Fair Climate Transition - Episode 2 - Series 2024

Africa at COP29: What’s at Stake and How to Obtain it

Dubbed the ‘Finance COP’, the upcoming climate summit in Azerbaijan is seemingly being overlooked by many who are already preparing for next year’s milestone COP30 in Brazil. Not so for Africa!

With public debt spiralling and the cost of living affecting hundreds of millions of Africans across the continent, sustainability is a hard sell domestically at the moment. African governments, businesses and civil society are fully aligned that Africa must take a differentiated path adapted to local realities, with African prosperity-creation on par with climate resilience and carbon neutrality. So, if Africa is expected to slow its emissions growth and safeguard its carbon sinks, then the essential investments into green energy and infrastructure must largely be financed by ‘wealthy nations’.

• What are the obstacles to unlocking and disbursing climate finance for Africa?
• It’s the economy, stupid: how can a joint African stance at COP29 ensure that outcomes serve both growth and green ambitions?
• Time is money: The reality is that many countries have domestic priorities which suggest they won’t pay up anytime soon. Can Africa play hardball?