COP 30 : Africa on the brink of a decisive Moment
Since November 10 in Belém, Brazil, the 30th COP 30 conference has brought together leaders and climate actors at a time when expectations for tangible commitments to the planet are intensifying. For Africa, it is both an opportunity and a challenge: the issue is no longer just to formulate ambitions, but to translate them into measurable results.
Africa, which accounts for less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, has nearly 600 million people without access to electricity. This stark reality makes it clear that the transition cannot remain an abstract concept—it must be a deep social transformation.
« Africa contributes less than 4% of global emissions, yet it suffers the most devastating impacts, » says Wanjira Mathai. This stark reality underscores that the transition cannot remain an abstract concept—it must be a deep social transformation.
Immediate Priority: Climate Finance
African delegations are calling for the mobilization of USD 1.3 trillion per year by 2030 for mitigation and adaptation. The African Development Bank (AfDB) states that its priorities are adaptation, a just transition, and strengthening Africa’s voice in negotiations.
« Ensuring access to clean energy and securing climate finance based on grants rather than loans is not just a goal—it is a matter of justice and equity, » explains Cyprian Luhemeja, civil society representative.
Energy Transition and Adaptation: A Strategic Challenge
On the ground, energy transition represents a second strategic pillar: at the Africa Climate Summit 2025, Rwandan Minister Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya estimated a need for “at least USD 25 billion per year” for African countries to genuinely reverse the trend. Solar, hydro, and wind projects are multiplying, but their success depends on the ability to integrate them into a sustainable, long-term framework rather than one-off initiatives.
Climate is our greatest war
Behind these issues also lies the question of governance. Ahead of the conference, in Zanzibar, African negotiators affirmed their commitment to a unified strategy to strengthen their influence in international arenas. COP 30 President-designate André Corrêa do Lago reminded that “climate is our greatest war.”
Belém Call for the Congo Basin Forests: +USD 2.5 Billion Mobilized Over Five Years
On November 6 in Belém, Central African countries and their public and private partners renewed their commitment to protecting the Congo Basin. More than USD 2.5 billion over five years will be mobilized, alongside national resources, to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. The Congo Basin forests—vital ecological, economic, and cultural pillars—thus become a key hotspot for global climate regulation.
Africa is not asking for charity; it is proposing a new model of cooperation and shared responsibility
The continent no longer wants to merely request aid; it now intends to propose a model of equitable cooperation and concrete action, where Africa becomes a central player in global climate solutions. As one diplomat in Belém summarized: “Africa is not asking for charity; it is proposing a new model of cooperation and shared responsibility.”
Otherwise, it will just be another COP…
