Reducing waste while boosting recycling and reuse, known as the "circular economy," will be vital for halting the loss of nature by meeting growing demand with fewer resources.
It will also make communities more resilient to climate change by encouraging more sustainable practices in Africa, organisers of the World Circular Economy Forum said last week.
The conference, which brought together climate and economic experts as well as businesses and think tanks, was held in the Rwandan capital Kigali - the first ever in the global south.
"It is much easier to adapt now than the costs that we will incur if we wait," said Wanjira Maathai of the World Resources Institute at the forum.
Regenerative agriculture
As climate change makes weather more extreme, the costs incurred from the damages are increasing.
"It is time we look at (circular economy) as a driver of Africa's development."
The three-day forum, which ended last Thursday, encouraged a shift to an economic model that promotes less material consumption and promotes what's known as regenerative agriculture practices like rotating crops or using fewer chemical fertilisers or pesticides.
The talks also pushed nature-based solutions to boost natural resources such as rewilding. Many on the continent are already exploring how to use waste in new ways.
Rwandan Environment Minister Jeanne d'Arc Mujawamariya said Africa should galvanise local knowledge from its youth, innovators and entrepreneurs to fast-track the continent's development progress "without repeating the same mistakes made by the industrialised nations."
The challenge for developing nations is to improve standards of living without using fossil fuels like nations in the global north, climate experts say.