The lead coordinators of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) have met in the Egyptian resort of Sham El Sheikh on Thursday to strategize and consolidate Africa’s position on the various thematic climate negotiation issues ahead of COP27 scheduled for November 6th to 18th this year.
Key on the discussion table, according to a statement seen by APA is the importance of delivering on the special needs and special circumstances of Africa—a continent which is the least contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions (less than 4%) and yet the most adversely impacted region, as reaffirmed by the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports.
According to the IPCC, Africa is already experiencing severe and widespread impacts of climate change, causing devastation to lives, livelihoods and the continent’s development trajectory.
Commenting on the move, Ephraim Mwepya Shitima AGN Chair said: “this is a clear manifestation of climate injustice, which must be corrected”.
Added Shitima: “There are high expectations that ‘the African COP’ will deliver substantive progress and implementable climate actions on the priority issues for Africa and other developing countries, including on adaptation, loss and damage and delivering on the pledges on climate finance, with the ultimate aim of correcting the injustice and getting the world on a path to a secure and safe climate future”.
In deliberating on Africa’s special needs and circumstances, the AGN lead coordinators’ strategy meeting is also spotlighting the continent’s energy poverty, with the latest statistics showing that over 600 million people have no access to electricity and 900 million with no access to clean cooking.
However, this is against the backdrop of a heightened global campaign for countries to transition to clean and green energy sources.
Africa will require support for just energy transition that ensures resources and technologies are made available to enable the continent achieve climate, energy and development goals.
Other key issues of concern at the meeting include the need for scaled-up financial and technical support to implement Africa’s highly ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
According to the statement, particular attention will also be given to adaptation finance through a call for grant-based financial resources for African countries and the need to expedite operationalization of the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) under the Paris Agreement which will be a game changer for adaptation action and support.
CU/as/APA