AUK Media-@Editor
Ministers and high-ranking officials from nearly 200 countries have gathered in the Amazonian city of Belém, Brazil, for COP30, which Brazil has described as “the COP of implementation.” The focus this year is on turning commitments into action — and for Africa, this represents both an urgent challenge and a historic opportunity.
Despite contributing the least to global greenhouse gas emissions, Africa remains one of the most vulnerable regions to the devastating impacts of climate change. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns, and increasingly frequent extreme weather events are already undermining the continent’s economies, damaging infrastructure, displacing communities, and threatening livelihoods.
Yet, in the face of this existential threat, Africa has the potential to lead the way toward a more sustainable and resilient future. The Second Africa Climate Summit, held in Ethiopia in September, underscored the continent’s growing leadership in climate action. It highlighted African-led solutions, new financial commitments, and strategies for green growth and resilience — with priorities including a just energy transition, nature-based solutions, food and water security, and community empowerment.
Building on this momentum, Africa’s delegation to COP30 should focus on three interlinked priorities: climate finance, climate adaptation, and sustainable development. Experts and organizations stress that access to adequate climate finance is essential if Africa is to meet its climate and development goals.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) estimates that the continent will require between $1.3 trillion and $1.6 trillion in climate finance between 2020 and 2030 to achieve its targets under the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As such, COP30 must deliver a concrete roadmap for mobilising and equitably distributing resources to support Africa’s climate action.
As Patricia Espinosa, former Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, aptly noted, “climate finance is about saving lives and reducing suffering.” For Africa, ensuring that this COP truly becomes the COP of implementation means turning pledges into tangible progress — and proving that climate justice begins with real investment in those who bear the greatest burden.