African leaders called to action ahead of crucial COP29 summit
Delegates from across the world during the opening session of SB60 in Bonn, Germany.
What you need to know:
- Rich countries are backtracking on their financial pledges, which means we need to see African leaders coordinate their efforts to bring about a change of direction.
Over the past two months, extreme weather has taken a terrible toll on large parts of Africa, the Gulf and many Asian countries. We have seen terrible flash floods here in Kenya and Tanzania, with at least 291 people reported killed and more than 400,000 affected by floods.
While the reality of the climate crisis has been striking us hard, we haven’t seen similar urgency from political leaders at the Bonn international climate talks, which concluded mid-last month in Germany.
There is no escaping the fact that this latest summit has put the goal of limiting global warming to under 1.5C in peril. Rich countries are backtracking on their financial pledges, which means we need to see African leaders coordinate their efforts to bring about a change of direction.
The crucial deadline for next year’s new national climate plans, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), which are the bedrock for the collective global effort to tackle climate change, are now in danger. This is because developing countries have no assurances that the climate finance they were promised and which funds the NDCs will be available.
The theme of this year’s COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, is supposed to be climate finance. It is the meeting where the world agrees on a new long-term global finance goal. The key ingredient to tackling climate injustice is how we help vulnerable people adapt to the climate crisis and fund the transition to a zero-carbon energy system.
However, in Bonn, rich countries dragged their feet, blocked progress and deliberately offered only vague signals about their intentions. They also attempted to unpick the commitment they made at COP28 in Dubai: to have an annual dialogue specifically on climate finance. They are now suggesting it covers other issues. This delay and fudge are hugely dangerous because the Bonn session is crucial in ensuring a successful COP29.
COP summits require extensive preparation, with negotiators spending all year laying the groundwork for the final landing zones, which will be finalised in Baku. Leaving it all to the last minute would be disastrous. It could result in a failure that derails international momentum on climate change just as Donald Trump is elected US President.
The infuriating go-slow in Bonn seems to be because countries are waiting for the result of this election before making any finance commitments. This is folly. The need for a coalition of the sensible - to counter the ignorance and malice emanating from a Trump White House - will only be greater should the Republican candidate win. Victims of the climate crisis will need support and energy transition will need to be funded, whoever is the US President. Dragging out the process to the point where Baku might end up in a chaotic rush will only make things worse.
The dark clouds forming over Baku are compounded by the fact that the President of COP29 is inexperienced, has few diplomatic allies and lacks the geopolitical or economic weight to throw around and knock heads together. The lack of a strong host in 2024 means we need to see leadership from other quarters. This is where African leaders can step up to the plate.
A coordinated group of African leaders and other allies who want to see positive action on climate change must ensure that the work is done to catch up. Crucial opportunities for this are at the UN General Assembly summit in September and the pre-COP meeting in Baku before COP29. Much clearer and more ambitious negotiations must take place so that ministers have a streamlined process when they get to Baku.
Without that, we risk an underwhelming finance goal, or a failed COP, which would imperil millions of Africans who need climate finance, as well as taking the wind out of the sails of developing countries’ NDCs to be published next year. How can these poorer countries be expected to slay the climate dragon with paper swords having gotten zero assurances on the long-term finance they need?
If countries can set a clear and unambiguous path to long term finance in Baku, then the world will be set up for a hope-filled and ambitious round of climate action plans next year. This is the best way to protect the world from the volatility of the US election. The work to achieve that starts now.
Mohamed is the founder and director of Power Shift Africa
