Statement on the Nairobi declaration, by Fadhel Kaboub (full bio below).
As an African economist, attending the first Africa Climate Summit on African soil, I had high expectations, but unfortunately the Nairobi declaration leaves much to be desired.
I was hoping that our leaders would advance a bold, transformative, coherent and comprehensive vision on climate and development for Africa.
While external debt is a serious problem that limits our economic and monetary sovereignty and reduces the fiscal policy space to act on climate and to invest in national priorities, it is important to recognize that external debt is a symptom of much deeper structural deficiencies: food deficits, energy deficits, and low value-added manufacturing.
The economic transformation that our leaders needed to rally behind cannot ignore the importance of food sovereignty (not just food security) andagroecology, renewable energy sovereignty, and pan-Africain high value-added industrialization.
This was a missed opportunity to harmonize our climate, energy, adaptation and development strategies.
Instead, we find false solutions proposed in the Nairobi declaration like carbon markets, which simply amount to cheap pollution permits for Global North historic polluters who can pass on the cost of the permits to their customers (many of whom are in the Slobal South), displace farmers and indigenous communities, enrich speculators and middlemen, and continue polluting while offering crumbs as climate finance.
I expected our leaders to state the facts. Africa is owed a climate debt by the historic polluters. Climate reparations must be delivered in the form of debt cancelation (not debt restructuring), transfer of technology (not impoted green tech), grants (not loans) for adaptation and economic resilience, and transformation of the global trade, finance and investment architecture.
It is disappointing to see the wide ambitions gap between the official “Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change” and the “Nairobi Africa Climate People’s declaration on Climate and Development”.
The message to our leaders is very clear. African civil society is informed, organized, mobilized and united on climate and development goals. We want this inaugural Africa Climate Summit to be the starting point of engaging our leaders in a sustained pan-Africain dialogue to unite Africans from the grassroots to the top of the political hierarchy so we can go to COP meetings and other international fora with one coherent, comprehensive, uncompromising vision for just, equitable, and sustainable prosperity for all Africans.
Fadhel Kaboub is a Tunisian economist based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is an Associate Professor of economics at Denison University (Ohio, USA), and the president of the Global Institute for Sustainable Prosperity. He has recently served as Under-Secretary-General for Financing for Development at the Organisation of Southern Cooperation in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Dr. Kaboub is an expert on designing public policies to enhance monetary and economic sovereignty in the Global South, build resilience, and promote equitable and sustainable prosperity. His recent work focuses on Just Transition, Climate Finance, and transforming the global trade, finance, and investment architecture. His most recent co-authored publication is Just Transition: A Climate, Energy, and Development Vision for Africa (2023), published by an independent expert group. He has held a number of research affiliations with the Levy Economics Institute (NY), the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University (MA), the Economic Research Forum (Cairo), Power Shift Africa (Nairobi), and the Center for Strategic Studies on the Maghreb (Tunis). You can follow him on Twitter @FadhelKaboub and can reach him via email kaboubf@denison.edu
Statement on the Nairobi declaration, by Fadhel Kaboub (full bio below).
As an African economist, attending the first Africa Climate Summit on African soil, I had high expectations, but unfortunately the Nairobi declaration leaves much to be desired.
I was hoping that our leaders would advance a bold, transformative, coherent and comprehensive vision on climate and development for Africa.
While external debt is a serious problem that limits our economic and monetary sovereignty and reduces the fiscal policy space to act on climate and to invest in national priorities, it is important to recognize that external debt is a symptom of much deeper structural deficiencies: food deficits, energy deficits, and low value-added manufacturing.
The economic transformation that our leaders needed to rally behind cannot ignore the importance of food sovereignty (not just food security) andagroecology, renewable energy sovereignty, and pan-Africain high value-added industrialization.
This was a missed opportunity to harmonize our climate, energy, adaptation and development strategies.
Instead, we find false solutions proposed in the Nairobi declaration like carbon markets, which simply amount to cheap pollution permits for Global North historic polluters who can pass on the cost of the permits to their customers (many of whom are in the Slobal South), displace farmers and indigenous communities, enrich speculators and middlemen, and continue polluting while offering crumbs as climate finance.
I expected our leaders to state the facts. Africa is owed a climate debt by the historic polluters. Climate reparations must be delivered in the form of debt cancelation (not debt restructuring), transfer of technology (not impoted green tech), grants (not loans) for adaptation and economic resilience, and transformation of the global trade, finance and investment architecture.
It is disappointing to see the wide ambitions gap between the official “Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change” and the “Nairobi Africa Climate People’s declaration on Climate and Development”.
The message to our leaders is very clear. African civil society is informed, organized, mobilized and united on climate and development goals. We want this inaugural Africa Climate Summit to be the starting point of engaging our leaders in a sustained pan-Africain dialogue to unite Africans from the grassroots to the top of the political hierarchy so we can go to COP meetings and other international fora with one coherent, comprehensive, uncompromising vision for just, equitable, and sustainable prosperity for all Africans.
Fadhel Kaboub is a Tunisian economist based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is an Associate Professor of economics at Denison University (Ohio, USA), and the president of the Global Institute for Sustainable Prosperity. He has recently served as Under-Secretary-General for Financing for Development at the Organisation of Southern Cooperation in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Dr. Kaboub is an expert on designing public policies to enhance monetary and economic sovereignty in the Global South, build resilience, and promote equitable and sustainable prosperity. His recent work focuses on Just Transition, Climate Finance, and transforming the global trade, finance, and investment architecture. His most recent co-authored publication is Just Transition: A Climate, Energy, and Development Vision for Africa (2023), published by an independent expert group. He has held a number of research affiliations with the Levy Economics Institute (NY), the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University (MA), the Economic Research Forum (Cairo), Power Shift Africa (Nairobi), and the Center for Strategic Studies on the Maghreb (Tunis). You can follow him on Twitter @FadhelKaboub and can reach him via email kaboubf@denison.edu
From the 3rd to 6th September, 2023, we the people of the great lands across Africa, including people from social movements and civil society, trade unions, women, young people, men, people living with disabilities, media organisations, faith-based groups and many others, gathered in Nairobi, Kenya and committed to this declaration on African climate and development priorities and demands.
This People’s assembly is happening concurrently with the first Africa Climate Summit (ACS). The ACS ought to have been the opportunity to put forward a real and progressive stance on African climate action and integrated development in a way that centres African solutions and strategies and breaks from the business as usual of Africa being a pawn in the plans of others. Instead it is a space that has been co-opted and captured by foreign interests and private sector greed who are using the summit to push their dangerous distractions and sell off African lands to the highest bidder in the name of “Green Growth” and carbon markets.
This Declaration outlines what Africa needs to pursue moving forward, it outlines what we as peoples need/commit to strive for, and what we demand our governments to do both domestically and in multilateral spaces such as COP28, IMF-WB meetings etc.
We recognise that if Africa doesn’t have a plan for our own destiny and future, we will continue be the subject of others’ plans, with continued exploitation, extraction and colonisation.
Realities we recognise
Africa is the least responsible for climate change…
contributing less than 4% of annual greenhouse gas emissions currently and less than 1% of cumulative historical emissions), but is the most vulnerable to climate-induced loss and damage to its lands, its crops, its infrastructure, and its peoples.
Africa has faced centuries of oppression….
…. and violation of rights of its people, communities and destruction of our nature and livelihoods, much of which has been done with the motivation of resource theft and extraction.
Africa faces immense climate induced challenges…
in the coming decades: we are already facing increased droughts, floods, famines, and crop failures. Hundreds of million Africans will face climate change induced displacement failing radical change – this will cause unmeasurable loss, suffering, conflict and ultimately societal break down.
We cannot secure climate justice within the boundaries of a broken system…
the existing neoliberal, authoritarian, extractive, neo-colonial, racist, patriarchal systems and societies that close civic space and do not ensure the human rights of all people and communities, particularly those who defend these rights.
We need a reversal of global financial flows…
meaningfully addressing the climate crisis requires reparations and financing in the order of trillions, not the billions which are promised (and remain undelivered); net global financial flows (including all trade, aid, debt, etc.) see flows of over $2 trillion going from Global South to Global North every year – this needs to be reversed as a requisite for real, meaningful, lasting change.
Principles we stand by
System change not climate change
We do not see climate change as a problem in isolation, nor as a simple equation of particles in the atmosphere, but rather as the result of a fundamentally broken system of power, politics, and economics which has put elite interests ahead of the people’s, and allowed the crossing of fundamental natural and social boundaries in the name of profit – this cannot be solved through technology changes alone but requires a fundamental systems change to our societies.
Radical change, not tranquilising gradualism
We cannot afford baby steps and edits around the edges – the scale and speed of change needed is unprecedented and cannot be achieved through incremental changes to fundamentally flawed systems.
Equity and historical responsibility
Rich nations have historical responsibilities for the climate crisis and should fulfil their obligations and fair shares, as per enshrined principles of ‘Common but Differentiated Rights and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC)’, They must reduce their emissions to real zero, but must also provide poorer nations the scale of financial support needed to address the crisis. There needs to be a global convergence of per capita material and energy use to sufficiency levels and well-being for all.
People power and community led solutions
Real solutions to climate change cannot be designed in boardrooms and ivory towers – they must come from genuine consultation with people and communities and must put people-centred (not profit-centred) goals at their core.
Equity, Justice & Equality
within our societies, and in our own movements, as regards gender, race, age, abilities, sexual orientation and any other area that manifest discrimination and abuse.
Human rights and protection of defenders
There can be no climate justice without human rights; we must work to protect people whose rights are being infringed, especially those facing persecution by governments and companies for their defense of communities, lands, and environmental integrity.
