COP31: African trade unions and climate negotiators unite in Nairobi to demand a worker-centered Just Transition

African trade union leaders and climate negotiators have converged in Nairobi, Kenya for a three-day summit to forge a unified continental stance on energy sovereignty and green industrialization ahead of the COP31 climate negotiations.

 

The Second New Energy for Africa Convening meeting marks a critical step in ensuring that the voices of African workers are integrated into the continent’s climate agenda.

 

Opening the event, Rose Omamo, Deputy President of ITUC-Africa, emphasized that the transition to a low-carbon economy must be rooted in social equity.

 

She asserted that the labor movement is championing the "Reclaim and Restore" campaign, which views energy not as a market commodity but as a fundamental right.

 

“Energy is a public good,” Omamo stated during her opening address. “It should not be treated only as a commodity for those who can afford it. We call for public and democratic control of Africa’s energy systems so that they can provide reliable and affordable energy to our people”.

 

Omamo also raised concerns regarding the global race for Africa’s critical minerals, such as lithium and cobalt, which are essential for renewable technologies.

 

She warned that “Africa must not repeat the experience of exporting raw materials and later importing expensive finished products” and insisted that these resources must support local manufacturing and decent employment.

 

Echoing these sentiments, Dr. George Manful, delivering remarks on behalf of AGN Chair, Dr. Nana Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, highlighted the stark disparity in global climate finance.

 

Despite possessing vast renewable energy potential, Africa receives a disproportionately small share of clean-energy investment.

 

“This imbalance must be corrected if the transition is to support Africa’s development rather than reproduce existing patterns of dependence, extraction and inequality,” the AGN Chair’s statement read.

 

He further argued that the success of a just transition should be measured by human impact rather than technical metrics alone.

 

“A just transition cannot be measured solely by installed megawatts, emissions reductions or new electricity connections,” the Chair noted. “It must also be measured by the quality of jobs created, affordability of energy, protection of workers... and the capacity of African countries to retain value from their natural resources”.

 

A primary objective of the Nairobi gathering is to institutionalize cooperation between organized labor and the African Group of Negotiators (AGN). This collaboration aims to ensure that workers’ rights, job security, and social protection are embedded in the African negotiating text for COP31 in Antalya.

 

With over 600 million Africans still lacking access to electricity, both leaders agreed that initiatives like "Mission 300" must go beyond mere connection numbers to foster local industrialization and skills development.

 

“Workers must be at the centre of the energy transition,” Omamo concluded. “They cannot be treated as observers or invited only after policies and investment decisions have been finalised”.

 

By Kofi Adu Domfeh

When Accra Flooded: How structural vulnerabilities and climate dynamics turned heavy rain into disaster

The rains began late on Sunday and by dawn on Monday, June 29, large parts of Ghana's capital had been transformed into a landscape of submerged roads, stranded vehicles and flooded homes.

 

What started as a downpour quickly escalated into another devastating flood event, bringing daily life in Accra to a standstill.

 

At least three people reportedly lost their lives in the Alajo community in suspected electrocution incidents after floodwaters engulfed their homes. Other areas reported unconfirmed cases of flood-related deaths and missing persons.

 

Across the city, hundreds of residents watched helplessly as muddy water swept through homes, shops and warehouses, destroying property, household belongings and business inventories.

 

Commercial activity ground to a halt as major roads became impassable, leaving commuters stranded for hours.

 

As the situation worsened, the Ministry of the Interior issued a public safety advisory urging residents to stay away from flooded roads, avoid attempting to cross fast-moving water and report emergencies to the appropriate authorities. Electricity supply to some communities was also disconnected as a precaution to prevent further electrocution incidents.

 

Emergency response teams from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana National Fire Service and other security agencies were deployed across affected communities to rescue trapped residents and assist families displaced by the floods.

 

Earlier in the day, the Ghana Meteorological Agency had forecast widespread thunderstorms and rainfall across southern Ghana, warning that a weak to moderate rainstorm moving westward along the Togo-Benin coastline would bring increased cloud cover and unstable weather conditions.

 

Yet, while the rain triggered the flooding, experts say the disaster itself reflects a much deeper problem.

 

More than a rainfall event

 

Accra's recurring floods are no longer simply a consequence of heavy rainfall. They are the result of structural vulnerabilities interacting with changing climate dynamics.

 

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events, but the scale of destruction witnessed after each storm is largely determined by how the city has been planned, developed and managed over time.

 

In essence, heavy rainfall becomes a disaster only when urban systems are unable to cope.

 

Over the past four decades, Accra has experienced rapid urban expansion. Housing estates, commercial developments and roads have spread across the city, often outpacing investments in drainage and other critical infrastructure.

 

The replacement of natural landscapes with concrete roads, pavements and rooftops has significantly reduced the ground's ability to absorb rainwater. Instead, stormwater rushes across hard surfaces, overwhelming drains and increasing the likelihood of flash floods.

 

Compounding the problem is the widespread encroachment on wetlands, floodplains, river buffers and natural drainage channels.

 

These ecosystems once acted as natural reservoirs, absorbing excess rainfall and slowing runoff before releasing water gradually into rivers and streams. As urban development has consumed these spaces, much of the city's natural flood protection has disappeared.

 

Accra's drainage network is also struggling to cope with increasing volumes of runoff.

