African countries can pressurize developed nations to provide the climate finance Africa direly needs for adaptation and mitigation by speaking with one voice, the Chadian Environment Education Director Charfie Habib Doutoum said.
Climate financing refers to investments in projects and programs that help countries mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts.
Africa urgently requires access to climate finance to build resilience against rising temperatures, extreme weather, and sea level which are already devastating the continent, she added.
However, the continent lacks its fair share of this critical financing, despite being home to over 1.3 billion people experiencing the worst climate change effects while having minimal responsibility for carbon emissions.
To increase climate finance, African nations must stand together and speak with one voice to pressure developed countries, Doutoum stressed.
According to the director, more climate finance can assist Africa in paying for adaptation, supporting mitigation efforts, and building capacity to manage climate impacts.
Doutoum noted that COP28 provides a key opportunity for Africa to strongly advocate its urgent climate finance needs and gain climate justice.
With solidarity and coordinated messaging, Africa can mobilize more funding to craft a resilient future for its people, she said.
African nations can also collaborate on developing quality projects eligible for climate finance.
The director believes that unity and a collective voice are vital for Africa to access needed climate funding and build a more resilient future.
She insisted that Africa must unite to defend its interests and address climate change impacts at COP28.
As the continent is most vulnerable to climate change, Africa urgently needs climate finance to cover adaptation costs, support mitigation, and build capacity to manage impacts, she underscored.
UN Environment Program (UNEP) Ecosystems Director, Susan Gardner said on her part that African nations bearing the greatest climate change burdens despite minimal responsibility are uniting to secure urgent climate financing.
She stressed that a coordinated Pan-African approach would amplify calls for equitable climate financing to address the continent’s needs.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency