AGN Chair demands urgent climate adaptation and food systems integration on road to COP32

As Africa prepares for two critical years of global climate diplomacy, the Chair of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN), Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, has issued a powerful call to align international climate negotiations with the daily realities of African communities.

 

Speaking in Addis Ababa at a continental convening of civil society organizations, Dr. Amoah urged African leaders and global partners to integrate agriculture and food systems into the core of climate policy, declaring that the continent must reject a "false choice" between feeding its people and protecting the planet.

 

"Africa must reject a false choice between food security and climate action," Dr. Amoah told an audience of farmers, pastoralists, policymakers, and civil society representatives. "We need both. Our task is to build food systems that are productive, resilient, inclusive and increasingly low-emission, while protecting development and avoiding unfair burdens on small producers."

 

The convening arrives at a pivotal moment, with the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, just over two months away, followed by the hosting of COP32 in Addis Ababa in late 2027.

 

Dr. Amoah emphasized that hosting the global summit on African soil is not enough to guarantee a favorable outcome for the continent's population.

"A COP held in Africa does not automatically deliver for Africa," Dr. Amoah warned. "It must be shaped by African priorities, evidence and solutions, and it must improve lives beyond the conference halls. Food systems are one of the clearest places where climate policy meets daily life."

 

According to the AGN Chair, the transition from COP30 in Belém to COP32 in Addis Ababa represents a vital shift from "rules and promises to delivery on the ground." He highlighted four critical "gaps" currently undermining global climate policy: the gaps between climate ambition and real-world implementation; between adaptation needs and available funding; between promised finance and direct access; and between global rules and the daily struggles of frontline communities.

 

Climate Adaptation: A Non-Negotiable Priority

 

For Africa, Dr. Amoah stressed, adapting to climate shocks is a matter of immediate survival and must remain the continent's "central, non-negotiable priority." While global mitigation efforts determine the future severity of the climate crisis, adaptation determines whether African families and economies can survive the crises already happening.

 

To illustrate these high stakes, Dr. Amoah grounded his speech in the practical experiences of ordinary Africans. He pointed to Ghana, where unpredictable rainfall patterns leave farmers unable to trust traditional seasons, resulting in lost seeds, wasted investments, and heavy debt.

 

"For that farmer, adaptation is not an abstract policy category," Dr. Amoah observed. "It is reliable climate information, the right seed, access to water, extension support and finance at the right time. That is what our negotiations must ultimately deliver."

 

He also spoke of the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, where drying water points force pastoralists to travel further for grazing land, turning climate challenges into localized resource competition and community tensions.

 

He further highlighted that climate shocks on farms quickly ripple into urban areas, impacting market women who face spoiled produce due to extreme heat and rising supply costs.

 

"A climate shock on a farm can therefore become a nutrition and cost-of-living problem in a city," Dr. Amoah explained. "That is why food systems must not sit at the margins of climate negotiations. They are where climate change enters the household."

 

Addressing the Massive Climate Finance Gap

 

At the heart of Africa’s climate vulnerability is a staggering deficit in adaptation funding. Dr. Amoah noted that developing nations are projected to require between USD 310 billion and USD 365 billion annually for adaptation by 2035. In stark contrast, international public adaptation finance from developed to developing countries stood at just USD 26 billion in 2023.

 

The AGN Chair criticized not only the size of the finance gap but also the excessive bureaucracy that prevents existing funds from reaching local actors, such as smallholders, youth enterprises, and women's cooperatives.

 

He shared the example of coastal fishers who need early-warning systems and better cold storage but are shut out by overly complex funding applications.

 

"We cannot call finance accessible if the people who need it most cannot reach it," Dr. Amoah asserted, calling for shorter, simpler, and less costly funding pipelines from global funds to local villages.

 

Seven Priorities for COP31 and the Vision for COP32

 

Looking ahead, Dr. Amoah outlined seven immediate priorities for the African continent at COP31 in Antalya to lay the groundwork for COP32:

 

1.   Protect balance by ensuring adaptation receives the same political attention as emissions mitigation.

2.   Turn the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) into funded action, keeping food security, water, and livelihoods highly visible.

3.   Secure a meaningful outcome on agriculture through the Sharm el-Sheikh joint work program.

4.   Deliver climate finance at scale, turning the target of USD 300 billion annually in public finance by 2035 into credible delivery.

