President Peter Mutharika has ranked climate change among the top threats to Malawi’s fragile economy as disasters fuelled by global warming become more frequent and devastating, killing 36 people nationwide this rainy season. He amplified calls for bold climate action on Friday during the swearing-in of four deputy ministers, including Ministry of Natural Resources’ Chipiliro Mpinganjira. Mutharika told the new additions to Cabinet that their appointment is not an appeasement, but “to bring more capacity as we confront new challenges”.
He stated: “Our country is suffering the severe impact of climate change. Of late, we have seen devastating floods that have claimed lives and caused huge damage to infrastructure. “This is a clear threat to the social economic progress of our country.
I urge you to find workable solutions to these challenges as we gain traction with economic recovery.” This is the first time the comeback President has explicitly proclaimed how climate-related risks strain the ailing economy just as corruption robs citizens and stalls development. The clarion call came almost 100 days after his second coming. The milestone coincides with climate shocks that have so far claimed 36 lives and damaged public facilities, including schools and major roads nationwide.
[paywall]
Studies show climate-related loss and damage wipes out about 1.7 percent of Malawi’s gross domestic product (GDP). With the absolute value of the country’s GDP standing at around $13 billion, the loss translates to $221 million (roughly K387 billion) every year. The amount— nearly five percent of the current K8 trillion national budget—is almost exactly what has been allocated for social benefits in the 2025/26 fiscal year.
However, the Malawi Country Climate and Development Report by the World Bank projects that by 2040, the ripple effect could reach 20 percent of GDP—just 10 percentage points below what is agriculture sector’s 30 percent contribution to the Malawi economy. This amplifies demands for urgent and sustained action to cut the frequency and severity of climate shocks in least developed countries, including Malawi. Interestingly, Mutharika knows the pinch of the “clear threat” US president Donald Trump trivialised as a hoax. “Climate change has become the most catastrophic tragedy of our time,” said Mutharika at the 2019 global climate talks in Madrid, Spain.
[/paywall]
