KENYA – At the Africa Climate Summit (ACS) in Nairobi, world leaders have pledged their support to position the continent of Africa at the center of the fight against climate change, urging greater consideration for Africa’s priorities and endowments.
The historic three-day event, hosted by the government of Kenya and the African Union, mobilized heads of state and government, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, civil society, as well as hundreds of African youths to discuss ways to deliver innovative green growth and climate finance solutions.
Much of the conversation has focused on climate adaptation, which is widely viewed as a pressing priority for Africa.
Kenya’s President, William Ruto, stated that Africa’s youthfulness was “precisely the attribute that inspired African leaders to imagine a future where Africa steps onto the stage as an economic and industrial power, an effective and positive actor in the global arena.”
Ruto listed several reasons why the continent is well-placed to lead in tackling climate change.
“Africa is the continent with 60% of the world’s renewable energy assets, including solar, wind, geothermal and hydropower,” said President Ruto.
“Africa is projected to have 40% of the world’s workforce by 2100. We have two-thirds of the world’s uncultivated arable land that can transform smart agriculture into the production store of the world. We have the largest carbon sequestration infrastructure in the world.”
Joining President Ruto were UN Secretary-General António Guterres, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, United States Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry, African Development Bank President Akinwumi A. Adesina, and several other African leaders.
Faki urged for reform of the global financial architecture to meet Africa’s needs of at least US$1.3 billion a year to meet the sustainable development goals by 2030.
Guterres stressed that Africans bear the brunt of the worst of climate change despite having produced negligible carbon emissions.
He said: “Developed countries must present a clear and credible roadmap to double adaptation finance by 2025 as a first step toward devoting half of all climate finance to adaptation.”
The UN Secretary General urged participants to think big, stating: “First, we need far greater climate ambition, with countries hitting fast forward and massively accelerating action to limit temperature rises and impacts.
“The largest emitters must lead the charge, in line with the Climate Solidarity Pact and Climate Action Acceleration Agenda.”
Adesina commended Ruto for his leadership in organizing the summit, saying: “The Africa Climate Summit will shape the future pathway of Africa’s development.”
He said that responses to the climate emergency were needed at several levels. At the global level, he called on wealthy nations to meet their commitments to provide US$100 billion annually in climate finance.
“At the national level, we must accelerate actions on climate adaptation. That is why the African Development Bank has committed to providing $25 billion towards climate financing by 2025,” Adesina said.
Adesina said that the African Development Bank together with the Global Centre on Adaptation had launched the African Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP), the largest such initiative in the world.
The Bank is also implementing a US$20 billion initiative, Desert to Power, to harness the power of solar and deliver electricity to 250 million people.
The Africa Climate Summit is expected to produce a joint Nairobi Declaration, which will set out the continent’s position on climate finance and green growth.
The declaration is also expected to call for the establishment of a global carbon tax system as a path to expand climate finance and incentivize countries to cut emissions.
The Africa Climate Summit will also consolidate the achievements and roadmap from COP27 held in Sharm-El Sheikh, Egypt, last year, as well as closing gaps that have arisen from the Sharm El-Sheikh Implementation Plan.
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