 

Many drains are undersized or poorly connected, while years of inadequate maintenance have left numerous channels heavily silted or blocked.

The city's persistent challenge with indiscriminate waste disposal has further reduced drainage capacity. Plastic waste and other refuse clog drains and culverts, preventing stormwater from flowing freely during intense rainfall.

 

Urban planners have also pointed to weak enforcement of land-use regulations. Unauthorized developments, informal settlements in flood-prone areas and inadequate development control continue to increase the number of people and properties exposed to flood hazards.

 

Climate change is intensifying the risk

 

Accra's climate naturally features two rainy seasons—the major season from March to July and a minor season between September and November.

However, climate variability is making rainfall increasingly unpredictable. Storms are becoming more intense, rainfall is falling within shorter periods and flash flooding is occurring more frequently.

 

Climate scientists warn that global warming is expected to further increase the intensity of extreme precipitation events, raise urban temperatures through the heat island effect and create greater uncertainty in seasonal rainfall patterns.

 

Although climate change is not the sole cause of flooding in Accra, it amplifies existing weaknesses in urban planning, infrastructure and environmental management.

 

The latest floods underscore the need for a shift from reactive disaster response to proactive climate resilience.

 

Experts argue that reducing flood risk will require integrated urban planning that protects wetlands, floodplains and waterways while investing in modern stormwater drainage infrastructure.

 

Nature-based solutions—including urban forests, rain gardens, permeable pavements and wetland restoration—could help cities absorb more rainfall naturally instead of allowing water to rush into already overwhelmed drains.

 

Equally important are stronger enforcement of planning regulations, improved solid waste management and infrastructure designed using updated rainfall projections and flood-risk mapping.

 

Early warning systems and better community preparedness can also ensure weather forecasts translate into timely action that saves lives.

 

As Accra counts the cost of yet another flood disaster, one lesson remains clear: the city cannot control when it rains, but it can determine how well it prepares for the next storm.

 

Until structural vulnerabilities are addressed alongside the realities of a changing climate, heavy rainfall will continue to expose the fault lines in Ghana's rapidly growing capital.

 

by Kofi Adu Domfeh 

Ghana close to issuing forest carbon credits under J-REDD+ programme – Minister

Ghana has announced it is close to issuing forest carbon credits under its ambitious J-REDD+ programme, as ministers and senior officials gathered in London with COP30 and COP31 leaders to accelerate action on forests ahead of the 2030 deadline to halt and reverse forest loss.

 

Ghana’s flagship Jurisdictional Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (J-REDD+) framework transitions traditional REDD+ projects into large-scale, national carbon credit programs. By focusing on entire ecological zones and linking climate finance directly to sustainable agriculture and livelihoods, it aims to protect forests while directly benefiting rural communities

 

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Yusif Sulemana, called for a trusted international framework for jurisdictional forest carbon credits, highlighting the programme's potential to scale investment into high-quality forest and land-use mitigation activities that deliver climate benefits while improving livelihoods.

 

The event dubbed “From Glasgow to Addis Ababa: FCLP and COP Presidencies Building Momentum on Forests from COP30 to COP31,” focused on maintaining forests as a priority through the next phase of international climate cooperation, from COP30 in Brazil through COP31 in Türkiye.

 

Ministers from Nigeria, Indonesia, and Ghana, shared a range of national initiatives and priorities, including recent commitments related to the Intergovernmental Land Tenure Commitment, sustainable bioeconomy initiatives, and high-integrity forest carbon credits. 

 

Nigeria’s Environment Minister, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, highlighted the Nigerian government’s work across a range of forest initiatives including the Great Green Wall and the implementation of a National Clean Cooking Policy and re-affirmed Nigeria’s support for the Intergovernmental Land Tenure Commitment. 

 

Minister of Forestry of Indonesia, Raja Juli Antoni, underlined the importance of protecting tropical peatlands and mangroves through the establishment of international centres for cooperation. He noted that mangroves are of the most effective nature-based solutions available, delivering climate mitigation and sustainable livelihoods. Indonesia is home to 3.4 million hectares of mangroves – roughly 23 per cent of the world’s mangrove ecosystems. 

 

The event also featured new commitments on land tenure rights from Peru and Brazil and a major forest finance pledge from Norway, underscoring growing momentum behind forest protection, sustainable land use and climate action ahead of COP30 in Brazil and COP31 in Türkiye.

 

The gathering underscored the growing importance of forests across the international climate agenda, bringing together representatives from multiple COP cycles to discuss how political leadership, finance, and implementation can help deliver the goal of halting and reversing forest loss by 2030.

 

"The ‘From Glasgow to Addis Ababa’ moment is key to sustaining the shift from ambition to implementation on forests. It allows us to advance the Roadmap to Halt and Reverse Deforestation and Forest Degradation by 2030, keeping political momentum alive and ensuring forests stay at the heart of climate action at the scale and speed required," said COP30 President, André Aranha Corrêa do Lago.

 

COP31 President, Murat Kurum, Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change of Türkiye, also said “the COP31 Action Agenda is designed to strengthen partnerships, advance practical solutions, support implementation efforts, and create a lasting legacy.

 

“To this end, we have identified ten priority themes under the COP31 Action Agenda. These themes were not selected merely as areas of discussion; rather, they reflect the most pressing global challenges, the implementation needs of Parties, and the areas where COP31 can generate tangible and enduring impact”.