The African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) has reaffirmed its position, highlighting adaptation and climate finance as its top priorities.
The 29th session of the Conference of Parties (COP29) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) opened Monday in Baku.
In keeping with the conference whose theme is ‘In solidarity for a Green World,’ AGN Chair, Ali Mohamed underscored the importance of adaptation and climate finance, pointing out that the group has a clear mandate from its leaders to ensure fruitful outcomes on the two agenda items, in solidarity with the continent’s 1.4 billion people.
“As Africa, we will be firm for COP29 to deliver on climate finance and adaptation, regardless of the circumstances surrounding our participation and who we are as a group,” said Ambassador Mohamed in his statement.
He noted that AGN is representing the aspirations of 1.4 billion Africans and that they will ensure that they do not fail.
“We have a clear mandate from our leaders that the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on Climate finance must align with actual transition costs faced by developing nations, as the current frameworks substantially underestimate the capital required for nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) implementation across the continent,” he said.
With a proposed quantum of USD 1.3 trillion as the minimum annual threshold for climate finance, the African Group has continued to stress the importance of delivering climate resources through concessional instruments and grants, as current market-rate mechanisms have proven wholly insufficient for addressing the scale of adaptation as well as the loss and damage responses required across Africa.
“For us in Africa, adaptation means agriculture support, resilient water infrastructure, and universal health coverage for all, amidst an increased climate-induced disease burden, among other necessary development support. We are therefore not treating our development needs as a separate subject from climate adaptation, which cuts across all our development needs in key sectors,” emphasized the AGN Chair.
He highlighted the urgent need for enhanced climate financing and inclusion of health within the UNFCCC space in a more structured way.
“The Africa Group is alive to the urgent need for enhanced climate financing support, with particular emphasis on grant-based and other non-debt-burdening financing models for the health sector in Africa. We believe it is also about time for the health sector’s inclusion and active participation within the UNFCCC space, in a more structured way,” said Amb. Mohamed.
In addition to adaptation and finance, other priority areas for the African group include the critical need for formal recognition of Africa’s special circumstances under the Paris Agreement, highlighting the asymmetry between the continent’s minimal emissions (4 per cent of global emissions) and disproportionate vulnerability to climate impacts, mainly seen in agriculture, water, energy and health sectors.
Others are the push for the Just Transition work programme to reflect Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC) principles in its operational frameworks; the call for the operationalisation of the Fund for Loss and Damage to support African countries in coping with the irreversible impacts of climate change and aid in the recovery of affected communities; and the finalisation of rules for carbon markets that are robust and deliver environmental integrity and the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement.
COP29 President, Mukthar Babayev said that COP29 is the unmissable moment that can chart a new path forward for everyone. “We know the needs are in the trillions. These numbers may sound big, but they are nothing compared to the cost of inaction.”
Simon Stiell, UNFCCC Executive Secretary, said all governments must agree to a new goal for international climate finance that truly responds to the needs of developing countries.
“It is not my job to prejudge what the new goal will look like. But it is clear public finance must be at the core,” Stiell added.
The African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) is a technical body of the three-tier African negotiating structure that engages in the technical negotiations during the Conferences of the Parties (COPs) and the intersessional negotiations on Climate Change.
The current AGN Chair, Ali Mohammed, is also the special envoy on Climate Change at the Office of the President of the Republic of Kenya.
By Wangari Ndirangu