Free media and freedom of speech and opposition
Free media and free speech play a critical role in providing the information, oversight, and accountability necessary to root out the injustices of the dominant system – we cannot achieve system change without these fundamental freedoms being protected.
False solutions we reject
Fossil Fuels
Carbon Markets
Geoengineering
Green hydrogen
Distant and hollow Net zero targets
Dangerous new technologies and technofixes
Debt restructuring and incremental financial reforms
AFRICAN LEADERS NAIROBI DECLARATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
AND CALL TO ACTION
PREAMBLE
We, the African Heads of State and Government, gathered for the inaugural Africa Climate Summit (ACS) in Nairobi, Kenya, from 4th to 6th September 2023; in the presence of other global leaders, intergovernmental organizations, Regional Economic Communities, United Nations Agencies, private sector, civil society organizations, indigenous peoples, local communities, farmer organizations, children, youth, women and academia, hereby:
Recall, the Assembly Decisions (AU/Dec.723(XXXII), AU/Dec.764 (XXXIII) and AU/Dec.855(XXXVI)) requesting the African Union Commission to organize an African Climate Summit and endorsing the offer by the Republic of Kenya to host the Summit;
Commend the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) under the Leadership of H.E. President William Ruto in providing a unified approach and the required political leadership on a new African vision that pursues climate change and development agenda;
Take Note of the 6th Assessment Report (AR6) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), stating that the world is not on track to keeping within reach of, the 1.5°C limit agreed in Paris and that we must cut global emissions in this decade by 45%;
Aware that many African countries face disproportionate burdens and risks arising from unpredictable weather patterns including prolonged droughts and devastating floods which cause massive humanitarian crisis with detrimental impacts on economies, health, education, peace and security, as well as other related risks.
Concerned that AR6 IPCC report confirms that Africa is warming faster than the rest of the world and if unabated, Climate Change will continue having negative growth impact on African economies;
Further Concerned by the IPCC 6th Assessment report (IPCC AR6) that agricultural productivity growth in Africa has been reduced by 34% since 1961 due to climate change, more than any other region, and it will continue to negatively affect food systems in Africa.
Cognizant that African countries, despite their low contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions, are the least able to meet adaptation and mitigation costs;
Welcome efforts to operationalize the AU Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy and Action Plan 2022-2032 to enhance climate action at the continental, regional, sub-regional, national and sub-national levels;
CLIMATE FINANCE GAP
Note that limited fiscal space and social vulnerabilities are exacerbated by climate and disaster shocks impacting growth and development, and without substantial and timely interventions, governments will continue to face challenges in meeting their national development needs.
Acknowledge the UNFCCC’s recent analysis that developing countries require at least $6 trillion by 2030 to meet less than half of their existing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and confirmation by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that the actual flow of climate finance from developed to developing countries in 2020 was merely between $21 billion and $83.3 billion;
Concerned that access to affordable finance remains one of the biggest challenges to climate action and that climate finance continues to be predominantly delivered as loans, a large share of which has been non-concessional;
Deeply concerned that about 60% of low-income countries are in, or on the edge of, debt distress and are spending an estimated eight times more on debt servicing every year, undermining future resilience and growth prospects;
Underscore the need to address the financing gap and debt distress to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement and other climate change goals through a bold new vision that is devoid of division as well as economic growth and climate action;
Affirm the need to urgently scale up and improve access to affordable financing to address the threat of climate change.
AFRICA’S POTENTIAL TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION BY ACHIEVING CLIMATE POSITIVE GROWTH
Appreciate that climate change is the single greatest challenge facing humanity, and the single biggest threat to all life on earth;
Further recognize that climate change is a global problem, that requires a global solution, demanding urgent and concerted action by all nations in order to lower emissions and reduce the concentration of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere;
Emphasize Africa’s unique potential to be an essential part of the solution – with our massive untapped renewable energy potential, the world’s youngest and fastest growing workforce, and relevant natural assets, Africa has the fundamentals to become a cost-competitive green industrial hub;
Note that Africa has a unique opportunity to pursue a much less carbon-intensive development pathway, if matched with timely finance and technology at scale;
Recognize that realizing Africa’s potential to be part of the solution requires effort from both African countries and the global community, requiring African countries to develop economic strategies and enabling policy and regulation, and requiring the global community to provide fair and equitable market access for trade, and to avail sufficient appropriate finance to unlock these opportunities;
Affirm Africa’s commitment in Driving Green Growth and Climate Finance Solutions through deployment of untapped and underutilized potential in renewable energy, green transition minerals, uncultivated arable land, nature and carbon sinks;
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Welcome the COP 28 President designate’s call for governments to commit to double energy efficiency, triple renewable energy capacity to 11,000GW globally, and double hydrogen production to 180million tons a year by 2030;
Note that Africa’s untapped renewable energy potential, which is 50 times the global anticipated electricity demand by 2040, currently stands at over 10,000GW, and can play a significant role in keeping the rise in global temperatures within the 1.5°C objective set under the Paris Climate Change Agreement by 2050;
Underscore the fact that global renewable energy investments need to almost triple, from an average of just below USD 300 billion annually in 2013-2018 to almost USD 800 billion annually to keep the rise in global temperatures within the 1.5°C objective set under the Paris Climate Change Agreement by 2050;
Deeply Concerned that Africa, with substantial renewable energy potential, currently receives only 2 per cent of clean energy investments, and that the cost of capital for renewable energy projects in the continent could be seven times higher than in the developed world;
Emphasize the urgent need to provide electricity to the 600 million Africans without access to it, as well as enhance access to clean cooking fuels and technologies to over 900 million and reduce associated health impacts of black carbon;
Recognize the need for large-scale anchor industrial demand to improve the bankability of African renewable energy projects;
Further recognize the need to avail renewable energy at internationally competitive prices in order to realize Africa’s inherent potential to decarbonize global production and to grow low-emission local, regional and global supply chains;
Emphasize the need for a rapid increase in investment in renewable energy in Africa coupled with a recognition of the need to ensure, a just, fair and equitable energy transition that leaves no one behind;
Call upon our trading partners to design global trade mechanisms (including but not limited to the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) to allow products from Africa to compete on fair and equitable terms;
Urge governments to develop industry policies that incentivizes investment flows to locations that offer the best and fastest global climate returns.
Commit to:
Accelerate efforts to triple our renewable energy potential from the 2019 levels of 20% of the total installed electricity generation capacity to 60% by 2030;
Enhance our efforts to inter-connect the continent through on and off-grid renewable energy technologies and regional power pools to improve universal access to electricity by 2030, and enable just transition from fossil fuels within and outside the continent;
Remove systemic barriers across technology, infrastructure, policy, and institutional settings within our countries to create an enabling environment;
Promote the development of energy-intense industrial deployment as secure energy off-take improving the viability of renewable energy investment – including, inter alia:
production of green hydrogen production and derivatives
shift of energy-intensive primary processing of Africa’s raw material exports – agricultural and minerals
shift to electrification of African transport at scale
GREEN TRANSITION MINERALS
Cognizant of the fact that Africa, as the Continent with the most important green minerals holds the key for global energy transition;
Recognizing that acceleration of energy transition will increase the demand for the green transition minerals;
Deeply concerned that 70% of the Africa’s mineral exports are unprocessed commodities;
Noting with concern that despite being endowed with a variety of green transition minerals, the Continent has not been able to implement energy transition;
Invite investments in sustainable infrastructure, technology, processing, training and capacity building to tap the full benefits of the minerals’ value chain;
Commit to:
Provide enabling policies and incentives to attract local value addition of green transition minerals within the Continent;
Promote green industrialization on the Continent by facilitating the emergence and expansion of green industrial parks and Special Economic Zones for transition minerals.
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
Note that Africa has over 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, and has the potential to increase its food and agricultural production to feed its people and the world;
Concerned that Africa remains a net importer of staple foods such as cereals, vegetable oils, dairy products and meat;
Aware that 60 % of the population of sub-Saharan Africa is smallholder farmers which is mostly rain-fed, and about 23% of sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP comes from agriculture;
Concerned that there is limited progress made in agro-industries and agribusiness development, which hampers value addition and competitiveness of our products in trade, both local, regional, and international;
Cognizant that climate change has made agricultural development in Africa more challenging, and expected to get worse with accelerated warming;
Acknowledge that successive shocks to global food supply chains from external factors, such the COVID-19 pandemic, wars and conflicts, requires that Africa moves towards food sovereignty;
Note with concern that intra-regional trade in agricultural products in Africa is below 20%.
Commit to:
Double agricultural production and productivity by 2030 ;
Pursue efforts to increase investments at scale in climate-smart and regenerative agriculture that enhance adaptation particularly in food systems, infrastructure, and farm-input;
Boost Intra-African Trade in Agricultural commodities and services to create strong linkages with regional markets though the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA);
Invite private sector to invest in value addition of agricultural products;
Increase new infrastructure investments to provide market access and reduce risk.
NATURE AND CARBON SINKS
Appreciate growing awareness in the role of nature as carbon sinks and its potential in reducing global carbon emissions;
Acknowledge Africa’s role as one of the largest carbon sinks through the Congo forest and peatland, as well as, the potential in Africa’s savanna grasslands, mangroves, swamps, coral reefs and marine reserves;
Acknowledge the progress made by African countries in promoting land and ecosystem restoration through various initiatives and programmes, such as the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100) the Great Green Wall of the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative; the African Climate Commissions (African Islands, Congo Basin and the Sahel) and the Great Blue Wall Initiative;
Welcome the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 15) and commend the development of the Draft African Union Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (ABSAP) to guide AU member States in the implementation of the Post 2020 GBF;
Commit to:
Strengthen actions to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, deforestation, desertification, as well to restore degraded lands to achieve land degradation neutrality;
Urge all AU Member States to finalize and adopt the draft African Union Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (ABSAP) with the view of realizing the 2050 Vision of “Living in harmony with Nature”;
Ensure that at least 30% of African land and at least 30% of the African ocean and seas are conserved or protected by 2030;
Continue supporting small holders, indigenous peoples and local communities, who depend on various ecosystems for their livelihoods and have a key role in their stewardship;
Encourage African countries to develop their carbon market laws for environmental integrity, better benefit sharing arrangements and support their attainment of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE
Aware that African Countries are among the most vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change due to low adaptive capacity;
Further aware that climate change adaptation and resilience is key to sustained climate positive green growth;
Recognize the need for strengthening local, national and regional efforts in adaptation;
Acknowledge the need to develop adequate whole of government policies and new funding mechanism for Loss and Damage;
Note that African countries’ adaptation needs is estimated to be US$52.7 billion annually by 2030, against annual average flows of US$11.4 billion leaving a financing gap of US$41.3 billion.
Recognize the need for the integration of human mobility in climate action for sustained continental development in light of the adverse impacts of climate change contributing to displacement, migration and relocation, and the potential for insecurity and destabilization of the continent;
Commit to:
Identify, prioritize and mainstream adaptation into development policy-making and planning, including in the context of national plans;
Build effective partnership between Africa and other regions, to address the needs for adequate financial, technical and technological support and knowledge sharing for climate change adaptation;
Strengthen early warning, climate information services and early action to protect lives and assets and to inform long-term decision-making in climate change risks;
Embrace indigenous knowledge and citizen science in adaptation and early warning systems;
Enhance support to the most vulnerable particularly the marginalized/indigenous communities, the elderly, women, people living with disability and children.
HOW TO FINANCE OPPORTUNITIES
Take note of the on-going initiatives to reform the multilateral financial system and global financial architecture including the Bridgetown Initiative, the Accra-Marrakech Agenda, the UN Secretary General’s SDG Stimulus Proposal and the Paris Summit for a New Global Financial Pact;
Acknowledge the efforts by the international community to refine the G20 Common Framework for Debt Treatments to deliver timely, faster resolutions of debt distress, but note with concern that the effort are not sufficient and timely;
Call for a comprehensive and systemic response to the incipient developing country debt crisis outside of default frameworks in order to create the fiscal space that all developing countries need to finance development and climate action without sacrificing one for the other;
Endorse the proposals for a global tax regime to finance climate action at scale by crowding in and de-risking private capital, including but not limited to financial transactions tax (FTT) and emission levies on fossil fuel trade, aviation and maritime transport, and ring fencing of the resources and decision making from geopolitical and national interests.
CALL TO ACTION
We therefore, call upon other world leaders to appreciate that managing climate, will involve decarbonizing the globe, achieving climate positive green growth and moving the world to a low carbon development pathway;
Furthermore, we call upon the world leaders to recognize the potential that Africa has to be a solution to climate change thanks to its immense resource potential
We therefore declare as follows that:
ALL global leaders to join in and support our call for a new global tax regime to finance climate action at scale;
Development Partners from the global south and north align and coordinate their technical and financial resources to the continent towards sustainable utilization of Africa’s arable land, green transition minerals, renewable energy and carbon sinks, to facilitate climate positive green growth and low carbon development pathway to tame climate change;
Establish a new financing architecture that is responsive to Africa’s needs including debt restructuring and relief;
African Union Commission develops an implementation framework and roadmap for this Declaration and mobilize resources to support this process;
African Union to make Climate Change an AU theme for the Year 2025 or 2026 and adopt the Africa Climate Summit as a biennial event convened by African Union and hosted by AU Member States, to monitor the outcomes of this declaration and Africa’s Progress on Climate Change;
This Declaration serves as a basis for Africa’s common position in the global climate change process to COP 28 and beyond.
ADOPTED by African Heads of State and Government and high-level representatives of the African Union on 6 September 2023 in Nairobi Kenya.
We, representatives of CSOs across Africa, wish to commend your leadership in hosting the inaugural Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi this month. You have demonstrated strong leadership to promote Africa’s interests on the global arena, and this summit could not have come at a better time.
The world is eagerly waiting for this conference, which must deliver ambitious commitments for climate adaptation and climate finance, including loss and damage.
For the world to decisively respond to the climate crisis, these instruments are crucial.
For decades, Mr President, despite its critical place in the discourse, climate adaptation has been sidelined in the multilateral climate agenda. Interventions in adaptation have been reactive, incremental, piecemeal and grossly insufficient.
This implementation gap, unfortunately, is widening. Time is also running out. This must change if the world hopes to cope with the global climate emergency. We implore you to set a precedent by championing a strong climate adaptation agenda at the Summit.
As the Chairperson of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCS), you bear the responsibility for anchoring Africa on a new path. The ACS, under your leadership, must mark the genesis of this new journey.
Coming only months before COP28, the Nairobi summit offers a unique opportunity to develop and rally the continent behind an alternative African climate and development vision. A vision that reminds the world that Africa’s Just Transition pathways to climate adaptation and resilience is urgent.
Specifically, this summit must:
Place Africa’s Adaptation needs at the top of its agenda
A the summit, African leaders must unanimously take a firm position that:
Clearly articulates the urgency of Africa’s adaptation needs
Advocates for the integration of adaptation into the scope of the Just Transition Work Programme to achieve parity with mitigation
Ensures the Global Stocktake at COP28 recognises the link between adaptation and sustainable development goals
Recognises that principles of equity, justice, rights-based approaches, and social vulnerability underpin and drive Africa’s climate and development vision for a Just Transition to climate adaptation and resilience.
Prioritises Africa’s agriculture, food systems, agroecology and support for smallholder farmers as a critical adaptation interventions
Secures, protects, and advances land rights and security of tenure of farmers, pastoralists, women, Indigenous groups, and other vulnerable groups in order to enhance their resilience, sustain their livelihoods, and protect biodiversity.
Push for momentum on the Global Goal on Adaptation – GGA
Africa must push for more political momentum towards agreement on global science-based targets whose support has been limited so far. Africa’s leadership must collectively take a position on GGA that promotes an ambitious and effective goal that is easy to communicate, holistic, and globally applicable, while assuring the requisite means of implementation and support for the most vulnerable is one that unites Africans. The goal must also recognise the importance of ecosystems and scaled up finance in line with the temperature goal and needs of developing countries. The position must support the development of targets for priority sectors such as water, food and agriculture, sustainable cities, health, land use and biodiversity.
Drastic increase in Adaptation Finance
Mr President, climate impacts in Africa have and will continue to increase in frequency and intensity in the future. Addressing the adaptation financing gap, therefore, demands immediate attention.
To this end, climate finance commitments, particularly on climate adaptation made under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) , the Paris Agreement and in Glasgow must be delivered urgently.
More importantly, this summit must aggressively push for the reform of the global financial architecture in a manner that places adaptation finance as the principal priority for these reforms. The overhaul must increase the scale of climate finance, boost access to the finance and recognise the need for concessional finance, notably grants.
The summit must also advocate for incentives and favourable, fit-for-purpose financing options for Africa, namely, tax waivers, debt write-offs, green credits, and other options that meet the adaptation needs of developing countries. Along with incentives, quality finance is also key. The summit must advocate for finance that is fair, does not increase debt, unbiased, flexible, locally led, and meets local needs
The finance must flow to African institutions, including the African Adaptation Initiative and other community-led resilience building efforts. This Adaptation Finance must also be trackable and involve communities from design to implementation.
Africa requires up to $86 billion per annum by 2030 to deal with climate shocks. Heads of government at the summit must strongly call for provision of additional financial support to Africa, by identifying new sources and doubling of adaptation finance by wealthy nations.
Loss & Damage
The climate conversation is incomplete without discussion on payment for the loss and damage that Africa and other vulnerable countries have and will continue to suffer. The summit must emphasise the need for a full-spectrum approach to L&D finance to cover both economic and non-economic impacts of climate change.
Global North countries must repay colonial and climate debt to African countries in line with the principles of historical responsibility and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC).
It must also advocate for the full operationalisation and capitalisation of the new Loss and Damage Fund by providing new and additional resources that do not generate debt.
Access to this fund by frontline communities and civil society organisations is as critical as having the fund in place. The Nairobi summit must fiercely call for this.
To be truly a success, the Summit must yield concrete actions and outcomes. Africa’s civil society movement is willing to engage beyond the summit for us to realise a transformative and resilient future for Africa and the betterment of humanity and the planet.
Mr President, in your hands is a lifetime opportunity to steer the climate discourse towards a new and historic trajectory. Doing this will have Africa remember you for generations to come.
CC:
Chair, African Union (AU) Commission
Chair, African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN)
AFRICA CLIMATE SUMMIT: NON-STATE ACTORS DEMANDS AND RED-LINES This Statement outlines the perspectives of the Non-State Actors on what the African Climate Summit must accomplish, contentious issues African leaders should not compromise and the essential elements for the ideal Summit outcomes that reflects the desires and aspirations of the African people. It is informed by collective and profound reflections from diverse groups across the African continent, traversing language, cultures and regions.
The Statement acknowledges the remarkable efforts of different Actors and groups both in government and civic spaces to advance a truly and legitimate Africa-driven, Africa-owned process at the Africa Climate Summit, and supports any initiative, whether inside or outside the process, which advocates for people-centered, inclusive and transparent outcomes of the Summit.
