Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube recently in Dubai, UAE
AS the 28th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) comes to an end today, the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) is hopeful for a pro-Africa outcome on key issues such as climate financing and adaptation.
With more than 100 000 participants from across the globe, the Convention started on November 30 and ends today at the Dubai Expo City in Dubai, UAE.
To foster unity and fight from the same corner, Africa came up with a panel of negotiators, which is chaired by Zambia and the group’s objective was to represent the continent in engaging Western countries whose industrialisation caused serious global warming that is currently ravaging Africa whose contribution to climate change is less than five percent.
Africa and other developing countries want the developed nations to live up to the promises they made towards US$100 billion in climate financing, which to date has remained a pledge.
In a statement, AGN chair, Collins Nzovu who is Minister of Green Economy and Environment of Zambia, said COP28 is expected to result in tangible outcomes that reflect Africa’s aspirations, especially on the need for enhanced climate adaptation. He said Africa expects a robust framework for the Global Goal of Adaptation.
“We would like to thank the UAE government and the COP28 president in particular for the excellent arrangements for the conference and the leadership they have demonstrated so far. We wish to share our reflections on the status of negotiations and indicate our expectations of the outcome of this conference,” he said.
“As you know, COP28 has been dubbed as a crucial moment for global climate action as we take stock of the implementation of the Paris Agreement of 2015. For us, as the African Group, we came here focused and determined to ensure that COP28 delivers a fair and balanced global stock-take that catalyses greater ambition across all elements of climate action on adaptation, loss and damage, mitigation, and means of implementation centreed on equity.”
Minister Nzovu said Africa was concerned by the lack of progress where the text that is being created to guide the process has seen some countries going back and forth in the engagements thereby stalling progress.
“COP-28 is mandated to complete the work undertaken for the past two years under the Global Goal on Adaptation, by launching a robust framework. The outcome of the Global Goal on Adaptation is the most important outcome for Africa at COP-28,” he said.
On adaptation, African nations have reiterated the need to prioritise action to find ways to cope with the persistent droughts, devastating storms, and rising seas, which threaten livelihoods. The UN Environment Programme report has identified a widening gap between the adaptation needs of vulnerable countries and the funding that has been made available so far.
Africa believes that the means of implementation, including finance, capacity building, and technology transfer, will be a critical component of the GGA framework.
“We believe that further technical work in unpacking the goal informed by science will be necessary upon the adoption of a robust framework here in Dubai.
“We look forward to engaging constructively with all parties for a successful outcome of COP28,” said Minister Nzovu.
“We note a historic and positive start to this conference where the Loss and Damage Fund was operationalised and initial financial commitments made within minutes. As we welcome this good news, we are cautious of similar commitments made in the past, which, from our standpoint, have not been fulfilled.
“We hope this won’t be the case with the Loss and Damage fund. We are also alive to the fact that loss and damage requires billions, if not trillions of dollars.”
The continent is so far happy with work done by technical negotiating teams. Climate financing is critical for the implementation matrix as Africa continues to suffer the brunt of the adverse effects of climate change yet has not received the required multilateral support to face the climate challenge.
The AGN said African countries require access to scaled-up levels of new and additional and predictable grant and concessional finance for climate action, and the money must be cheap and not burden countries with debt.
Minister Nzovu said it was disheartening that climate financing was on a decline as developed countries have not met the US$100 billion per year mobilisation goal by 2020.
On the Global Stocktake, Minister Nzovu said the negotiators had reached the final leg of the consideration of the output phase and it is important that the outcome is practical and one that all parties can effectively implement.
The just and resilient low-carbon development, if not properly designed, risks widening the developmental gap between Africa and the rest of the world, African nations have noted.
Online Reporter