Preceded by the first ever African Youth Climate Assembly (AYCA)- from 1st-3rd September, the inaugural Africa Climate Summit (ACS) 4th- 6th September- set the pace for African Governments to steer and set priorities for climate action across the continent. Both AYCA and the ACS sparked what could be defined as the start to a by Africa for Africa driven agenda for climate action. Co-hosted by the government of Kenya and the African Union (AU), it may have been argued by many that there was no other opportune moment for the Summit than now- especially since the inception of discussions around the need to accelerate green growth across the African continent. The AYCA Youth declaration and the Nairobi declaration sum up key recommendations and ways forward for the African continent in the lead up to the UNFCCC COP28.
The African continent currently has a population of 1.3 billion people and has the youngest population across the world. The Summit came right at the moment when it is identified that Africa faces disproportionate burdens and risks rising from climate change related concerns. Notable is the fact that Africa is not historically responsible for global warming but bears the brunt of its effects- hard-hitting on livelihoods and economies. Reference is also drawn to the fact that Africa possesses both the potential and ambition to be a vital component if the global solution to climate change, additionally underscoring it’s home to the World’s youngest population, has a rich renewable resource and natural asset base.
“Underscore the IPCC confirmation that Africa is warming faster than the rest of the world and, if unabated, climate change will continue to have adverse impacts on African economies and societies, and hamper growth and wellbeing” - IPCC 6th Assessment Report
Key highlights of the Nairobi declaration and the AYCA Youth declaration
AYCA YOUTH DECLARATION
Youth delegates from across the continent developed and adopted the Youth Declaration at the end of the AYCA. This Declaration includes a call for a Youth Division of the African Union Commission (AUC) as well as for the Department Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy to incorporate the Assembly in their program and organisational structures as the platform embedding youth engagement on climate change in the African Union, pursuant to Article 19 of the African Youth Charter on Sustainable Development and Protection of the Environment.
NAIROBI DECLARATION
Core to the discussions was for stakeholders and all delegates to derive narratives, convened to discuss how climate change can be put at the centre of sustainable development. Resolutions in the Nairobi declaration were centred on financing decarbonisation and fostering investments for green growth. From the Summit, a proposition was made to establish a new financing architecture responsive to Africa’s needs including debt restructuring and relief and the development of a new Global Climate Finance Charter through the United Nations General Assembly and the COP processes by 2025. A financial pledge from African Nations amounting to over 26 billion USD was made during the Summit among others.
Besides the Nairobi Call to action- that sets a roadmap for streamlining the desired climate resilient development from the Summit, several commitments and key announcements were made during the Summit, including net zero commitments by the Government of Kenya, and the program Financing Locally-led climate Action Program (FLLoCA) - $49.7 among others. An equivalent investment commitment of close to 26 billion USD was made during the Summit from public, private sector, and multilateral development banks, philanthropic foundations, and other partners in the development financing community.
It is no doubt that the successes of the Africa Climate Summit and preceding Africa Youth Climate Assembly were magnificent at bringing together several climate actors from across the continent- and most importantly, recognising the role youth play in the fight against the climate crisis. It is only paramount that ongoing processes in streamlining youth climate action recognise African youth as stakeholders as stated in the recommendations from the African Youth Climate Assembly.
The summit builds on discussions and engagements from the UNFCCC COP27 on the loss and damage facility, as well as channelling support to countries from the global south to adapt to the causes and impact of climate change. With about 26 billion US dollars pledged during the summit, about a quarter of the 100 million debt pledge, more robust discussions and engagements are predicted to bear fruition at the UNFCCC COP28 in Dubai later this year.
Image credits: AYCA and ACS, 2023