5.   Ensure a 'just transition' that protects small producers, local value addition, and agricultural development space.

6.   Strengthen action on loss and damage with an easily accessible, well-resourced response fund.

7.   Defend fair cooperation and secure robust, meaningful participation for civil society, women, and Indigenous groups.

 

For COP32 in Addis Ababa, Dr. Amoah's vision includes a concrete "adaptation delivery package," direct finance access for local actors, and a transparent accountability system to track promises and public reporting. "The journey from COP30 to COP32 must be a journey from measurement to means, and from commitments to visible results," he stated.

 

Dr. Amoah closed by challenging African civil society organizations (CSOs) to unite and produce a clear roadmap with precise policy demands, an "African evidence package" of community case studies, and a strong plan for public accountability.

 

He emphasized that the AGN is strongest when backed by coordinated, evidence-based CSOs.

 

He reminded negotiators and advocates of the human lives behind the policy jargon: "When we sit in climate negotiations, we speak a language of NDCs, NAPs, adaptation indicators, finance mechanisms and COP decisions. These things matter. But I often remind myself of something very simple: the farmer waiting for rain does not experience climate change as an acronym. The woman who loses her produce because a road has been washed away does not call it an implementation gap. The pastoralist searching for water does not call it the Global Goal on Adaptation. And the family facing higher food prices does not call it a food-systems negotiation. They simply experience the consequences. Our responsibility is to make sure that what happens in the negotiating rooms eventually changes what happens on the farm, in the market, in the fishing community and around the family table."

 

The three-day convening in Addis Ababa will continue through September 9, as civil society networks work to finalize their unified policy positions ahead of the upcoming negotiations.

 

By Kofi Adu Domfeh 

 

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.

 

African climate negotiators convene in Accra to shape future of Global Just Transition Mechanism

Leading climate experts and diplomats from across Africa have gathered in Accra for a critical two-day technical workshop aimed at consolidating Africa's position on the newly established Global Just Transition Mechanism (JTM).

 

The workshop, holding from August 10–11, 2026, serves as a high-stakes preparatory session ahead of COP31, where the international community will decide on the operational framework of this landmark climate tool.

 

In his opening address, Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, Chair of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) on Climate Change, emphasized that the global conversation has shifted from theory to action following COP30 in Belém.

 

He noted that the establishment of the JTM moved the process beyond a mere "deliberative space towards the establishment of a mechanism intended to support implementation, including access to finance, technical assistance, capacity-building, knowledge and international cooperation".

 

However, despite the momentum from COP30, Dr. Amoah cautioned that recent negotiations at SB64 in Bonn revealed significant hurdles regarding the mechanism's ambition and institutional independence.

 

He stressed that Africa can no longer rely on broad statements of intent.

 

"Ambition alone is no longer enough," Dr. Amoah told delegates. "We now need to translate our broad political positions into concrete and technically sound proposals that can find their way into negotiating text".

 

Centering Africa’s Development Realities

 

A central theme of the workshop is ensuring that the JTM reflects the unique socio-economic challenges of the African continent.

 

The AGN Chair made it clear that for Africa, a "just transition" cannot be a narrow conversation about energy sources alone.

 

"For the African Group, just transition must be understood within the context of Africa's development realities," Dr. Amoah stated. "It cannot simply be about moving away from one source of energy to another. It must speak to our aspirations for industrialisation, economic diversification, decent jobs, energy access, adaptation and resilience, value addition to our natural resources, and the wider transformation of our economies and societies".

 

The workshop is also addressing the "nexus issues" that complicate the transition, specifically trade and finance.

 

Dr. Amoah highlighted the risk of Africa remaining a "supplier of raw materials" while green technology and jobs are created elsewhere.

 

He called for a transition that enables Africa to participate equitably in the emerging green economy, noting that "a mechanism without a credible pathway to adequate resources risks becoming an institution with good intentions but limited ability to deliver".

 

A Bridge-Building Role

 

The AGN is positioning itself as a vital interlocutor in the global climate arena. According to the workshop’s concept note, the African Group occupies a central position, neither seeking to constrain the JTM's ambition like some developed nations nor approaching it with the same suspicions as other developing blocs.

 

Dr. Amoah challenged the participants to leave the workshop with a clear, unified voice. "As we begin, let us keep one fundamental question before us: What kind of Just Transition Mechanism will genuinely deliver for Africa? Our task over these two days is to provide a clear African answer to that question".

