Africa Urged to Lead Climate Change Management Efforts

At the 14th Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa, held at the United Nations Conference Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Sam Onuigbo, the President of GLOBE Legislators, called for African countries to transition from mere participation in climate discussions to actively managing their climate future. He emphasized the need for Africa to establish its own institutions, agencies, and financial pathways to influence its development trajectory.

Onuigbo stated that the true measure of climate ambition lies in the quality of implementation rather than the quality of pledges. He pointed out that Africa, while vulnerable to climate change, holds significant potential for sustaining life and must shape the rules governing multilateral climate funds and trade regulations, including carbon-border measures.

The conference aims to align global climate negotiations with African priorities for COP31 and to promote practical solutions for implementing the Paris Agreement and the first Global Stocktake (GST1).