to local people, companies and institutions through its offices across the world.

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[i] Covering Angola, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia.