African climate negotiators express concern over lack of progress on adaptation, climate finance, loss and damage
By Agatha Ngotho
African group of negotiators have expressed disappointment that the Sh12 trillion (USD100b) pledge to developing countries remains unfulfilled.
This money is an equivalent of five times to Kenya’s 2022/2023 financial budget of Sh2.4 trillion.
Alioune Ndoye, President of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) underscored the importance of delivering the USD 100 billion as soon as possible.
He said this will help build trust and faith in the multilateral process of addressing climate change.
“We urge developed countries to deliver on their commitment to meet the goal and ensure the progression of efforts in the on-going mobilization of climate finance,” said Ndoye.
He spoke during a media briefing on the status of the negotiations at COP 27 in Sham El Sheikh, Egypt.
“We urge developed countries to take the lead in implementing their targets while providing enhanced support to developing countries,” he said.
Collins Nzovu, Chair of the African Group of Negotiators said COP-27 has been dubbed an implementation COP, and that African Group are focused and determined to ensure they deliver on implementation.
“We also view COP-27 as an African COP being held on African soil, a continent that is worst affected by the climate crisis and yet contributes least to the pollution that causes climate change,” said Nzovu who is also the Environment Minister in Zambia.
“As such, we expect COP-27 to result in tangible outcomes which reflect people’s aspirations, including Africa’s special needs and special circumstances,” he said.
Nzovu alluded that Africa is a continent plagued by complex overlapping challenges, and many generations of Africans have been left behind and suffer consequences of actions not of their own making.
“The systemic problems facing Africa require dedicated and targeted interventions. This will also unleash our continent’s potential to contribute to achieving the 1.5c world,” he said.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report, Africa will be impacted more than any other continent while the continent only contributes less than four percent of the world’s total emissions.
The report indicated that Africa has the lowest historical and current emissions. It estimates that adaptation costs in developing countries will reach $127 billion, and Africa needs up to $86.5 billion annually by 2030.
The IPCC report further showed that Africa has suffered a 34 percent decline in food production and loss & damage to agricultural productivity.
The leaders called on all Parties to work constructively for reaching an agreement on a framework to enable achieving and assessing progress towards the Global Goal on Adaptation.
Nzovu said adaptation is a matter of survival for Africa and COP 27 should deliver on scaling up adaptation action and support including GGA.
“COP 27 is our fighting chance to ensure that the multilateral process delivers on its promise of an adequate adaptation response in the context of the 1.5 temperature goal,” said.
On loss and damage, he said the African continent is exposed to diverse types of loss and damage, which manifest most significantly in various sectors and are associated with extreme and slow events over different time scales.
He added that finance is critical for the implementation, and they called upon developed country Parties to engage constructively for a meaningful finance package. This should include delivery on the much promised USD 100 billion.
“COP 27 should design an effective and dynamic work programme and result in concrete decisions on scaling up both mitigation ambition and support for just transitions. We look forward to engaging constructively with all parties under your able leadership for a successful outcome in line with vision of the implementation COP,” said Nzovu.
