Youth climate activists were not left out .
Panelists raised their voices
The European Union, USA and other wealthy nations have at the close of COP29, 2024 slightly increase the finance deal to USD300 billion as African environmental civil society organisations, and country representatives have faulted them for failing to keep their promise of climate finance.
Unfortunately their hope to mobilise USD 1.3 trillion for climate finance was arm-twisted, first by a meagre USD 250 billion. This amount was slightly increased according reports to USD300 billion by the close of the 2024 COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The shift in position came after the USD250 billion proposed by the COP29 Presidency was panned by developing countries as insultingly low.
African Groups of Negotiators also released their statement immediately on Friday evening after the text of USD 250 billion was released, calling it ‘unacceptable and inadequate to delivering the Paris Agreement’
Ambassador Ali Mohamed, the chairperson of the African Group of Negotiators in the press release added that the adaptation report alone needs USD 400 billion and USD 250 billion will just lead to loss of life in Africa and worldwide.
Pan -African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), one of the biggest coalitions of climate justice actors in Africa, in a joint press conference with the Pan-African Parliamentarians, condemned the negating actions of the developed nations.
Dr.Mithika Mwenda, the Executive Director of PACJA said the developed nations are exploitative and like taking advantage of Africa’s vulnerability during COP negotiations.
“The delay until the last minute is normally deliberate, the industrialized countries use these various tricks to secure what they want. The implication is that most African delegates have booked their flights back and when they extend the COP29 meeting up to Saturday or Sunday, it is to their advantage who have money and can just change their flight schedules as they wish”
Dr.Mithika added that the demand of USD 1.3 trillion Collective Quantified Goal was based on science and research -hence there shall be no surrendering because the next course of action is to declare COP 29 a complete failure.
Martha Getachew Bekele from DevTransform, Kenya said it is pathetic to hear that the developed nations are saying there is no finance yet they are historical polluters of the Climate. According to Martha, every year the developed countries raise USD 30 million through Financial transaction taxes.
“They spent 2.2 trillion on global defense in 2023 and are expected to grow the space economy to USD 1.8 trillion by 2035 from the current USD 630 billion; in military aid go and calculate what the United Kingdom, United States, and the European Union managed to mobilize for military aid for Ukraine by March 2024, you will see that they did that with USD 69.2 billion”. Martha Bekele justifies vivid evidence of money being channeled by the developed nations without priority to climate financing.
Atieno Susan, the Executive Director of Action Aid International -Kenya commented that the developed nations are not living up to their words of supporting women and girls with such mean contributions to climate finance.
“As a climate activist from Africa, I believe it is vital to convey my worry over recent developments at the COP29 summit in Baku. The projected $250 billion climate funding target for 2035 is not only insufficient, but it also serves as a clear reminder of how wealthier countries continue to ignore the pressing needs of developing countries, particularly in Africa,” says Ahmed Fathy.
