Yaoundé, 20 September – As COP29 approaches in Azerbaijan, African negotiators have been urged to seize the moment to secure equitable climate finance for the continent. Greenpeace Africa and climate justice movements have presented a document to the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) demanding a push for an ambitious, needs-based climate finance framework.
Sylvie Michele Ongbassomben, Forest Campaign Project Lead at Greenpeace Africa said:
‘The recent data is chilling. Between July and August 2024, the Far North region was repeatedly flooded. More than 8,000 houses were destroyed, affecting around 160,000 people. Many children are at risk of having a difficult school year as a result of these floods. In addition, nearly 3,000 hectares of plantations were destroyed, a catastrophe for Cameroon where, according to the government, by 2023 nearly 3 million people will be acutely food insecure. This news item, which adds to the already long list of losses and damage caused by climate change, is proof enough of the urgent need to secure funds to curb the effects of climate change’.
Among the key Demands presented to African negotiators are calls for a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) that prioritizes increased public climate finance, backed by a Climate Damages Tax (CDT) on fossil fuel extraction to generate the necessary funds. The campaigners also demanded for public and debt-free financing which would avoid further burdening Africa’s economies. They also rejected support for fossil fuel production and other dangerous distractions that prolong the climate crisis.
Firida Debora, a young woman from Yagoua in the far north of Cameroon, said:
‘It’s the start of the new school year in Cameroon, and nearly 100 schools have remained closed in the north, where I come from. In Yagoua, where I live, at least 13,000 people have been affected by the floods. Over the years, the situation has worsened and is of great concern. In the North, education for young girls is not a priority, and when natural disasters strike, the situation becomes even more complex. Education is a fundamental right, and no child should be excluded from it’.
One of the key measures for solving the thorny problem of adapting to climate change is to secure funds from the appropriate financial institutions.
Hervé, Makebel an expert in climate finance, head of the Climate Department of Jeunes Volontaires Cameroun and a member of the Climate Justice Movement, said:
‘The time to act is now. Financing is the lifeblood of climate action and Africa’s survival, and fortunately it exists and is available. It is up to us to go and get it. We just need to build the capacity of organizations and other stakeholders through training and experience sharing. We should also continue to argue in favour of reducing the complexity of the procedures for accessing this funding’.
As COP29 approaches, Greenpeaace African urges negotiators to advocate for a finance plan that genuinely addresses Africa’s climate challenges. Wealthy nations and fossil fuel companies must contribute their fair share, supporting Africa’s transition to a sustainable future.
This is the moment for action. Finance is the lifeblood of Africa’s climate action and survival.
For more information, please contact:
Luchelle Feukeng, Communication and Storytelling Manager
Email: [email protected]
Greenpeace Africa Pressdesk: