Active participation of legislators in climate action is critical —AGN Chair

Chair of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN), Ephraim Mwepya Shitima, has emphasised the need for concerted measures to encourage the active participation of African legislators in climate action.

He notes the important oversight role that parliaments play in policy making and implementation through their legislative and oversight mandates such as approval and monitoring of national budgets.

“Under the Paris Agreement, Parties have made commitments through Nationally Determined Contributions. These national commitments require resources, and our Parliamentarians are critical as they not only approve national budgets but also provide the oversight role of monitoring budget performance and implementation,” said Mr. Shitima. As AGN, we therefore believe that our law makers across the continent must actively be involved in climate processes. We are grateful to partners such as AGNES for their initiative to engage our parliamentarians, and welcome efforts from other partners to get law makers involved”.

According to the African Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES), despite their critical role, parliaments in Africa are least prepared to effectively participate and play their oversight role on implementation of climate response actions.

While legislation has a crucial role to play by capturing political momentum and establishing strong systems to drive delivery of the desired national and international climate commitments, only a few countries in Africa have so far put in place relevant climate change legislation – Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda.

Similarly, Parliaments have a fundamental role in budget approval – public expenditure and revenue-raising – decisions and holding government to account.

“However, in most countries, there is very little relationship between the NDCs and the national budgets, yet most countries have indicated in their NDCs domestic financing contribution in the implementation of their NDCs,” notes George Wamukoya, AGNES Team Lead. “It is against the foregoing that AGNES has been convening regional parliamentary meetings to engage law makers and raise awareness on their critical role in supporting climate action at international, regional, national and local levels.” 

After the regional parliamentary meeting for West Africa held earlier in the year, the latest meeting to be convened is the Southern African regional meeting, which opened in Gaborone, Botswana, on 25^th September, 2023, organised in with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Botswana, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Botswana, the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and other partners.

Officially opening the meeting, Botswana’s Acting Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mabuse Pule said climate change legislation must be part of a larger policy framework that supports equitable, sustainable, and inclusive development.

“Climate change action presents numerous significant challenges for legislators,” said Hon. Pule. “For starters, this phenomenon is inextricably tied to a wide range of other challenges and development goals. Climate change will have an extreme and long-term influence on agriculture, food production, energy availability and production, health and water security, to name a few. As a result, climate change legislation must be part of a larger policy framework that supports equitable, sustainable and inclusive development.”

In recent years, the international response to climate change has become increasingly elaborate and prominent, requiring countries to prepare, communicate and maintain a five-year-cycle of nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Countries are thus encouraged to align NDCs with their long-term low greenhouse gas emission and climate resilient development strategies (LTSs).

And this was a point emphasised by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Resident Representative for Botswana, Balázs Horváth, who also highlighted the importance of Africa’s unified voice as the continent prepares for COP28.

“This workshop has come at an opportune moment, when the international community is preparing for COP 28…and the importance of articulating a common African voice at COP28 and arguing for allocation of responsibility for financing the transition toward a net-zero world according to each country’s share in cumulative GHG emissions to date,” said Horváth.

Speaking earlier, Dr. Unity Dow, Chair of the Botswana Parliamentary Committee on the Environment highlighted some of the climate change vulnerabilities that the Southern African region faces, and the need for law makers to be actively involved at all levels.

“The SADC region is extremely sensitive to climate change impacts… floods and other natural disasters continue to plunge more people into poverty. This will require our capacities as legislators to adopt necessary legislative and administrative measures to enhance adaptation and advocate for financial and technical support from different sources to advance climate action,” said Dr. Dow.

The SADC Parliamentary meeting on Climate Change has brought together Chairs of Parliamentary Committees responsible for climate change, Chairs of Parliamentary Committees responsible for agriculture, parliamentary staff supporting the parliamentary committee responsible for climate change matters and other relevant resources persons.

“We are aware of the frequency and magnitude of climate risks including tropical cyclones in within the region. This has a cost on our people and the economy. Therefore, as MPs, you have a responsibility to our people. We hope this is the beginning of our conversation and assure you of our readiness to support and work with you,” concluded Dr. Geroge Wamukoya.

 

Climate change and other human factors worsened flooding disasters in Libya and Greece

Human-caused warming made the heavy rainfall up to 10 times more likely in Greece, Bulgaria and Türkiye and up to 50 times more likely in Libya, with building in flood plains, poor dam maintenance and other local factors turning the extreme weather into a humanitarian disaster

 

Heavy rainfall, which caused devastation in large parts of the Mediterranean in early September, was made more likely to happen by climate change resulting from greenhouse gas emissions, according to rapid analysis by an international team of climate scientists from the World Weather Attribution group.

 

The study also found that the destruction caused by the heavy rain was much greater due to factors that included construction in flood-prone areas, deforestation, and the consequences of the conflict in Libya.

 

“The Mediterranean is a hotspot of climate change-fueled hazards. After a summer of devastating heatwaves and wildfires with a very clear climate change fingerprint, quantifying the contribution of global warming to these floods proved more challenging. But there is absolutely no doubt that reducing vulnerability and increasing resilience to all types of extreme weather is paramount for saving lives in the future,” said Friederike Otto, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science at Grantham Institute - Climate Change and the Environment, Imperial College London.

 

In early September, a cut-off low which affected Spain and a low-pressure system named Storm Daniel, which formed in the Eastern Mediterranean, brought large amounts of rain over a 10-day period to several countries, including Spain, Greece, Bulgaria, Türkiye and Libya. The heavy rain led to massive floods across the region, killing four people in Bulgaria, five in Spain, seven in Türkiye, and 17 in Greece. The greatest disaster occurred in Libya, where the floods caused the collapse of two dams. While the exact number of casualties is still not clear, there are currently 3,958 confirmed deaths in Derna alone and 170 people elsewhere in Libya, with over 10,000 people still missing.

