AU chief urges urgent climate justice ahead of COP30
African Union Commission President Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has issued a strong call for climate justice on the eve of COP30 in Belém, Brazil. He reminded that Africa, which contributes less than 4% of global emissions, continues to bear the brunt of climate disruption.
COP30 is the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
It is a major annual global summit where world leaders, government negotiators, scientists, businesses, and civil society gather to discuss and negotiate global actions to tackle climate change and implement the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Speaking at a roundtable on adaptation goals, Youssouf urged industrialized countries to meet their financial commitments to vulnerable nations. He stressed that these pledges should be seen not as aid but as a “moral and historical responsibility.”
He also emphasized that Africa is not passive, citing the AU’s Climate Strategy (2022–2032), the Decade of Smart Agriculture, the Blue Economy Strategy, and the Mission 300 initiative for clean energy access as examples of proactive action toward resilience and prosperity.
“The industrialized nations must honor their adaptation funding promises, not as charity but as a moral and historical responsibility, calling for the full operationalization of the Global Goal on Adaptation to move from plans to action and ensure fair, predictable funding,” Youssouf said.
However, commitments have often fallen short. According to the UN Environment Program’s “Adaptation Gap Report 2025,” developing countries need $310 billion annually for adaptation, compared with only $26 billion in international public flows in 2023. The report highlights that needs are 12 to 14 times higher than current funding levels, warning that the Glasgow Climate Pact target to double adaptation finance between 2020 and 2025 will not be met.
Held for the first time in the Amazon region, COP30 is set to open on Monday, November 10, with a focus on nature-based solutions and ecosystem protection. For Africa, the main challenge remains securing stable financing to support its climate strategies and achieve genuine global climate justice.
