Africa unites in Accra to forge unified climate strategy ahead of COP31

The African Group of Negotiators (AGN) on Climate Change has officially opened its 2^nd Strategy Meeting of the year, gathering the continent's top negotiators and leadership to sharpen Africa's collective position ahead of the upcoming COP31 summit in Antalya, Türkiye.

 

The three-day meeting, held from August 12–14, 2026, aims to move beyond a mere review of previous technical talks in Bonn (SB64) and instead establish a high-level political and technical strategy.

 

Addressing the assembly, AGN Chair Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah emphasized the urgency of the moment, noting that the continent must be fully prepared before arriving in Antalya this November.

 

"With less than four months to COP31, we cannot afford to approach Antalya without clarity on what Africa seeks to achieve," Dr. Amoah stated during his welcome address. He urged delegates to move beyond "business as usual" and be more strategic in both substance and process.

 

The discussions in Accra cover a vast array of critical issues, including adaptation, climate finance, just transition, agriculture, and the Global Stocktake. However, Dr. Amoah reminded the negotiators that the stakes extend far beyond the meeting rooms.

 

"For our countries, the negotiations are therefore not merely about text, paragraphs or procedural decisions," the Chair remarked. "They are about our people, our economies and our development prospects".

 

He highlighted the lived realities of African citizens, from farmers facing unpredictable rainfall to communities suffering from drought, flooding, and coastal erosion.

 

A Call for Continental Unity

 

A central theme of the Accra meeting is the necessity of a unified African front in an increasingly complex international landscape where climate talks now intersect with trade, energy, and peace and security.

 

"Our greatest strength has always been our ability to come together as one African Group," Dr. Amoah said. "We represent different countries, circumstances and perspectives, but when we enter the negotiations, we carry a collective responsibility to defend and advance the interests of our continent".

 

The primary output of the meeting will be a practical roadmap and a "COP31 Action Matrix," which will define specific responsibilities, timelines, and expected deliverables for the months leading up to the summit.

 

Dr. Amoah was clear that the meeting must yield tangible results: "We are not only in Accra to engage in another talking exercise... We must leave Accra with concrete outcomes and clear directions on next steps".

 

Beyond COP31, the strategy is also intended to lay the foundation for COP32, which is set to be hosted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This provides an opportunity to strengthen African leadership within the global climate process for 2027 and beyond.

 

The meeting is supported by various partners, including the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), the African Union Commission, and Power Shift Africa.

 

As deliberations continue, the AGN leadership remains focused on ensuring that international climate decisions do not constrain the "legitimate development aspirations" of the African continent.

 

Bonn Climate Talks: AGN advances inclusive African women’s climate agenda within global governance

Chair of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN), Dr. Nana Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, has called for a stronger, more coordinated African women’s agenda within global climate governance.

 

Engaging members of the Women and Gender Constituency at the sidelines of the UN climate negotiations in Bonn, Germany, he emphasized that Africa’s climate and development priorities cannot be fully achieved without deliberately elevating women’s voices and dismantling structural barriers to participation and implementation.

 

“Africa has more women than men, and women have unique circumstances and issues that need to be prioritised,” he noted, underscoring the need for unity and strategic engagement to strengthen Africa’s negotiating power.

 

The meeting served as a platform for direct dialogue with women negotiators and practitioners, aimed at informing AGN’s advocacy at the highest level of climate decision-making.

 

Key outcomes from the engagement included a call for coordinated action for African women to organise around shared positions and develop collective policy inputs to strengthen influence in negotiations.

 

Concerns were also raised about limited climate finance that continues to undermine gender equality commitments and local-level impact. Strong emphasis was placed on ensuring resources reach grassroots women most affected by climate change.

 

Participants highlighted the underrepresentation of African women in international climate institutions and decision-making bodies.

 

Calls were made for expanded training, mentorship, and knowledge-sharing to support emerging women negotiators across Africa.

 

Dr. Amoah reaffirmed AGN’s commitment to inclusive engagement and merit-based representation, while also supporting improved pathways for women’s participation in climate governance processes.

 

The discussions also reflected broader concerns around transparency in recruitment within climate institutions and the need for better data on African women’s representation in global climate structures.

 

As Africa advances its climate agenda, participants stressed that empowering women is not only a matter of equity, but also a strategic necessity for effective and credible climate action.

 

Bonn Climate Talks: COP31 Presidency announces “35% by 2035” electrification target

COP31 President-Designate Murat Kurum has launched a new global electrification target as a flagship initiative of the COP31 Presidency’s Action Agenda, calling for a major acceleration in the shift from direct fossil fuel use to clean electricity across buildings, transport and industry.

 

This comes as part of a wider package of non-negotiated Action Agenda initiatives and targets announced by the COP31 President-Designate.