 

To quantify the effect of climate change on the heavy rain in the region, scientists analysed climate data and computer model simulations to compare the climate as it is today, after about 1.2°C of global warming since the late 1800s, with the climate of the past, following peer-reviewed methods.

 

The scientists divided their analysis in three regions: Libya, where the analysis focused on the northeast part of the country, where most of the rainfall fell; Greece, Bulgaria and Türkiye, where the analysis looked at maximum rainfall over four consecutive days; and Spain, where most of the rain fell in just a few hours.

 

For Libya, the scientists found that human-caused climate change made the event up to 50 times more likely to happen, with up to 50% more rain during the period, as a result of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. The event is still extremely unusual, and can only be expected to occur around once in 300-600 years, in the current climate.

 

For Greece, Bulgaria and Türkiye, the analysis showed that climate change made the heavy rain up to 10 times more likely to happen, with up to 40% more rain, as a result of human activities that have warmed the planet.

 

For this large region, which encompasses parts of the three countries, the event is now reasonably common, and can be expected about once every 10 years, meaning it has a 10% chance of happening each year. For central Greece, where most of the impacts took place, the event is less probable and only expected to happen once every 80-100 years, equivalent to a 1-1.25% chance of happening each year.

 

“The extreme rainfall amounts that affected central Greece and their devastating effects are a breaking point in the way we should re-organise the early warning systems towards impact-based alerts, the Civil Protection response capacity, and the design of resilient infrastructures in the era of climate change,” noted Vassiliki Kotroni, Research Director at the National Observatory of Athens.

 

In Spain, where most of the rain fell in just a few hours, the scientists estimated that such heavy rainfall is expected once every 40 years, but they could not conduct a full attribution analysis as the available climate models poorly represent heavy rainfall on timescales shorter than a day.

 

These findings have large mathematical uncertainties, as the events occurred over relatively small areas, and most climate models do not represent rainfall on these small scales well.

 

While the scientists cannot completely rule out the possibility that climate change has not affected the likelihood and intensity of events like these, they are confident that it did play a role for several reasons: increased temperatures generally lead to heavier rainfall and studies project heavier rain in the region as temperatures rise; they could find no evidence of factors that might be making heavy rain less likely and balancing the influence of climate change; and weather station data in the region shows a trend towards heavier rain. Because of the limits in the models, the scientists did not give a central estimate of the influence of climate change, as they have done in previous studies, instead giving an upper-bound of the effect.

 

A key finding of the study is that the very large impacts observed in some of the regions were caused by a combination of high vulnerability of the population and their exposure to the event. In the affected area in Central Greece, most of the cities and communities and a large part of the infrastructure are located in flood-prone areas. In Libya, a combination of several factors including long-lasting armed conflict, political instability, potential design flaws and poor maintenance of dams all contributed to the disaster. The interaction of these factors, and the very heavy rain that was worsened by climate change, created the extreme destruction.

 

The study was conducted by 13 researchers as part of the World Weather Attribution group, including scientists from universities and research centres in Greece, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.

 

According to Julie Arrighi, Director at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, “This devastating disaster shows how climate change-fueled extreme weather events are combining with human factors to create even bigger impacts, as more people, assets and infrastructure are exposed and vulnerable to flood risks. However, there are practical solutions that can help us prevent these disasters from becoming routine such as strengthened emergency management, improved impact-based forecasts and warning systems, and infrastructure that is designed for the future climate.”

 

Ghanaian universities to develop curricula in Climate-Smart Agriculture and Climate Information Services

Lecturers in some universities in Ghana are receiving training to build their capacities in curricula development with a specialized focus on Climate Information Systems (CIS) and Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA).

The objective of the workshop is to have feedback from the lecturers on each module and incorporate that input to improve the different modules.

The training was organized by the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA), in partnership with the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) and the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL).

It was attended by lecturers from RUFORUM, AICCRA, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD), the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), the International Fertilizer Development Centre (IFDC), and WASCAL alumni.

Participants are provided with comprehensive training programme to raise awareness, train educators, and equip them with meticulously developed training materials across four thematic modules: Soil Carbon Sequestration and Crop Production; Disaster Risk Management in Crop Production; Livestock and Aquaculture; Renewable Energy, Water Resources, and Agriculture; and modules developed specifically for the CSA and CIS projects.

These modules are envisioned to significantly contribute to AICCRA's broader mission of creating accessible training resources through RUFORUM's online platform.

Vice Chancellor of KNUST, Prof. Rita Akosua Dickson, in a keynote address, expressed delight at the role of KNUST in ensuring the success of the new curriculum.     

She is optimistic the joint efforts aimed at integrating the four thematic modules into university curricula across West Africa, will empower universities and educators to make substantial contributions in these vital areas.

Prof. Wilson Agyare, Director of WASCAL Graduate Studies Programme in Climate Change and Adapted Land Use at the KNUST, emphasized the critical need to address climate change which has become a pervasive issue affecting agriculture, which is the backbone of the African workforce.

He underscored the significance of timely information in enabling farmers to adapt to climate-related challenges, such as rising temperatures and erratic rainfall.

WASCAL Scientific Advisory Committee Chairman, Prof. Brice Sinsin, emphasized the role of scientists in transmitting valuable knowledge to the next generation. He stressed the importance of integrating the new curricula into Graduate Studies Programmes and the need to focus on key issues related to agricultural productivity in West Africa.

Prof. Daouda Kone, Director of Capacity Building at WASCAL, provided an insightful presentation on the orientation and validation of the programme's agenda, highlighting the programme's expectations.

The AICCRA Project is building upon the successful legacy of the CGIAR Research Programme on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS) in Africa. It places a strong emphasis on the pivotal role of CSA technologies and CIS, with the overarching aim of enhancing the capacity of six African countries.

This innovative initiative underscores the critical importance of improving access to Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) and Climate Information Services (CIS) tools and knowledge for a diverse range of stakeholders.

 

United Nations marks halftime of the Sustainable Development Goals

The SDG Summit, taking place at the 78^th United Nations General Assembly, marks the halfway point of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

“This is a moment of solidarity for our global village at our global Town Hall — the United Nations,” said Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed. “With only 15% of the SDG targets on track, it is time to come together to find just and equitable solutions and take them to scale.”     

During high-level week of the General Assembly, the SDG Pavilion will host a series of Halftime Talks — a collaborative mix of panel discussions, lightning talks, demonstrations, and films, as well as artistic performances focused on just and equitable solutions.

The UN Office for Partnerships is working with Project Everyone, a not-for-profit communications agency co-founded by SDG Advocate and screenwriter Richard Curtis, in collaboration with renowned artist Es Devlin, to create the SDG Pavilion, a unique convening space and art exhibition.

To use a sporting analogy, the world is down halftime. However, the good news is that any given match is won in the second half. The SDG Pavilion programming encourages participants to imagine winning. 

UN Secretary General’s summit must expose climate laggards and reset the political push ahead of COP28 – campaigners

The fact that several world leaders will not be present at the UNSG’s Climate Summit next week in New York is a telling sign of political disconnect from the everyday lives of millions of people impacted by the climate crisis, said civil society representatives at a press briefing.

The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has set a high bar for entry – inviting leaders to speak only if they have ambitious new commitments on climate action.  

Lauren MacDonald, Campaigner with the group #StopRosebank said: “We know – and the UK government knows – there can be no new drilling if we want a habitable world and yet they are issuing new licenses and considering approving the massive Rosebank oil field, which would create more CO2 emissions than 28 of the poorest countries produce in a year combined.” 

 

That the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is not going to the UN summit was frankly embarrassing, she said and highlights the hypocrisy of his government.

The press briefing organised by Climate Action Network comes ahead of weekend-long global mobilisations planned from tomorrow under the Global Fight to End Fossil Fuels, and to set expectations for the UNSG Climate Ambition Summit, in New York, on 20 September and towards COP28 in Dubai.

 

Mohamed Adow, Director, Power Shift Africa said while the Africa Climate Summit which was held in early September was historic in being the first climate summit focused on Africa it failed to deliver anything transformational and instead pushed for carbon markets which are nothing but ‘polluter permits’ advocated by rich companies and governments to perpetuate their own ongoing carbon pollution.

 

Outcomes from recent high-level events have shown a serious political misalignment which does not bode well for an ambitious outcome at COP28. The UNSG’s Summit must be a moment to expose the laggards and the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has shown he has no qualms in doing this.  

Brandon Wu, Director of Policy and Campaigns, ActionAid USA said in the context of the unrelenting climate disasters hitting every part of the world, “the next few months will be crucial for communities in developing countries: a pledging conference for the Green Climate Fund and the conclusion of crucial negotiations on the new Loss & Damage Fund, both in October, will help determine how much money is available for developing countries in the coming years for the kind of climate action on which literally millions of lives will depend.

 

“Unfortunately, rich countries have consistently failed to meet the moment. The scale of finance to support climate action in developing countries is dwarfed by the scale of the disasters they are facing every day. This is not just an abdication of responsibility, it is a literal death sentence for many, and it has to change immediately.”

 

Avantika Goswami, Programme Manager, Climate Change at the Centre for Science and Environment, said the recent Global Stocktake Report, an assessment of overall climate action by the UN which will serve as an input at the UNFCCC COP28 summit, shows how wildly off track the world is in meeting the challenge to tackle the climate crisis.

 

The G20 Summit held just after this sobering report showed a tepid political reaction to the everyday reality of climate devastation. While having consensus on a statement was welcome, she said, consensus on a low-ambition declaration that did not balance a renewable energy mention with a matching intent to phase out fossil fuels in an equitable manner was hardly a win.    

“The signals from the G20 declaration show positive momentum on building up renewable energy and recognition of the need for low cost financing for the energy transition in developing countries. But the lack of a fossil fuel phase out commitment dampens the effect of this progress, and shows that fossil-producing countries still exert undue influence. Oil and gas account for 54% of global GHG emissions, and their producers must be held accountable.” 

Citing the findings of the recent Oil Change International report, tilted Planet Wreckers which shows than just 20 countries  are responsible for nearly 90% of CO2 pollution threatened by new oil & gas extraction projects between 2023 and 2050. MacDonald called out the leaders of the five major polluters the USA, the UK, Australia, Canada and Norway and said their decision to continue fossil fuel expansion was to willfully put lives in danger. 

 

Video Report: building resilience to adapt to extreme weather conditions

Ghana has in recent times experienced devastating impacts of floods, especially in major cities of the country.

 

The rainfall distribution in the next two weeks, according to the meteorological agency, may lead to more localized floods in low lying areas, while other places would experience rains above normal.

 

On Climate Focus, Kofi Adu Domfeh examines if communities and individuals are prepared to develop resilience and adapt to climatic changes.

Watch Report:

Climate Change: AGN welcomes GST synthesis report, raises concern on some key issues

The African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) says the just released Global Stocktake (GST) Factual Synthesis report shields away from addressing some key elements in the right context and in line with the overall objective of the GST.

The GST was designed under the Paris Agreement to assess global response to the climate crisis and chart a better way forward.

