AFRICA @COP30: AGN STANDS FIRM ON CLIMATE FINANCE FOR ADAPTATION

Climate finance has remained Africa’s, and other developing parties’ top priority at climate negotiations. Why? Because climate fiancé is the most important means of implementation without which the other two (technology transfer and capacity building) cannot be achieved, ultimately suffocating overall climate action.

At COP30, African negotiators have been highlighting the importance of Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement—a legal obligation requiring developed countries to provide financial resources to developing countries for climate mitigation and adaptation efforts, building on existing obligations under the Convention.

The article is a key point of discussion in climate finance negotiations, with developing countries arguing for its full implementation and developed countries often resisting focused discussions on this specific legal requirement.

Additionally, African negotiators have been calling for:

• A clear alignment between financing flows and the ambition reflected in countries’ next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0);

• Concrete steps to operationalise US$1.3 trillion annually by 2030 and the US$300 billion climate finance goal;

• Predictable, equitable funding through public grants and highly concessional loans;

• Transparent accounting under Article 9.5 and Biennial Transparency Reports;

• Support for implementing NDCs and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), which already draw on domestic resources amounting to up to 5% of Africa’s GDP; and

• A replenishment plan for the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD).

As negotiations enter the final and crucial phase, Julius Karanja, one of the AGN Lead Negotiators on Climate Finance shares the state of play, highlighting what is stake for Africa.