In Tunisia, the climate question has ceased to be a peripheral topic and has become a central determinant of growth, investment, and social cohesion.
Behind episodes of drought, pressure on water, coastal erosion, and agricultural fragility, it is now the entire development model that is being challenged.
The Tunisian paradox is clear: the country makes only a marginal contribution to global climate disruption, but already bears a disproportionately large share of its effects. This asymmetry places the national economy before a complex equation: to continue development, create value and jobs, while reducing the carbon footprint and strengthening the resilience of the most exposed sectors.
This reconfiguration of economic priorities is part of the findings and proposals put forward by the policy paper “For a Just and Sustainable Ecological Transition in Tunisia,” published by the “Global Institute for Transitions.”
Vulnerability in the Face of Limited Responsibility
Tunisia stands at the intersection of two contradictory realities. On one hand, Africa accounts for only about 3% of global CO2 emissions, while Francophone African countries account for only about 1.5%. On the other hand, the continent is among the most exposed to climate shocks, with an annual cost already estimated at between 7 and 15 billion dollars, potentially reaching 50 billion dollars by 2040.