Speaking during the launch of the GST technical report, AGN Chair, Ephraim Mwepya Shitima said whereas issues related to urgency, opportunities and efforts needed for keeping the 1.5 temperature goal of the Paris Agreement within reach were fairly covered, other key and fundamental issues raised by the African Group had not been adequately reflected or not captured in a manner that underscores their importance.

“For instance, the right to sustainable development, just transitions, equitable multiple pathways, and fairness are important principles and considerations that unlock needed ambition in developing countries. But the report shields away from addressing them in the right context and in line with the overall objective of the GST,” said Shitima. 

“The point the African Group repeatedly made about the importance of safeguarding the policy space for developing countries recording the lowest progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the provision of means of implementation and a just transitioning to low emission and resilient development pathways consistent with Article 2 was also not effectively captured,” he noted.  

Additionally, the AGN Chair pointed out that the report also shields away from effectively reflecting the principle of differentiation, obligations, adequate and predictable provision of finance for enhancing adaptation, and that reforms of the financial architecture could have been better elaborated to include clear recommendations that many Parties including the African Group had put forward.

“We look forward to discussing the implications of the findings of the technical assessment phase in the next and final phase of GST-1 in an objective and constructive manner to ensure that it serves its purpose and motivates parties and international cooperation to demonstrate progression and enhance climate action and support towards achieving the purpose and global goals of the Paris Agreement,” concluded Shitima in his submission.

The synthesis report of the technical dialogue of the GST, which was published on 8^th September, summarizes 17 key technical findings from the discussions. Across the topics, the report makes clear that there is progress, but much more needs to be done.  While there are well-known gaps, the technical findings highlight existing and emerging opportunities and creative solutions to bridge the gaps.

The GST process

The global stocktake is held every five years and is intended to inform the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to be put forward by 2025.

The GST process started with a data collection phase in 2021, collecting a wide range of inputs from Parties, international bodies, and non-Party stakeholders.  A technical dialogue was carried out across three meetings in 2022 and 2023 and was chaired, with the assistance of the UN Climate Change secretariat, by two co-facilitators Farhan Akhtar and Harald Winkler, nominated by developed and developing countries respectively.

The scope of technical discussion was very broad, including mitigation, adaptation and support, as well as loss and damage and response measures. Cutting across all these topics were ambition and equity – all informed by best available science.

“The technical dialogues were based on the best available science, drawing on the latest findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other sources of knowledge, with broad participation of experts and non-Party Stakeholders with diverse backgrounds. Across the discussions it was clear that the Paris Agreement has inspired widespread action that has significantly reduced forecasts of future warming. This global stocktake is taking place at a crucial moment to inspire further global action in responding to the climate crisis,” said Akhtar.

The report lays a strong scientific and technical base for the conclusion of the first GST in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28). 

“This global stocktake report provides clear direction on how we can meet the expectations of the Paris Agreement by taking decisive action in this critical decade,” said COP28 President-Designate, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber. “To keep 1.5 within reach we must act with ‘ambition and urgency’ to reduce emissions by 43% by 2030. That is why the COP28 Presidency has put forward an ambitious action agenda centered around fast- tracking a just and well managed energy transition that leaves no one behind, fixing climate finance, focusing on people’s lives and livelihoods, and underpinning everything with full inclusivity.”

Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change, said: “I urge governments to carefully study the findings of the report and ultimately understand what it means for them and the ambitious action they must take next. It’s the same for businesses, communities and other key stakeholders. While the catalytic role of the Paris Agreement and the multilateral process will remain vital in the coming years, the global stocktake is a critical moment for greater ambition and accelerating action.”

Meanwhile, COP27 Representative, Ambassador Wael Aboulmagd emphasized the importance of finance for developing countries to make progress on the noted gaps.

“All reliable available evidence points to gaps,” he said. “Finance for developing countries is critical. It is insidious to believe that we can make progress without the requisite financial resources; we thus insist that developing countries must be supported with the required finance to make progress. COP27 presidency is ready to work with all partners to deliver a successful outcome of the GST process.”

 

Africa Climate Summit: Non-State Actors’ Committee welcomes Nairobi Declaration, calls on further action areas

The Nairobi Declaration of the Africa Climate Summit by Heads of States has been welcomed by the Non-State Actors' Committee (NSAC), describing the outcome as a positive step towards a more ambitious, fair, equitable, ecologically just and inclusive global response to the climate crisis.  

The Committee, supported by the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) strives for the advancement of a pro-African agenda in all key climate spaces.

Below is the submission of the Committee:

We recognise the pressing need for the global community to decrease emissions, decarbonise economies and align with the Paris Agreement, and appreciate the Declaration for reaffirming the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities and equity, which are vital for a just and efficient global response. 

We also commend the Declaration for acknowledging the problem of loss and damage caused by climate change, which is already affecting several African communities. We urge the international community to put into effect the Loss and Damage Facility established during COP27 and to provide sufficient and consistent assistance to the countries and individuals who are most vulnerable. 

As NSAs, we strongly support the Declaration's call for investing in public finance for green economic development. We equally reiterate our unequivocal support for reforming the global financial architecture to address African countries' challenges, especially climate finance. Particularly, we welcome proposals for debt relief, concessional finance, and innovative financial mechanisms, and endorse the Bridgetown Process, which aims to align finance with sustainable development goals and human rights – all in a sense, signalling the acknowledgement of the imperatives of climate justice!

We appreciate the recognition of the critical importance of reversing biodiversity loss and explicit commitments made to protect and enhance nature and biodiversity, and to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity, as well as restoration of degraded lands. 

