Wednesday’s historic African climate summit came to a close with the adoption of a declaration that emphasized the continent’s potential as a green powerhouse, according to Kenyan President William Ruto.
“We march on with the Nairobi declaration,” said Ruto, bringing the three-day conference to a close.
He had pushed for a change in the discussion’s tone, concentrating on Africa’s transition to renewable energy despite the continent’s ongoing calamities caused by climate change.
“This declaration will serve as a basis for Africa’s common position in the global climate change process,” the final version of the document seen by AFP said.
The G20 meeting in New Delhi this weekend is one of several important gatherings that will lead to a crucial UN climate summit beginning in November, analysts believe.
The declaration calls for “a new financing architecture that is responsive to Africa’s needs including debt restructuring and relief”, as frustration mounts over the high cost of financing on the continent.
It also asks rich carbon polluters to honour long-standing climate pledges to poorer nations and urges world leaders to back a proposed “carbon tax on fossil fuel trade, maritime transport and aviation”.
Although the 54-nation continent is extremely vulnerable to the escalating effects of climate change, the summit’s main demands were to open up funding for clean energy.
“A new Africa is there and it means business,” Ruto said.
The summit saw funding pledges worth $23 billion “for green growth, mitigation and adaptation efforts” across the continent, he said.
At the COP28 negotiations in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates, where the globe will assess the as-yet-inadequate efforts to reduce emissions that contribute to global warming, competing views of the future of energy are expected to be on display.
