Africa will arrive at the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belem, Brazil, with an unmistakable message: the continent’s ambition is not in question — only delivery is.
That statement anchors a new report by Nairobi-based think tank Power Shift Africa (PSA), titled African Priorities for COP30: Policy Brief. The report argues that ten years after the Paris Agreement, Africa continues to face worsening climate disasters — from droughts and floods to rising sea levels — despite contributing less than four percent of global emissions.
COP30, billed as the first ‘Implementation COP’, is viewed as a critical moment for the continent. African nations are calling for tangible outcomes — real finance, equitable transition policies, and global accountability — before the window for meaningful action closes.
Rising needs, limited funds and equity push
Africa’s campaign for climate justice has gained traction in recent years. At COP26 in Glasgow, negotiators won a commitment to double adaptation funding and introduce the ‘just transition’ as a formal agenda item. COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh went further, delivering the historic decision to establish a Loss and Damage Fund.
Yet, the funding gap remains vast. The PSA report estimates that Africa needs $70bn annually for climate adaptation but received only $14.8bn in 2023. Meanwhile, losses from climate impacts are projected to reach between $290bn and $440bn by 2030.
Adaptation finance is vital for helping communities withstand extreme weather and other climate risks. Ahead of COP30, African governments are calling for a tripling of adaptation finance, with transparent systems to track progress beyond 2030.
The report further urges the creation of a minimum floor for grant-based funding — not loans — dedicated to adaptation and loss and damage. According to PSA, non-debt public funding is essential if Africa is to build resilience without deepening its financial burdens.
Building fair transitions through innovation
The continent’s stance at Belem will also focus on ensuring that climate action remains fair, inclusive and anchored in development. The Just Transition Work Programme and the Technology Implementation Programme (TIP) are expected to dominate discussions.
For Africa, a just transition extends beyond phasing out fossil fuels. It means expanding energy access, stimulating industrial growth, creating decent jobs and strengthening resilience across economies.
‘Just transitions must include development transitions supported by equity and fair financing,’ the PSA report notes. Technology, it adds, is central to this vision.
African countries are urging that climate technologies be affordable, accessible and locally relevant. They want patent barriers dismantled, local manufacturing supported and regional innovation strengthened — transforming Africa into a producer rather than a consumer of clean technologies.
Calls for fair rules and legal accountability
Power Shift Africa also warns that emerging unilateral climate measures — including the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and Deforestation Regulation — could turn climate policy into economic pressure. These actions, the report argues, risk penalising developing nations under the guise of environmental responsibility.
The think tank urges African leaders to push for these issues to be formally discussed at COP30, not left to the margins.
A key demand will be the inclusion of Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement on the conference agenda. The article requires developed nations to provide financial resources for developing countries to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
According to PSA, a recent International Court of Justice advisory opinion reinforced this legal obligation — strengthening Africa’s argument that pledges must now translate into delivery.
Recognition for Africa’s special circumstances
Despite being least responsible for global emissions, Africa faces some of the most severe impacts — from food insecurity and water scarcity to public health threats and economic instability.
The PSA report renews calls for formal recognition of Africa’s ‘special needs and circumstances’ under the UN climate framework. It argues that COP30 must reflect these vulnerabilities in decisions on finance, technology and capacity-building.
‘This is the time for the world to move from rhetoric to results,’ PSA concludes. ‘Africa’s ambition has never been in doubt — only delivery has.’