However, we are still concerned that the Summit missed an opportunity to have a strong African position that established the route to addressing the climate crisis. 

We express our disappointment that the Declaration does not prioritize adaptation as a critical concern for Africa and leaves it a mere peripheral issue. We would like to remind the Heads of States that adaptation is not only crucial for survival but also a matter of justice. Africa is one of the regions that are most affected by climate change, even though it contributes the least to its causes. Therefore, we urge the authorities to accord equal attention and resources to both adaptation and mitigation in their national and international actions. Additionally, we demand that adaptation strategies are designed based on local knowledge, needs, capacities, and human rights principles. 

We are also concerned that the Declaration does not adequately address the emotive issue of just transition, which is crucial for ensuring that no one is left behind in the shift to a low-carbon economy. We note that the Declaration only mentions just transition once without any details or commitments on how we should define it in our own narratives and perspectives, and how it will be implemented. 

To this end, the NSAC urges Heads of State to adopt a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to just transition that is contextual and responsive to African realities, aspirations, and desires, and will discourage experimentation on false solutions that exacerbate the climate crisis. This approach involves the meaningful participation of workers, communities, civil society, and other stakeholders in planning and implementing policies that promote decent work, social protection, human rights, gender equality, and environmental justice. Such an approach should also ensure the vast resources driving the transition, including wind, solar and geothermal, as well as critical minerals spread across the continent, restore hope to the people who have known such resources to be the source of pain, conflict and misery.  

Curiously, also, the Summit did not pronounce itself on how African leaders will collectively work together to exert pressure on developed countries to deliver on the financial commitments previously made by the historical emitters. The failure to advance for framework for pushing for a funding mechanism to fund some of the critical climate-related interventions that protect those most affected by inequality and discrimination who are often children, youth and women, was another waterloo for the Summit’s Declaration.

The propagation and political advancement for implementation of the carbon market with no clear evidence that it works remains one of the bold posters of the Global North attempting to advance approaches that exonerate them and transfer the burden of action to the victims of their actions. 

Right at the onset, the Summit exonerated the rich countries from taking full responsibility for their historical and current emissions that have taken us to the current state of global warming.

We are disappointed the Declaration's Call to Action does not reflect this recognition of the value of nature and biodiversity. Consequently, the NSAC urges the Heads of State to include more specific actions and targets in their national and regional plans and policies for biodiversity conservation and restoration. Additionally, the NSAC calls on them to ensure that they integrate nature-based solutions into their mitigation and adaptation strategies. 

As we head to COP28, NSAC insists:

1.     Developed countries fulfil their historical responsibility and provide adequate and predictable finance, technology transfer, and capacity building to support adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage in Africa. We are much more keen to collaborate in pushing for grant-based funding mechanisms. 

2.     Reiterate our Position on the rejection of the promotion of Carbon Markets that are not responsive and do not serve the climate justice imperatives for Africa. We further urge for continued dialogue in the spirit of closing knowledge gaps on Carbon Markets that are apparent, at all levels. 

3.     African leaders commit to a just and equitable transition to renewable energy, ensuring that energy access is prioritised for the poor and marginalised and that community ownership and participation are guaranteed.

4.     Urge African leaders to stand by the principles of climate justice, human rights, gender equality, and intergenerational equity in all climate policies and actions

The NSAC is optimistic that this Declaration is a forward step towards accomplishing more ambitious and comprehensive climate action in Africa and globally. The NSAC is fully prepared to collaborate with the Heads of State and other stakeholders in the implementation of the Africa Climate Summit's Declaration and in collectivizing Africa’s position towards COP28. 

Video Report: What the African Climate Summit mean for a warming globe

Africa’s voice on the phenomenon of climate change has been elevated this week in Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi.

 

The UN Africa Climate Week is holding alongside the inaugural Africa Climate Summit under the theme: “Green Growth and Climate Finance for Africa and the World”.

 

On Climate Focus, Kofi Adu Domfeh reports on the commitments to the deliver concrete climate action for Africa. 

Religious leaders make six demands for Africa Climate Summit

Faith leaders have condemned the inaction among those responsible for the climate crisis and blamed the Global North for hijacking the Africa Climate Summit.

In a statement read at the historical Ufungamano House in Nairobi, on the sidelines of the Africa Climate Summit, representatives from the Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities from diverse denominations said the event ignored the most crucial voices in the effort to address the climate crisis.

They made six demands. On Climate Finance, they said: “We are cognizant of the fact that there has not been adequate financial support directed to the African continent despite efforts and commitments from the developed countries to avail the same. The African Climate Summit presents an opportunity for developed countries, who have contributed the most to the climate crisis, to move beyond rhetoric and deliver on the long due finance.

The leaders pushed for funds to compensate victims of Loss and Damage, adding that the continent anticipated “severest adverse effects of human-induced climate change, compared to most other regions of the world due to a relatively low adaptive capacity”.

They called for operationalization, “including capitalization by rich countries, of the loss and damage fund to offer relief to Global South countries through provision of grant financing.”

Others were “Youth and Green Jobs”, in recognition of the demographics’ growth in numbers. “We call upon African leaders to adopt a plan of action with robust policy and regulatory measures necessary for African countries to implement and support the growth of inclusive green economies that can provide jobs for the youth”. Others were support for research and innovation to advance greener economic diversification and growth, strategies that facilitate development of financial solutions among others.

The fourth demand was on Climate Adaptation, with a call for the African Climate Week to “have clear implementation plans on the strengthening of adaptation actions and resilience against the consequences of the climate crisis as one of its core outcomes”.

The faith leaders addressed Fossil Fuel Phase-out and Supporting of Renewable energy access, as well as Agriculture, Food Security and Sovereignty.