A couple of days ago, a petition signed by hundreds of groups across Africa was sent to the Chair of CAHOSCC and the Host of the Africa Climate Summit, raising various concerns, some of them outlined in this statement. We join such groups and others to urge the Government of Kenya and the African Union to seriously reflect on the issues raised and accord them the attention they deserve!
As Non-State Actors, we are deeply concerned about the impacts of the climate crisis on our continent and its people. We are witnessing the devastating effects of climate-fueled droughts, floods, cyclones, desertification, food insecurity, displacement, and conflicts. We are also aware of the historical and current responsibilities of the developed countries in causing and exacerbating this crisis and, in defiance to science and climate justice, their failure to provide adequate support to the most vulnerable countries and communities. The Africa Climate Summit (ACS), scheduled for September 4 – 6, 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya, is a unique opportunity for the continent, through its leaders, to raise the urgency of addressing the climate emergency and protecting the rights and livelihoods of its citizens. It is also an opportunity to build momentum and solidarity for the African agenda at COP28 and beyond by highlighting African countries’ common interests and aspirations in achieving a low-carbon, climate-resilient, and inclusive development. We have been steadfast in advocating for a fair, ecologically-just and equitable transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient future that respects the rights and dignity of all people. In the past several weeks, we held direct and indirect engagements with the Kenyan Government, the African Union Commission and the larger ClimDev-Africa Initiative under the auspices of an independent and voluntary Non-State Actors’ Committee, which was established to ensure that the Summit reflects the voices and aspirations of African people. Despite these engagements and the evidence provided by the latest science, we are worried that the Summit may fall short of what Africans truly aspire as the outcomes to safeguard current and future generations. We however believe that it is still not late, and President Ruto, the African Union and all leaders across Africa will put their hears down and keenly listen to their loud voices expressing concerns about some aspects of the Summit. To this end, we have outlined a set of demands or red-lines that we expect the African leaders to uphold and champion at the summit:
Virtual participants
Stand by the principles of climate justice, human rights, gender equality, and inter-generational equity in all climate policies and actions. We reiterate that climate policies and actions measures should not only aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change but also to ensure that they are consistent with the principles of climate justice, human rights, gender equality, and inter-generational equity. Therefore, we demand that all conversations and ultimate decisions of the Summit must:
Respect, protect, and fulfil the human rights of all people, especially those left vulnerable and marginalized by the effects of climate change, such as indigenous peoples, women, children, persons with disabilities, and poor communities. Promote fair, just and equitable distribution of the benefits and burdens of climate action, both within and between countries, taking into account historical responsibility, capacity, and different levels of development. Empower women and girls as agents of change and leaders in climate action, ensuring their full, equal, and meaningful participation in decision-making processes at all levels and addressing the gender-specific impacts of climate change on their lives and livelihoods. Secure the rights and interests of present and future generations, ensuring they have access to a healthy and sustainable environment, adequate resources, and opportunities to thrive in a low-carbon, ecologically-just and climate-resilient world. Reject false solutions and narratives that undermine African communities’ rights, interests and sovereignty, such as carbon markets, geoengineering, nuclear energy, and the deceiptful principle of shared responsibilities. We caution African leaders that some proposals or actions claim to address the climate crisis. In reality, they either have no significant impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions or, worse, have negative social and environmental consequences. These proposals are promoted by powerful interests that benefit from maintaining the status quo of fossil fuel dependence, and they divert attention and resources from the real solutions that are urgently needed. In this regard, we demand that African leaders and stakeholders must:
Critically examine the claims and evidence behind any proposed solution. They must make it a duty to the African people to ask questions such as: Who is promoting it and why? What are the assumptions and uncertainties involved? How does it affect the root causes and drivers of greenhouse gas emissions? What are the potential trade-offs and co-benefits for other environmental and social issues? Are they science-based or do they align with the principles of climate justice and human rights? Press for and uphold transparent and participatory decision-making processes involving diverse stakeholders and perspectives; ensuring that the voices of those most affected by climate change and its solutions are heard and respected; and supporting the development and implementation of solutions that are based on sound science, local knowledge, and community empowerment. Show courage in confronting the systemic changes needed to address climate change effectively, recognising that false climate solutions often serve to maintain the status quo and protect the interests of powerful actors who benefit from the current system. Challenge the dominant narratives and paradigms that enable and justify false solutions, such as those denying historical responsibilities for the climate crisis, turning regional and global dialogues into investment forums, claiming equal or shared responsibility for climate action and dismissing African demands for justice as victim-playing.
Reject the promotion of carbon markets that are not responsive and do not serve the climate justice imperatives for Africa.
Commit to a just and equitable transition to renewable energy, ensuring that energy access is prioritized for the poor and marginalized and that community ownership and participation are guaranteed. We reiterate that Africa’s just energy transition (JET) must be Africanised. We recognize that different countries and groups of people have different needs, capacities and aspirations in energy and that these must be considered in the design and implementation of energy policies and projects. We, therefore, demand that the summit upholds the following JET principles:
Recognizing the diversity and heterogeneity of African countries and regions and respecting their sovereignty and self-determination in defining their energy pathways. Ensuring that the energy transition is aligned with the African Union Agenda 2063, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement and contributes to poverty eradication, social justice, human development and sustainable industrialization. Promoting a participatory and inclusive approach that engages all relevant actors, especially women, youth, indigenous peoples and marginalized groups, in designing, implementing and monitoring the energy transition policies and projects. Supporting the development of local capacities, skills and innovations and fostering regional cooperation and integration to enhance the competitiveness and resilience of African economies in the global energy market. Balancing the trade-offs and synergies between environmental, social and economic objectives and ensuring that the costs and benefits of the energy transition are equitably distributed among and within countries. Addressing the historical injustices and inequalities that have resulted from exploiting fossil fuels in Africa and drumming adequate compensation, rehabilitation and restitution for the affected communities and ecosystems. Enhancing the access, affordability, and reliability of modern energy services for all Africans, especially those living in rural and Peri-urban areas, and prioritizing decentralized, community-owned and managed renewable energy solutions. Strengthening the governance, transparency and accountability mechanisms at all levels and ensuring that evidence-based decision-making, human rights standards and the rule of law guide the energy transition.
Demand that developed countries fulfil their historical responsibility and provide adequate and predictable finance, technology transfer, and capacity building to support adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage in Africa. We demand that the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities must continue to guide global climate action and underpin the common African position. For this reason, we call on the summit to uphold the following priorities for Africa in its decisions and engagement with global and regional stakeholders.
Securing adequate, flexible, and predictable needs-based finance for adaptation, loss and damage and mitigation actions, especially from developed countries with historical responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions. Such finance must be primarily public-sourced, new and additionally to official development assistance and in the form of grants and other non-loan instruments. The Summit must aim to lay a foundation that will rally for the conclusion of the discussions on the New Collective and Quantified Goal on climate finance during the COP28 in Dubai. Working to complete and adopt the framework for the Global Goal on Adaptation at COP 28. The summit must press for increasing adaptation finance to Africa by more than double and ensuring it is needs-based and reaches communities at the forefront of the climate crisis. Enhancing access to transferred and homegrown technology and capacity building to enable African countries to implement low-carbon development strategies and cope with climate risks. Promoting equity and justice in the allocation of emission reduction targets and the distribution of climate benefits, considering the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. Supporting regional cooperation and integration to foster collective action and leverage synergies among African countries on climate issues. Continue to advance for shared and collective accountability in country’s leadership in the implementation of AU Mandate. We call on African countries implementing AU mandate to pursue this in an inclusive and consultative manner and on AU to ensure the process of country (and sub-national and locally-led) leadership has sufficient inbuilt mechanisms of states and citizens participation. For avoidance of doubt, we emphasis that vision/s to guide such processes must be collective rather than individual. In this regard:
a. Expedite open consultations on proposed outcome document with all government entities for review, input and their contribution.
b.Promote to the greatest extent possible participation and sharing of all critical documents, including its draft resolutions.
Put the African people above all personal and collective political and economic interests. We call on our leaders to listen to the voices of their people, especially the youth, women, indigenous peoples, smallholder producers, workers, and other vulnerable groups, who are bearing the brunt of the climate impacts. We remind them they have a moral and legal obligation to protect our shared future and home. They must muster the courage to:
Reject anti-African proposals that increase climate risks for people and transfer undue burdens of addressing the climate crisis to African countries and people already suffering the adverse impacts of the debts, global inequality in the distribution of wealth and other challenges. Resist attempts by the developing nations, through their corporate and non-profit agents, to hijack the African narrative and continue to define priorities and courses of action for the continent. Promote a collective African vision, informed by all stakeholders’ aspirations, and resist any attempts by individuals to impose their narrow stance on Africa’s place in the global climate dialogue on the rest of the continent. Advance for a Nairobi declaration, whose spirit and content will not compromise Africa’s interests and position in global negotiations at any given time.
We remain committed to advancing the common good of Africa. We are eager to collaborate with the Kenyan government, the African Union Commission and other stakeholders to ensure that the Africa Climate Summit prioritises Africa’s needs and promotes African leadership in tackling the international dialogues and global conversations on climate emergency.
Nairobi Kenya, 17 August 2023.
The Africa Climate Summit – Non State Actors Steering Committee (ACS-NSA) is a Platform that strives for advancement for a pro-African agenda in all key climate spaces. With its Secretariat supported by PACJA, and organized into clusters, the ACS-NSA draws its members drawn from regional CSOs, Indigenous People, Faith Actors, Trade Unions, African Private Sector, Farmer Organizations, Women and Gender Constituency, Academia and Research Institutions, Foundations and Finance Institutions, organizations working on Conservation and Nature Based Solutions or Youth organization.
PHwakawaka 