COP29: African Ministers unite against unkept promises

KENYA – At COP29, African ministers delivered a powerful and unified message: their nations are bearing the brunt of a climate crisis they did not cause.

The financial and human costs are escalating, as Sub-Saharan Africa spends an estimated US$30 billion to US$50 billion annually on climate adaptation—2-3% of GDP—while losing an additional 2-5% to climate-related damages.

This stark reality highlights a continent struggling with disrupted lives, destroyed livelihoods, and strained economies, even though its contribution to global emissions is minimal.

Speaking to the press, ministers called for a shift from empty promises to concrete action from developed nations, historically responsible for the majority of emissions.

The US$100B pledge: A broken promise

Developed countries’ commitment to provide US$100 billion annually for climate finance remains unmet over a decade later.

Rohey John, The Gambia’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, expressed the frustration across African nations.

“The US$100 billion has not delivered the results we need. We must demand change,” she said, advocating for increased funding and transparent mechanisms to ensure accountability.

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Jiwoh Abdulai, emphasized the injustice of the situation.

“Don’t call it charity. This is not aid; it’s a climate debt that must be paid,” he insisted, underscoring the imbalance where developed nations industrialized using fossil fuels, leaving African nations to grapple with the consequences.

The human and economic toll

Zambia’s Green Economy Minister, Mike Elton Mposha, described how climate change is crippling agriculture.

“Over 50% of our harvest has been lost due to climate change,” he stated, warning of food insecurity, economic instability, and deepening poverty.

Despite their minimal emissions, African nations are forced to divert scarce resources from development to address climate impacts.

Ministers cautioned that this cycle will perpetuate without external support, locking the region into perpetual crisis.

Calls for concrete action

African leaders are skeptical of further assurances. Nigeria’s Environment Minister, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, described the situation as a “mirage.”

Angola’s representative echoed this, criticizing the repetitive and unproductive discussions at global summits. “We cannot keep talking about the same issues without results,” they said.

Ministers demanded a clear roadmap, including new financial targets and an expanded contributor base.

They emphasized the need for grant-based climate finance instead of loans, which only deepen economic injustices.

Dr. Wafa Misrar of Climate Action Network Africa called the loans a form of “modern colonization through climate debt,” urging developed nations to take responsibility.

In response to unmet promises, African nations are considering regional climate funds and leveraging mechanisms like the African Continental Free Trade Area to raise resources locally.

The ministers also stressed the need to compensate Africa for conservation efforts that maintain global biodiversity and serve as carbon sinks.

The stakes at COP29 are existential. Abdulai warned that the numbers represent real lives, communities, and futures. The inequalities at the heart of the climate crisis will deepen with urgent action.

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