The second week of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, saw African ministers fiercely challenge developed nations over their failure to deliver on long-standing climate finance commitments.
These leaders, representing a continent that contributes less than 4% of global emissions yet suffers disproportionately from climate impacts, were united in their demand for accountability.
Sub-Saharan Africa spends between $30 billion and $50 billion annually on climate adaptation—equivalent to 2–3% of its GDP—while also losing an additional 2–5% of GDP due to climate-related damages. This dual burden places immense strain on economies already grappling with poverty, debt, and underdevelopment.
“The $100 billion promise from over a decade ago has not given the result we desired,” said Rohey John, The Gambia’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, during a press conference. “For us, this is not about charity. It is about accountability.”
Her statement encapsulated the sentiment of many African leaders who view climate finance as a moral obligation of the industrialized nations that historically caused the crisis.
Jiwoh Abdulai, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Environment, challenged the language of “donor” and “aid.” “There is a climate debt that needs to be paid,” he said. “We are not beggars; we are victims of injustice.”
Zambia’s Green Economy Minister, Mike Elton Mposha, painted a dire picture of how climate change is eroding Africa’s progress. “More than 50% of our projected harvest has gone to waste because of climate change,” he said. “This is not just about crops; it’s about food security, livelihoods, and the survival of millions.”
In Senegal and Mozambique, floods have displaced entire communities, leaving thousands homeless. Dr. Wafa Misrar, Campaigns and Policy Lead at Climate Action Network Africa, described this as “a crime committed against people who did not contribute to the crisis.” The financial and human toll of these disasters continues to rise, with less than $30 billion in climate finance reaching Africa in 2023—most of it as loans.
“These loans are a double punishment,” Misrar argued. “African nations are borrowing to fix problems they didn’t create, sinking deeper into debt while sacrificing funds meant for development.”
The ministers called for a transition from loan-based to grant-based climate finance. Ana Paula Chanterre Luna de Carvalho Angola’s Minister of Environment described the current system as “modern colonization through climate debt,” accusing developed nations of offloading their responsibilities. “We are not asking for favors; we are asking for justice,” she said. “Developed nations caused this problem. They must pay for its solutions.”
There was also a push for a roadmap to deliver on the $1.3 trillion annually proposed for climate action by 2035. African leaders demanded that at least 50% of these funds be allocated to adaptation efforts, reflecting the continent’s urgent needs.
As the week progressed, it became clear that African ministers were unwilling to accept vague assurances. “The finance issue is becoming a mirage—the more we talk about it, the more it disappears,” said Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Nigeria’s Environment Minister. His remarks resonated with other leaders who warned against repeating the mistakes of previous COPs.
African ministers also explored regional solutions, such as creating localized climate funds through the African Continental Free Trade Area. “We cannot rely solely on external promises,” said Lawal. “We need to take ownership of our destiny while demanding what is owed to us.”
As the ministers spoke, African experts expressed their concerns. Dr. Wafa Misrar, Campaigns and Policy Lead at Climate Action Network Africa, stated, “Our people are paying for a crime they did not commit.” He pointed to floods that have displaced entire communities in Senegal and Mozambique, leaving thousands homeless and jobless.
The costs of climate adaptation alone in sub-Saharan Africa are staggering. Between $30 billion and $50 billion is needed every year to adapt to current impacts. But the funds available fall far short. In 2023, less than $30 billion in climate finance reached Africa, and much of it came as loans.
“These loans are a double punishment,” Misrar explained. African nations are forced to borrow money to address problems they did not create, further draining their resources.
Misrar provided a local example: Zambia’s 2023 drought wiped out over 50 percent of the country’s projected harvest and caused an energy deficit in 13 of 15 Southern African nations dependent on hydropower. “We cannot keep borrowing to patch up the damage,” he said.
The experts demanded that climate finance be delivered as grants, not loans. Angola’s Minister of Environment, Dr. Tedd Moya, Director at EED Advisory, described the situation as “modern colonization through climate debt.” She criticized developed nations for using loans to offload their responsibilities onto African economies.
“We are not asking for favors,” said Moya. “We are asking for accountability. Developed nations caused this problem. They must pay for its solutions.”
The ministers outlined clear demands at COP29: Transition from loan-based to grant-based climate finance to avoid perpetuating economic injustices. Deliver the long-promised $100 billion annually, and scale up to the $1.3 trillion required for meaningful climate action in developing nations.
Compensate African nations for their conservation efforts, including maintaining biodiversity and acting as global carbon sinks.
African nations are exploring alternatives. Ministers proposed creating regional climate funds within Africa, using mechanisms like the African Continental Free Trade Area to raise resources locally.