 

Speaking to delegates at the Bonn Climate Change Conference, Mr. Kurum, who is Türkiye’s Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, proposed a collective global goal to increase the share of final energy demand met by electricity from just over 20% today to 35% by 2035.

 

“By electrifying daily life, from transport to buildings and industry, we can protect families and businesses from volatile energy markets. This “35% by 2035” target will be one of the defining priorities of our COP31 Presidency. On the road to COP31 in Antalya, we will work to bring together a strong global coalition that is ready and determined to act in support of this objective,” said Murat Kurum.

 

The COP31 Presidency also committed to building a global coalition to implement actions towards achieving this target.

 

The target is based on analysis from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and is designed to support implementation of the Paris Agreement and help keep the world on a pathway consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

 

During a presentation on the Presidency’s Action Agenda, Mr. Kurum also announced other targets, including a goal of halving the growth in global waste by 2035. This ambition is part of COP31’s thematic focus on achieving zero waste. Food waste in particular accounts for 10% of global emissions, primarily through methane, which is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas.

 

The COP31 Presidency also introduced a new global target under its Resilient Cities priority, to reduce energy consumption intensity in the building sector by at least 25% by 2035. This is an important step in protecting families and businesses from rising energy costs.

 

In addition, Mr. Kurum also shared details on new initiatives and targets being developed by the Presidency. These include critical topics such as food security, circular materials in manufacturing and climate education.

 

He also shared further details on the Climate Implementation Bridge, which will support countries by improving the link between national climate, economic and development priorities, helping finance reach the ground more rapidly and with greater impact.

 

In support of the electrification target, the COP31 Presidency, in partnership with Australia, has commissioned the IEA to deliver special reports to map out pathways to achieving the “35x35” target and to analyse the benefits of halving waste growth and boosting circular waste management systems.

 

This follows the COP31 Presidency’s existing work with IRENA to identify how electrification can accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.

 

“Electrification has already sparked a global surge in clean energy, driving growth and jobs. Rewiring the global economy is crucial to kick the world’s addiction to coal, oil and gas, to bring energy costs down, and to restore energy security. Now’s the time to step up the pace and scale of electrification, as the current fossil fuel cost crisis shows so painfully,” said Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC. “So too, more resilient and energy-efficient cities and cutting waste are key to tackling the climate crisis which is already hitting every economy and global supply chains, and driving up inflation. The Brazilian COP30 Presidency introduced the alignment of the Action Agenda with the first Global Stocktake outcomes, setting six thematic axes — and the incoming Turkish presidency, working with Australia, is to be commended for building on that progress.”

 

The Bonn Climate Change Conference is taking place from 8–18 June 2026 and is an annual meeting of negotiators from Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, ahead of the annual COP summit, which will be held in Antalya, Türkiye, this November.

 

Climate action ideals waning a major global talks?

When the richest countries in the world met at the 50^th G7 leaders’ summit in Alberta, Canada, climate action was not a priority on their agenda. 

 

But in a crucial time to raise ambition to avert a climate catastrophe, these countries are expected to be leading the phase out of fossil fuels and the transition to renewable energy, which would lead to more prosperity, cleaner air and reliable energy.

 

Civil society organization, 350.org, has expressed disappointment at the lack of climate leadership, urgency and ambition from world leaders.

 

“European leaders arrived at the G7 with plans to build more nuclear and expand fossil gas, pushing LNG not to solve the climate crisis, but to score points in trade relations with Trump. Europe claims climate leadership, but backing more gas infrastructure in a year of record heat and extreme weather is reckless. This summit should be about figuring out how to phase out fossil fuels and triple renewable energy capacity by 2030 — not climate hypocrisy,” said Nicolò Wojewoda, Europe Regional Director, 350.org.

 

The G7 includes the most polluting countries and some of the largest fossil fuel expanders, Canada and the United States. These nations bear the historic responsibility to contribute climate finance to the tune of $1.3 trillion annually in non-debt-creating support for Global South nations. 

 

Bonn meeting and climate emergency

 

On the road to COP30 in Brazil, the mid-year UN climate talks opened in Bonn, Germany, to advance key negotiations, with UN climate chief, Simon Stiell, pleading that “we need to demonstrate to the world that climate cooperation can deliver - now more than ever.”

 

According to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Africa has suffered annual losses of $7 billion due to climate change between 2010 and 2019. This figure could rise to $50 billion by 2040 if the high-emissions scenarios continue, and could cause a 2-4% reduction in Africa's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth per year by 2040, and a 10-25% reduction by 2100.

 

It's therefore crucial to provide urgent finance specifically dedicated to adaptation, loss and damage to help countries prepare for future displacement, livelihood disruption, and losses.

 

At the Bonn Climate Talks, the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) has prioritized Adaptation, Finance, Just Transition, Mitigation, Clean Cooking and Mission 300. 

 

Clean cooking and energy access are two important initiatives aimed at addressing Africa’s energy poverty and overall contribution to the continent’s sustainable development agenda.

 

“Africa’s energy poverty is well documented; it is for this reason that our leaders under the auspices of the African Union, endorsed and declared Mission 300 and Clean Cooking initiatives as flagship programmes to transform the continent from its current state of energy poverty. We need to find a way of ensuring this agenda is embraced by all of us,” said Chair of AGN, Dr. Richard Muyungi.

 

Africa climate aspirations

 

Ahead of the 62^nd session of the UN Climate Change Subsidiary Bodies (SB62) in Bonn, the AGN emphasized the importance and power of Africa’s unity in global negotiations.

 

African civil society, under the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), has also reminded negotiators, observers, and Parties that the outcomes of this conference must reflect the lived realities, aspirations, and urgent needs of the world’s most climate-vulnerable continent.

 

In this regard, Africa’s voice must shape the direction of global climate discussions and action.

 

A few days into talks, PACJA has been alarmed by the sluggish pinto of proceedings and delays in adopting the agenda.

 

“This signals the beginning of yet another manoeuvre orchestrated by developed country partners to keep the frontline communities in Africa and other vulnerable countries under the bondage of the climate crisis,” said PACJA.

 

The first day of the negotiations ended without agreement on the agenda particularly because parties could not agree on the most crucial matter – climate finance – with special reference on article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement which is clear on the obligation of the developed country partners in providing resources to developing countries for climate action.

 

“We reiterate that negotiations in Bonn this year must reflect the urgency in dealing with the ever-elusive question of financing climate action,” said PACJA.

 

Ahead of COP30 in Brazil, groups like the G7 are expected to seize the opportunity to reinforce their climate commitments, ensuring the vulnerable can access the right support to adapt to the realities of climate change.

 

By Kofi Adu Domfeh

Bonn hosts next round of Paris Climate Agreement negotiations

Work on the text of the Paris 2015 universal climate agreement will continue in Bonn from June 1 -10, 2015.

The meeting will be opened by the Environment Minister of Peru and the Foreign Minister of France, in their respective roles of President of COP 20 and COP 21.

The UN climate change conference in Bonn is the next milestone on the road to Paris, where the new agreement is to be reached at the end of the year.

The meeting will also continue progress on addressing the most effective ways to raise climate action before 2020, which is when the new agreement would come into effect.

The Bonn meeting comes in the wake of a major business and climate summit held in Paris and just ahead of the meeting of the G7 in Germany.

The Paris business summit underlined the way non-state actors across the globe are already undertaking climate action, as well as rallying in support of a strong climate change agreement. 25 worldwide business networks representing over 6.5 million companies from more than 130 countries pledged to help to lead the global transition to a low-emission, climate resilient economy.

Christiana Figures, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC), said “with some 200 days to the UN climate convention conference in Paris, the growing momentum for change and for action is rapidly gaining ground across countries, companies, cities and citizens. News of yet another group of stakeholders committing to long term emission reduction targets or ambitious investments in renewable energies is emerging almost daily—building confidence and a sense of ‘can do’ among nations as we enter the final six months of 2015."

The Bonn session includes the meeting of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP). This is the body tasked with reaching an agreement in Paris and looking at how best to raise ambition to cut greenhouse gas emissions and adapt societies to climate change ahead of 2020.

The June session is also one of the two annual meetings of the two permanent bodies of the UNFCCC: the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI).

They tackle detailed issues and decisions on the technical, scientific and implementation aspects of the Convention and provide many of the foundations on which the ADP is constructing the agreement.

Work on the Paris Negotiating Text and Raising Immediate Ambition

At the last session of the ADP in Geneva, in February, countries produced the official text, the basis of negotiations at the upcoming session in Bonn. The negotiating text covers the substantive content of the new agreement including mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology, capacity-building and transparency of action and support.

Work on identifying ways to scale up climate ambition pre-2020 will take place in a series of Technical Expert Meetings. These meetings will take forward similar discussions from last year focusing this time on scaling up renewable energy supply and energy efficiency in urban areas.

The UNFCCC secretariat is also organizing a Climate Action Fair with partners including business and the private sector to showcase action already taking place on the ground.

The activities surrounding the Technical Expert Meetings and the Climate
Action Fair are also in support of the Lima-Paris Action Agenda, which is designed to demonstrate the wealth of climate action among cities, regions, companies and investors, including those under international cooperative initiatives.

Many of these are being spotlighted in the new Non-State Actor Zone for Climate Action (NAZCA) portal.