“As guardians of spiritual wisdom and moral guidance, we are disheartened by how actions to tackle climate change fall short of the required urgent ambition. The values of stewardship, empathy, justice, equity and solidarity as enshrined in our faith traditions must guide every decision and action that is taken at the Africa Climate Summit and Week,” the statement read in part.

Speaking after reading the statement yesterday, Sheikh Ibrahim Lethome of the Islamic Religious Council said the youth were crucial in achieving action through agriculture and several sectors. He emphasized the need for the voices of faith leaders in climate change discussions, as a moral guide to the rest of the world to restore Mother Earth’s well-being.

“I have never seen someone buy a car but use it in ways that are not stated in the user manual. I have never seen anyone add porridge, black tea or soda to a fuel tank. Religion is an asset in reclaiming our environment. God created what’s good for us, and we need to follow the user’s manual. Our hope lies in going back to the user’s manual. We need to guide politicians. It is never about the cart leading the horse,” he said.

The cleric asked African leaders to have the interest of the continent at the summit that was condemned for locking out many and looking like lecture halls.

Bishop Chediel Elinaza Sendoro from Tanzanian called for reclamation of the faiths place in ensuring societal wellbeing, and encouraged youth to stay on course in the fight to stop the climate crisis.

Bishop Hassan Kukah from Nigeria, asked youth to “decide what type of seat they want at the decision making table”, and called for personal responsibility to achieve climate action.

“As we apportion God and governments blame and responsibility for the climate crisis, we must also remember to look inwards and decisively deal with corruption, locally, even as we deal with it internationally,” he said.

The cleric added that the climate conversation had to start locally, and go beyond issuing of statements. “The young people are far more equipped. They can borrow our voices as we seek to use their energy,” he said.

Sujarta Kotamraju of the Hindu Religious Council said all holy books commanded protection of the environment. “Before plastic, we survived. Now it messes animals in parks, water falls, oceans and all creations therein,” she said, adding her joy at the meeting’s participant’s decision to ask the hotel to serve them water in glasses rather than plastic bottles.

Ms Kotamraju urged youth to employ their energy and agility to demand climate justice from their leaders, while at the same time championing the wellbeing of the same in their surroundings. “If you take care of the environment it will take care of you,” she said.

Charles Chilufya, a cleric from Zambia, urged Africans to ensure locally-led climate action. “Growing climate finance is important, but must not be the only focus. Lives are at risk. We need to have more respect for human and other creations’ dignity, as well as compassion to boost action,” he said.

Jessica Mwali, a youth from Zambia, asked the religious leaders to push for the recognition of Africa as a special case, to stop the idea of the continent being loaned money to address the challenges of climate change. “The money should come to Africa in the form of grants, not loans,” she said.

A Ugandan cleric named Matobu asked the participants to be good stewards of God’s creations. “Just like humans, trees are crying and the environment is equally tired. We need to incorporate teachings that encourage treating of God’s creation’s as per His command,” he said.

He called upon youth to loudly speak out on the climate issues, and grab their rightful space to offer solutions. “We don’t need the support of the West to teach our people to treat the environment right,” he said.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Sheikh Lethome gave participants food for thought: “We cannot go to heaven without preparing a better place on earth. You must treat the environment right to earn your rightful place in heaven.”

The African Leaders Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change and Call to Action

PREAMBLE 

We, the African Heads of State and Government, gathered for the inaugural Africa Climate Summit (ACS) in Nairobi, Kenya, from 4^th to 6^th September 2023; in the presence of other global leaders, intergovernmental organizations, Regional Economic Communities, United Nations Agencies, private sector, civil society organizations, indigenous peoples, local communities, farmer organizations, children, youth, women and academia, hereby:

 

1.     Recall, the Assembly Decisions (AU/Dec.723(XXXII), AU/Dec.764 (XXXIII) and

AU/Dec.855(XXXVI)) requesting the African Union Commission to organize an African

Climate Summit and endorsing the offer by the Republic of Kenya to host the Summit;

 

2.     Commend the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) under the Leadership of H.E. President William Ruto for providing a unified approach and political leadership on an African vision that simultaneously pursues climate change and development agenda;

 

3.     Commend the Arab Republic of Egypt for the successful COP27 and its historic outcomes, particularly regarding loss and damage, just transition and energy, and call for the full implementation of all COP27 decisions

 

4.     Take Note of the 6th Assessment Report (AR6) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), stating that the world is not on track to keeping within reach the 1.5°C limit agreed in Paris and that global emissions must be cut by 43% in this decade;

 

5.     Underscore the IPCC confirmation that Africa is warming faster than the rest of the world and, if unabated, climate change will continue to have adverse impacts on African economies and societies, and hamper growth and wellbeing;

 

6.     Express concern that many African countries face disproportionate burdens and risks arising from climate change-related, unpredictable weather events and patterns, including prolonged droughts, devastating floods, wildfires, which cause massive humanitarian crisis with detrimental impacts on economies, health, education, peace and security, among other risks;

 

7.     Acknowledge that climate change is the single greatest challenge facing humanity and the single biggest threat to all life on Earth. It demands urgent and concerted action from all nations to lower emissions and reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere; 

 

8.     Recognise that Africa is not historically responsible for global warming, but bears the brunt of its effect, impacting lives, livelihoods, and economies;

 

9.     Reaffirm the principles set out in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Paris Agreement, namely equity, common but

differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities,  

 

10.  Recall that only seven years remain to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, and note with concern that 600 million people in Africa still lack access to electricity while 970 million lack access to clean cooking; 

 

11.   Concerned that despite Africa having an estimated 40 percent of the world’s renewable energy resources, only $60 billion or two percent of US$3 trillion renewable energy investments in the last decade have come to Africa,

 

12.   Further recognise that African cities and urban centres are growing rapidly, and by 2050 would be home to over 1.0 billion people.  Cognisant of the fact that rapid urbanization, poverty, and inequality limit planning capacities and other urban dynamics which increase people’s exposure and vulnerability to hazards and have thus turned cities into disaster hotspots across the continent.

 

13.   Emphasise that Africa possesses both the potential and the ambition to be a vital component of the global solution to climate change. As home to the world’s youngest and fastest-growing workforce, coupled with massive untapped renewable energy potential, abundant natural assets and entrepreneurial spirit, our continent has the fundamentals to spearhead a climate compatible pathway as a thriving, costcompetitive industrial hub with the capacity to support other regions in achieving their net zero ambitions. 

 

14.   Reiterate Africa’s readiness to create an enabling environment, enact policies and facilitate investments necessary to unlock resources to meet our own climate commitments, and contribute meaningfully to decarbonisation of the global economy.

 

15.   Recognize the important role of forests in Africa, in particular the Congo Basin rainforest in regulating global climate change

 

16.   Further recognize the critical importance of the oceans in climate action and commitments made on ocean sustainability in multiple fora such as the Second UN Oceans Conference in 2022, and the Moroni Declaration for Ocean and Climate Action in Africa in 2023

 

Collective action needed. 

 

17.   We call upon the global community to act with urgency in reducing emissions, fulfilling its obligations, keeping past promises, and supporting the continent in addressing climate change, specifically to: 

 

i)       Accelerate all efforts to reduce emissions to align with goals set forth in the Paris

Agreement  ii) Honor the commitment to provide $100 billion in annual climate finance, as promised 14 years ago at the Copenhagen conference. iii) Uphold commitments to a fair and accelerated process of phasing down coal, and abolishment of all fossil fuel subsidies.

 

18.   We call for climate-positive investments that catalyse a growth trajectory, anchored in the industries poised to transform our planet and enable African countries to achieve stable middle-income status by 2050. 

 

19.   We urge global leaders to join us in seizing this unprecedented opportunity to accelerate global decarbonization, while pursuing equality and shared prosperity;

 

20.  We call for the operationalization of the Loss & Damage fund as agreed at COP27 and resolve for a measurable Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) with indicators and targets to enable assessment of progress against negative impacts of climate change

 

We commit to: 

 

21.   Developing and implementing policies, regulations and incentives aimed at attracting local, regional and global investment in green growth and inclusive economies;

 

22.  Propelling Africa's economic growth and job creation in a manner that limits our own emissions and also aids global decarbonization efforts, by leapfrogging traditional industrial development and fostering green production and supply chains on a global scale;

 

23.  Focusing our economic development plans on climate-positive growth, including expansion of just energy transitions and renewable energy generation for industrial activity, climate smart and restorative agricultural practices, and essential protection and enhancement of nature and biodiversity; 

 

24.  Strengthening actions to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, deforestation, desertification, as well to restore degraded lands to achieve land degradation neutrality;

 

25.  Strengthening continental collaboration, which is essential to enabling and advancing green growth, including but not limited to regional and continental grid interconnectivity, and further accelerating the operationalization of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement;

 

26.  Advancing green industrialization across the Continent by prioritizing energy-intense industries to trigger a virtuous cycle of renewable energy deployment and economic activity, with a special emphasis on adding value to Africa's natural endowments; 

 

27.  Redoubling our efforts to boost agricultural yields through sustainable agricultural practices, to enhance food security while minimizing negative environmental impacts;

 

28.  Taking the lead in the development of global standards, metrics, and market mechanisms to accurately value and compensate for the protection of nature, biodiversity, socio-economic co-benefits, and the provision of climate services;

 

29.  Finalising and implementing the African Union Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, with the view to realizing the 2050 vision of living in harmony with nature;

 

30.  Providing all the necessary reforms and support required to raise the share of renewable energy financing to at least 20 percent by by 2030.

 

31.   Integrating climate, biodiversity and ocean agendas into national plans and processes in order to ensure their contribution to sustainable development, livelihoods and sustainability objectives, and to increase the resilience of local communities, coastal areas and national economies;

 

32.  Supporting smallholder farmers, indigenous peoples, and local communities in the green economic transition given their key role in ecosystems stewardship;

 

33.  Identifying, prioritizing and mainstreaming adaptation into development policymaking and planning, including in the context of national plans and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs);

 

34.  Building effective partnership between Africa and other regions, to meet the needs for financial, technical and technological support, and knowledge sharing for climate change adaptation;

 

35.  Promoting investments in urban infrastructure including through upgrading informal settlements and slum areas to build climate resilient cities and urban centres.  

 

36.  Strengthening early warning systems and climate information services, as well as taking early action to protect lives, livelihoods and assets and inform long-term decisionmaking related to climate change risks. We emphasise the importance of embracing indigenous knowledge and citizen science in both adaptation strategies and early warning systems;

 

37.  Enhancing drought resilience systems to shift from crisis management to proactive drought preparedness and adaptation, to significantly reduce drought vulnerability of people, economic activities, and ecosystems

 

38.  Accelerating implementation of the African Union Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy and Action Plan (2022-2032)

 

CALL TO ACTION

39.  Call upon world leaders to appreciate that decarbonizing the global economy is also an opportunity to contribute to equality and shared prosperity;

 

40.  Invite Development Partners from both the global south and north to align and coordinate their technical and financial resources directed toward Africa to promote sustainable utilization of Africa’s natural assets for the continent’s progression toward low carbon development, and contributing to global decarbonization;

 

