Africa must take charge of its climate destiny at COP29

BY JAMES KAHONGEH AND JUMA IGNATIUS 

In under 50 days, the world will converge in Baku, Azerbaijan, for COP29 with the shared ambition of making the world a better place to live.

But as the climate summit fast approaches, an important question lingers: will finance finally come to the continent most ravaged by the crisis? Or will this be another moment of monumental failure for Africa?

Baku has been branded the ‘‘finance COP’’. This makes the next few weeks a watershed moment for humanity and life on the planet. Hope is palpable that this COP will address Africa and the Global South’s funding needs to adapt to climate change.

For African leaders, the question is whether the continent can muster resources internally and mobilise the political push required to confront the climate challenge in the event Baku falls short.

The answer lies, partly, in recognising and harnessing the significant financial potential within Africa itself. A solid starting point would be to deal with illicit financial flows (IFFs). Our continent loses an estimated $88.6 billion annually to IFFs, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

This is more than twice what Africa received ($35 billion) in official development assistance (ODA) from international donors in 2021. This means Africa loses twice as much through IFFs as it receives as aid.

Blocking these IFFs would help to protect millions of dollars that could significantly finance development and climate action, including adaptation. This would also ease Africa’s reliance on external aid for climate interventions.

If illicit financial flows are the serpent that siphons Africa’s critical resources, corruption is the dragon that devours it all. For years, the frightful level of graft in many African countries has been the highlight of the Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International. Indeed, the African Union estimates that Africa loses more than $148 billion (Sh19 trillion) annually to corruption.

For a continent that requires $53 billion in adaptation financing annually, these embezzled resources would build resilience and strengthen the adaptative capacity of its people nearly three times more.

So, is there a way out of corruption? It is hardly ever an easy question to answer. But to protect precious resources to combat the climate crisis, African leaders must put their foot down.

Strengthening governance institutions is non-negotiable. Holding corrupt leaders accountable is imperative. In this dispensation, transparency will be the heartbeat.

These actions are not just about saving money. It is about human rights and the survival of communities on the climate frontline. It is also about developing systems that ensure resources are channeled to and reach those who need them.

But if Africa is going to be truly in the driving seat of its climate destiny, its leaders must exercise deliberateness to implement agreements made in the interest of the continent and its people. The 2014 Malabo Declaration, for instance, is a prime example of how lofty goals can fall short without a deliberate follow-through.

This declaration aimed to end hunger and enhance agricultural growth in Africa by 2025. African Union (AU) member states committed to allocating at least 10 percent of their national budgets to agriculture and rural development. For Kenya, this would be about Sh400 billion in the current financial year.

Nearly a decade later, however, this target remains unmet, underscoring the widening gap between ambition and action. In most African countries, little investment is made to develop agriculture and to boost food security.

Ironically, though, our leaders brag about agriculture being the ‘‘backbone’’ of our economy. Politicians must put money where their mouth is.

For a continent whose population is growing at an average of 2.4 percent per year, this means more mouths to feed. To then lose 34 out of 100 bags of maize harvest in just over 60 years of farming is a climatic and food security tragedy.

This is the enormity of the climate crisis, as shown by the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This means under the current climate trajectory, we will have lost more than two-thirds of our agricultural yields in the next 50 years.

The decline is not just a number. It is a missed opportunity to feed our people, to create jobs and secure decent livelihoods for Africans.

Honouring multilateral commitments such as the Malabo Declaration and translating them into real and measurable outcomes at home is the first step towards adapting to climate change.

Policy declarations are commendable. But to implement policy and monitor the progress of action is the triumphant course Africa should aspire to.

In the same breath, taking ownership of the climate challenge is essential. African nations must recognise that while they did not create the climate crisis, they are among the most vulnerable to its impacts. This vulnerability should not translate into helplessness. Instead, it should fuel the determination to find solutions.

This means integrating climate adaptation into national development plans, investing in climate-resilient infrastructure and prioritising sustainable practices that protect our people and the planet.

Africans must also recognise that wealthy nations will always prioritise investments that benefit them. They will do it again in Baku. This leaves Africa to fend for itself and to suffer the consequences of a problem it did not cause. Nothing happens purely out of altruism. This, unfortunately, is the harsh reality of international diplomacy.

This explains the cat and mouse games the Global North has long played in the climate finance discourse. Today, multiple climate finance pledges remain unmet. Where finance has been provided, it has either come too late or with conditions. This makes it difficult to roll out life-saving interventions among Africa’s frontline communities.

The persistent neglect of climate responsibility must make Africa pivot its approach to climate negotiations and plot its destiny. We cannot afford another COP where tokenism takes center stage. This happened at COP28 in Dubai, where the Loss and Damage fund was made operational, albeit with meager pledges.

The continent must also redefine its narrative on the global stage. We cannot remain passive victims of climate change. This portrayal does not help our case. After all, we have natural resources, innovation and an abundance of human capital.

From renewable energy potential to agroecology and nature-based solutions, Africa has a lot to offer to the world. With these ingredients of development and climate action, Africa can become the global leader and exporter of climate solutions rather than a continent dependent on aid.

But to do this, Africa must take ownership of its climate and development future. COP29 presents the first real opportunity for us to establish ourselves in the global space.

We cannot fumble.

Juma Ignatius is a climate adaptation and resilience programmes associate at Power Shift Africa

James Kahongeh is a climate journalist and the communications lead at Power Shift Africa