African leaders mobilize to secure greater financial resources, focusing on climate adaptation and addressing loss and damage.
Baku, Azerbaijan – At the 29th Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP29), underway since November 11 in Baku, Africa has emerged as a key player in global climate negotiations. With approximately 20 heads of state, vice presidents, and prime ministers present, the African delegation is pushing for increased climate financing and a global commitment to issues surrounding adaptation and loss and damage.
Currently, Africa receives less than 1% of the $100 billion annually pledged for global climate initiatives, a figure that, experts warn, falls far short of the continent’s needs.
Organizations like the African Development Bank estimate that Africa will require up to $1.3 trillion by 2030 to mitigate climate change impacts. This financing gap has become a focal point of African demands at COP29.
“Our countries are facing the worst consequences of a problem they didn’t create. We demand climate justice,” said a spokesperson for the African negotiating group during the conference.
In addition to financing, African representatives are advocating for a greater focus on adaptation and loss and damage as key priorities in the negotiations. Implementing the Loss and Damage Fund, approved in previous summits, is one of the primary goals for the African delegation, which aims to secure support for vulnerable countries to respond to climate disasters.
As climate change intensifies droughts, floods, and other extreme events across various African regions, leaders are pressing for quick and effective mechanisms of financial and technical assistance.
Another key area of interest is establishing a regulatory framework for carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Africa’s vast forests and ecosystems act as significant carbon sinks. By establishing fair rules for carbon credit exchange, African countries hope to generate new revenue streams while helping offset global emissions.
“The operationalization of carbon markets is an opportunity to transform our forests and savannas into sustainable economic assets. We want the world to recognize and value our contribution to carbon capture,” said a representative from the African Development Bank.
Africa is also raising awareness of cross-border climate impacts and advocating for policies that incorporate gender considerations.
Women and vulnerable communities, who bear the brunt of climate challenges, are at the center of the climate policies that African countries are championing at COP29.
The strong participation of African leaders at COP29 marks a new phase of assertive climate diplomacy for the continent. Armed with ambitious goals and clear data, African nations are seeking not only climate justice but also the strengthening of their adaptation infrastructure and the creation of new economic opportunities in the environmental sector.
