Climate Finance for Africa: The Unsolved Puzzle at the Heart of CCDA-12 Discussions

The 12th Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-XII) is taking place from August 30th to September 2nd, 2024, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. This significant event coincides with the special AMCEN meeting and precedes the much-anticipated COP29, scheduled for later this year in Baku, Azerbaijan, where Climate Finance is expected to take center stage.

During the pre-conference sessions, which kicked off today in Abidjan, the financing of climate adaptation and resilience in Africa was a focal point. Despite the continent’s vulnerability to climate change, climate finance flows to Africa remain critically low compared to the magnitude of the adaptation challenges African countries face.

Dr. Gustave Aboua, Director General for Sustainable Development at Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Environment, Sustainable Development, and Ecological Transition, emphasized the urgent need for Africa to confront the detrimental effects of climate change while preparing for future risks. “Africa must take action,” Dr. Aboua declared. “While implementing adaptation strategies demands significant funding, the cost of inaction is far greater. We must make decisive progress in climate finance, the key enabler of climate action.”

Dr. Mithika Mwenda reiterated that inadequate climate action poses a grave threat to Africa, a continent particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts. He stressed that the New Collective Quantified Goals (NCQG) must address this critical challenge.

One of the major obstacles highlighted during the discussions was Africa’s difficulty in accessing the necessary financing for mitigation and adaptation efforts. Dr. Jihane El Gaouzi from the African Union noted that adaptation and resilience building are Africa’s top climate response priorities, as outlined in the continent’s Agenda 2063 and other AU strategic frameworks. “African countries will need USD 3 trillion to implement their NDCs by 2030,” Dr. El Gaouzi stated, “yet securing this financing remains a significant challenge. We must focus on concrete actions to ensure our countries receive the necessary funds to combat the effects of climate change.”

The outcomes of CCDA-XII are expected to contribute to the ongoing AMCEN discussions, as the global community prepares for COP29 in Azerbaijan later this year. The annual Climate Change and Development in Africa Conference (CCDA) is a flagship event of ClimDev-Africa. It provides a platform for a diverse range of stakeholders, including policymakers, climate researchers, civil society, women, and youth from across the continent, to engage on climate change issues. The conference recognizes that the primary beneficiaries of ClimDev-Africa’s work are the rural and urban communities whose livelihoods, health, and security are directly impacted by climate change.

Read more here: CCDA-XII Pre events