 

The outcomes of this workshop will be adopted by the broader AGN plenary and will form the basis of Africa's formal submissions to the UNFCCC.

 

With COP32 in Ethiopia slated as the likely venue for the formal launch of the JTM, the work currently underway in Accra is expected to be a cornerstone of the continent's climate strategy for years to come.

 

The workshop is organized in partnership with the Office of the Special Envoy for Climate Change of Kenya, with support from Power Shift Africa and the Global Wind Energy Council.

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”.

 

 

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.

 

Bonn Climate Talks: Ghana takes the floor on behalf of the African Group of Negotiators

The UN June Climate Meetings has opened in Bonn, Germany, with Ghana taking the floor on behalf of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) to deliver interventions on climate adaptation, finance, and governance.

 

As negotiations opened at the 64^th Sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies (SB64) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the AGN has called for a more responsive, equitable and implementation-focused climate process.

 

Delivering the Group’s statement during the Joint SBI–SBSTA Opening Plenary, AGN Chair, Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, reaffirmed Africa’s commitment to constructive engagement.

 

He expressed concern over growing climate risks facing Africa, citing recent forecast of likely El Niño conditions and warning that worsening climate impacts threaten livelihoods and development gains across the continent.

 

“About a week ago, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) issued a warning of an 80 per cent likelihood of El Nino conditions during June-August 2026, with probabilities for continuation to at least November near or above 90 per cent, and most models suggesting at least moderate and possibly strong conditions,” said Nana Dr. Amoah. “For Africa, already burdened by severe climate impacts, a warning of worsening conditions spells catastrophe. It is of grave concern to all of us, and yet – in a process claiming urgency – we do not even have agenda items on Loss and Damage, or on National Adaptation Plans. We find a process that is insensitive to Africa's situation deeply worrying.”

 

The AGN Chair questioned the absence of agenda items on Loss and Damage and National Adaptation Plans, stressing that climate negotiations must remain responsive to countries experiencing severe climate impacts.

 

Formally called the 64^th sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies under the UNFCCC (SB64), the UN June Climate Meetings are where the agenda takes shape for the UN Climate COP in November each year, this November in Antalya, Türkiye (COP31).   

 

They are held annually at the World Conference Center Bonn (WCCB) where UN Climate Change (UNFCCC) is headquartered. 

 

The meetings are held over 10 days, ending this year on Thursday 18 June, and are expected to have over 7,000 participants, including negotiators from Parties to the Paris Agreement (i.e. national governments), observers from civil society, real economy and sectoral leaders. 

 

UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell, says “leaving economies and communities exposed to climate disasters will take a wrecking ball to live”.

 

 

AGN focus at SB64

 

On adaptation, the AGN welcomed engagement under the Baku Adaptation Roadmap and the Belem–Addis Vision and emphasised that agreed indicators should support implementation and inform future Global Stocktake processes.

 

The AGN reiterated that implementation discussions must remain grounded in existing obligations under the Paris Agreement and called for progress on the Technical Task Force.

 

“We reiterate; the primary purpose of agreed indicators is to ensure we have clear and usable information feeding into the global stocktake in respect of adaptation action as well as on support needed and provided. We look forward equally to progress on composition and modalities of the Technical Task Force.”

 

On climate finance, the group reaffirmed that the Climate Finance Work Programme remains rooted in Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement, which places an obligation on developed parties to provide financial support to developing parties, and expressed concern that it is not adequately reflected in the agenda.

 

The AGN Chair called for a clear operational definition of climate finance that incorporates grant equivalence, additionality, predictability and accountability, pointing out the importance of strengthening the Adaptation Fund and advancing work on monetisation of the Share of Proceeds.

 

Regarding Just Transition, Nana Dr. Amoah called for balanced allocation of negotiation time to support operationalisation of the mechanism and implementation of agreed outcomes.

 

On climate and trade, Africa reiterated that climate-related measures must not undermine sustainable development and poverty eradication and raised concerns over unilateral trade restrictions and supply-chain measures that impose costs without corresponding support.

 

“We look forward to a constructive engagement on how trade measures impact the ability of African countries to pursue the goals of the Paris Agreement, while safeguarding the legitimate right of African nations to pursue sustainable development and poverty eradication. Africa is unapologetic about protecting her development space. We also cannot shy away from a decision in respect of unilateral measures and unjustifiable trade restrictions, including climate-related trade measures and supply-chain regulations that impose costs without commensurate support,” said the AGN Chair.