The 2024 COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, which started with lofty goals and powerful speeches from global leaders, concluded with sharp divisions, particularly between the Global North and South. African negotiators and civil society groups have criticized the event’s outcomes, calling the proposed $300 billion climate finance target by 2035 an insult to countries disproportionately bearing the brunt of climate change.
Kenya’s climate envoy, Amb. Ali Mohamed, chairing the Africa Group at COP29, expressed dismay at the inadequacy of the proposed finance target. “The adaptation needs alone are estimated at $400 billion,” he remarked. “This $300 billion target imperils the future of Africa and the world, risking unacceptable losses of life.”
This sentiment was echoed by Mr. Fred Njehu, a Pan-African political strategist with Greenpeace Africa, who condemned the offer as “climate colonialism.” Njehu highlighted the irony of wealthy nations, enriched by centuries of fossil fuel exploitation, offering meager funds while African nations endure the devastating consequences of a crisis they did not create.
“This isn’t climate finance it’s a mockery of justice,” Njehu stated. “While our continent burns, floods, and starves, these nations profit from fossil fuels and throw pennies our way.”
Insufficient Targets and Delayed Action
The $300 billion figure has sparked widespread criticism for being far below the demands of climate justice advocates and developing nations. The Africa Group of Negotiators (AGN) had called for $1.3 trillion in grants, while the Arab Group pushed for $1.1 trillion. However, the Global North’s offer not only fell short but delayed the mobilization of funds to 2035, raising questions about its sincerity.
Nnimmo Bassey, Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), criticized the timeline, stating that it disregarded the escalating scale of climate disasters. “By 2035, the proposed $300 billion will have diminished in value, offering even less relief than it suggests today,” he said.
Economist Professor Fadhel Kaboub further underscored this point, noting that with a conservative 5% inflation rate, the real value of the funds in 2035 would be closer to $175 billion. “African countries are paying $163 billion in debt service this year alone,” Kaboub said, emphasizing the disparity between the financial demands of climate action and the resources being offered.
Kaboub also criticized the lack of transparency in the negotiations, pointing out that the Global North revealed the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on the final day of the summit, leaving no room for collective negotiation. “This was meant to be a climate finance COP, yet they operated in bad faith, presenting figures far below what experts have suggested is necessary up to $5 trillion,” he said.
Resilience and Calls for Justice
Despite the setbacks, African delegates remain resolute in their fight for climate justice. Many have vowed to push back against what they see as the dominance of fossil fuel interests and the low climate ambitions of developed nations.
“Our true adversaries are the merchants of despair and nature destroyers who operate behind governments,” stated Jasper Inventor, Head of Greenpeace’s COP29 Delegation. “We must resist their influence and demand courageous leadership.”
Looking ahead to COP30 in Belém, Brazil, African nations are determined to amplify their demands and secure meaningful commitments. “This is a fight for our future,” Inventor added. “While we’re disillusioned by COP29’s failures, we hold onto hope hope rooted in the people’s demand for climate ambition.”
As the climate crisis accelerates, the divide between promises and action grows starker. The failure of COP29 to deliver a consensus underscores the urgency for global leaders to prioritize justice and ambition over empty rhetoric. For the Global South, this battle is far from over
