The Africa Climate Summit next week is shaping up to be a defining moment for the continent and the world, according to a joint statement released today by the UN Climate Change and the Government of Ethiopia.
“Africa is ready to supercharge climate action, but COP30 must ensure Africa is fully enabled to do so,” the statement said. Issued at Climate Week on 4 September 2025, it comes as nations prepare for COP30 in Brazil this November.
The announcement, from H.E. Dr. Fitsum Assefa, Ethiopia’s Minister of Planning and Development, and Mr. Simon Stiell, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, sets the stage for the Africa Climate Summit, which begins on Monday, 8 September, in Addis Ababa.
“This Climate Week has shown that no continent holds greater potential than Africa for climate actions that transform lives and economies. With the world’s youngest population, vast natural resources, unparalleled renewable energy potential, and extraordinary diversity and human ingenuity, Africa is a colossal coiled spring of climate action possibility,” the statement said.
Global Agreements and Africa’s Opportunity
Recent COPs have delivered tangible agreements that could benefit Africa and other developing nations.
Among them are the historic Loss and Damage Fund at COP27, clean energy just transitions, COP28’s global adaptation goal, tripled climate finance to developing countries targeting $1.3 trillion annually by 2035, and operational carbon markets at COP29.
Yet, the joint statement stressed, these commitments must now translate into concrete results on the ground.
“African innovators are putting forward pioneering solutions to boost resilience and cut planet-heating emissions. But only a fraction of this potential has been realized. Global decarbonisation is surging, with $2 trillion invested in clean energy last year alone, yet Africa captures only a small share,” the statement said.
COP30, the leaders argue, must deliver ambitious outcomes that turn agreements into results and scalable solutions, advancing a new era of implementation.
“When all nations are empowered to take bold climate actions, this strengthens the entire global economy and lifts all 8 billion people,” the statement concluded.
Ethiopia Bids to Host COP32
During Climate Week, Ethiopia also announced its bid to host COP32 in 2027.
“We have the capacity, the facilities, the location, the connectivity to host the much-anticipated climate summit,” Ethiopian President H.E. Taye Atske-Selassie said.
The announcement capped a productive Climate Week, attended by delegates from 119 countries and hundreds of representatives from NGOs, investors, and international organizations.
From Innovation to Implementation
Climate Week featured over 40 initiatives in workshops and “implementation labs,” showcasing solutions ready to be scaled.
“Climate Week has been about connecting the international climate process to people’s daily lives,” said Noura Hamladji, UN Climate Change Deputy Executive Secretary.
“From mini-grids in Kenyan communities to green bonds in Morocco and digital platforms tracking ambition across the continent, we’ve seen climate action that is profitable, scalable, and irreversible.”
The week also advanced discussions on key COP30 issues, including adaptation, finance pathways, and just transitions.
Clustered meetings and a solutions-focused approach also delivered cost efficiencies, bringing negotiation and real-world implementation closer together.
Ethiopia’s Role as a Hub for Climate Leadership
Ethiopia’s leadership in hosting Climate Week drew praise.
H.E. Dr Fitsum Assefa said:
“By gathering here for Climate Week, a global platform for Parties and non-Party stakeholders, we reaffirm Addis Ababa’s role as a hub of the Global South, a place where ideas are exchanged, partnerships forged, and practical solutions launched.”
“This Climate Week is not just an event. It is a bridge between negotiation and implementation. It is where ambition meets action, where commitments reach communities, restore ecosystems, and advance sustainable development.”
Building Momentum for the Second Africa Climate Summit
The Climate Week was deliberately timed to boost momentum for the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2). Next week, leaders will convene in Addis Ababa to demonstrate unity, urgency, and purpose.
The summit will allow Africa to project climate leadership on a global stage, setting the tone for COP30.
“Each region has its own challenges and solutions. This high-level ministerial event convened by the COP29 Presidency within Climate Week in Africa will serve as an important space for in-depth engagement on Africa’s core challenges, with a focus on solutions through effective actions,” said Mukhtar Babayev, President of COP29 in Azerbaijan.
As Africa positions itself at the center of climate innovation, the summit and Climate Week underline a critical message: empowering African nations is essential to achieving global climate goals.