41.   To accomplish this vision of economic transformation in harmony with our climate needs, we call upon the international community to contribute to the following:

 

i)       Increasing Africa’s renewable generation capacity from 56 GW in 2022 to at least 300 GW by 2030, both to address energy poverty and to bolster the global supply of cost-effective clean energy for industry;

ii)      Shifting the energy intensive primary processing of Africa’s raw material exports to the continent, also to serve as an anchor demand for our renewable energy and a means of rapidly reducing global emissions; 

iii)    Call for access to and transfer of environmentally sound technologies, including technologies that consist of processes and innovation methods to support Africa’s green industrialisation and transition. 

iv)    Designing global and regional trade mechanisms in a manner that enables products from Africa to compete on fair and equitable terms;

v)     Request that trade-related environmental tariffs and non-tariff barriers must be subject to multilateral discussions and agreements and not be unilateral, arbitrary or discriminatory measures; 

vi)    Accelerating efforts to decarbonize the transport, industrial and electricity sectors through the use of smart, digital and highly efficient technologies and systems.

vii)   Designing industry policies that incentivize global investment to locations that offer the most and substantial climate benefits, while ensuring benefits for local communities;

viii)  Implementing a mix of measures that elevate Africa share of carbon markets. 

 

42.  Reiterate the decision 31/ COP27 that a global transformation to a low-carbon economy is expected to require investment of at least USD 4–6 trillion per year and delivering such funding in turn requires a transformation of the financial system and its structures and processes, engaging governments, central banks, commercial banks, institutional investors and other financial actors.

 

43.  We call for collective global action to mobilise the necessary capital for both development and climate action, echoing the statement of the Paris Summit for a New Global Financing Pact that no country should ever have to choose between development aspirations and climate action. 

 

44.  Call for concrete time bound action on the proposals to reform the multilateral financial system currently under discussion specifically to: 

 

i.       build resilience to climate shocks, including better deployment of the SDR liquidity mechanism and disaster suspension clauses. We propose for consideration a new SDR issue for climate crisis response of at least the same magnitude as the Covid19 issue ($650b); 

 

ii.     better leveraging of the balance sheets of MDBs to scale up concessional finance to at least $500b per year; 

 

iii.    Measures to improve debt management, including:

a.    the inclusion of ‘debt pause clauses’, and 

b.    the proposed expert review of the Common Framework and the

Debt Sustainability Analysis

iv. New debt relief interventions and instruments to pre-empt debt default

– with the ability to 

a.    extend sovereign debt tenor, and 

b.    include a 10-year grace period 

v.       Decisive action on the Promotion of inclusive and effective international tax cooperation at the United Nations (Resolution A/C.2/77/L.11/REV.1)– with the aim to reduce Africa’s loss of $ 27 billion annual corporate tax revenue through profit shifting, by at least 50% by 2030 and 75% by 2050

vi.     Additional measures to crowd in and de-risk private capital, such as blended finance instruments, purchase commitments, partial foreign exchange (FX) guarantee industrial policy collaboration, which should be informed by the risks that drive lack of private capital deployment at scale;

vii.    Redesign of the MDB governance, to ensure a “fit for purpose” system with appropriate representation, voice, and agency of all countries

 

45.  Note that multilateral finance reform is necessary but not sufficient to provide the scale of climate financing the world needs to achieve 45 percent emission reduction by 2030 required to meet the Paris Agreement, without which keeping global warming to 1.5% will be in serious jeopardy.  Further note that the scale of financing required to unlock Africa’s climate-positive growth is beyond the borrowing capacity of national balance sheets, or at the risk premium that Africa is currently paying for private capital 

 

46.  Draw attention to the finding that inordinate borrowing costs, typically 5 to 8 times what wealthy countries pay (the “great financial divide”), are a root cause of recurring developing country debt crisis and an impediment to investment in development and climate action. We call for adoption of principles of responsible sovereign lending and accountability encompassing credit rating, risk analysis and debt sustainability assessment frameworks and urge the financial markets to commit to reduce this disparity by at least 50% i.e from 5%-8% to 2.5 – 4.0% by 2025.  

 

47.  Urge world leaders to rally behind the proposal for a global carbon taxation regime including a carbon tax on fossil fuel trade, maritime transport and aviation, that may also be augmented by a global financial transaction tax (FTT)) to provide dedicated, affordable, and accessible finance for climate-positive investments at scale, and ringfencing of these resources and decision-making from undue influence from geopolitical and national interests. 

 

48.  Propose to establish a new financing architecture that is responsive to Africa’s needs including debt restructuring and relief, including the development of a new Global Climate Finance Charter through UNGA and COP processes by 2025;

 

49.  That the first Global Stocktake, happening in 2023 at COP28 offers a pivotal opportunity to correct course by including a comprehensive outcome, both backward and forward looking". 

 

50.Decide  to establish the Africa Climate Summit as a biennial event convened by African Union and hosted by AU Member States, to set the continent’s new vision taking into consideration emerging global climate and development issues;

 

51.  Decide also that this Declaration will serve as a strong contribution from the African continent to the global climate change process, COP 28 and beyond;

 

52. Welcome the pledges made at the summit by United Arab Emirates (UAE) as COP28 President and other development partners to support Africa in particular for renewable energy and Adaptation

 

53. Appreciate the efforts of UAE as the COP28 President-Designate in the preparation of COP28, and affirm Africa’s full support for a successful and ambitious outcome of

COP28

 

54. Request African Union Commission to develop an implementation framework and roadmap for this Declaration and to make Climate Change an AU theme for the Year 2025 or 2026.

 

ADOPTED by African Heads of State and Government in the presence of global leaders and high-level representatives on 6 September 2023 in Nairobi Kenya.