African nations opened climate talks in the Mozambican capital Maputo on Wednesday to identify their priorities and come up with a common position ahead of the United Nations climate summit in Egypt in November, known as COP27.
The talks come as the continent grapples with devastating cyclones in the south and a debilitating drought across the east and Horn of Africa. The continent of 1.2 billion people, which represents 17% of the world's population, contributes less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions but suffers mightily from extreme weather events, which scientists have warned will become more frequent due to climate change.
