Why Africa’s Voice on Climate and Conflict Matters More Than Ever

Nov 15, 2024 | Nazanine Moshiri and Liesl Louw-Vaudran
View Original

African climate negotiators at the COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan have delivered a clear and urgent message – climate diplomacy must hold steady amid escalating global crises, from wars in Gaza and Ukraine to political shifts in the US. Africa faces a staggering $2.5trn climate financing gap by 2030. African leaders demand renewed commitments to the Paris Agreement that seeks to limit global warming to 1.5°C and money from developed countries that have historically been the world’s biggest polluters.

The continent accounts for about 4% of greenhouse gas emissions and has contributed only a negligible amount of carbon dioxide that is warming the planet’s atmosphere. But climate change is not just an environmental problem. It can also contribute to conflict, for example when changing rainfall patterns make land less arable in areas where farmers compete for water and land. Well aware of these risks, the African Union (AU) is working to finalise a Common African Position on Climate, Peace and Security, a consensus document endorsed by the 55 member states.