In a resounding call for international action, President William Ruto of Kenya addressed the inaugural Africa Climate Summit, underscoring the profound impact of climate change on Africa’s economic advancement. President Ruto stressed the urgency of a global dialogue on imposing a carbon tax on polluters, highlighting the dire consequences of inaction. The summit’s focus on climate issues is a significant step forward, as Africa grapples with the escalating toll of climate change on its economic growth and sustainability.
President Ruto’s keynote address conveyed his frustration at the reluctance of major polluters to bear the financial burden of their emissions. “Those who produce the garbage refuse to pay their bills,” he stated emphatically. Africa’s swiftly growing population of over 1.3 billion people is confronted with a substantial challenge – climate change is eroding its GDP growth by a staggering 5% to 15% annually, according to President Ruto. This is a particularly distressing reality considering that the African continent contributes the least to global warming despite being endowed with valuable resources.
One of the summit’s primary objectives is to advocate for reform in the global financial system, which currently subjects African nations to significantly higher borrowing costs compared to other regions. The result is a mounting debt crisis that afflicts numerous African countries. The continent hosts more than 30 of the world’s most indebted nations, deepening the predicament. Soipan Tuya, Kenya’s cabinet secretary for the environment, elucidated this issue during the summit’s opening sessions.
The United States’ Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, acknowledged the profound inequities in debt distribution. He acknowledged that 17 out of the world’s 20 countries most severely affected by climate change are located in Africa. Furthermore, the world’s wealthiest 20 nations, including the U.S., are responsible for a staggering 80% of global carbon emissions driving the climate crisis. In response to President Ruto’s call for carbon taxation, John Kerry clarified that President Joe Biden had not yet committed to a specific carbon pricing mechanism.
President Ruto emphasized the pressing need for African nations to prioritize environmentally friendly development, transitioning to green economies before embarking on industrialization. This approach, he emphasized, offers the most feasible and efficient path toward achieving a net-zero world by 2050. A vital aspect of achieving this goal lies in climate finance, with wealthier nations’ promise of $100 billion annually in climate finance to developing nations still largely unmet. President Ruto asserted that the summit’s declaration will strongly encourage nations to honor their commitments.
The United Arab Emirates, slated to host the next United Nations climate meeting, pledged a substantial investment of $4.5 billion in Africa’s clean energy potential, emphasizing its commitment to supporting sustainable growth on the continent. Africa boasts 60% of the world’s renewable energy resources and holds more than 30% of the minerals critical for renewable and low-carbon technologies. The summit aspires to reshape the narrative around Africa, transforming it from a victim to an assertive, prosperous partner in the fight against climate change.
The narrative shift is imperative, as African leaders lamented the challenge of reconciling a resource-rich continent with widespread poverty. Ethiopia’s President Sahle-Work Zewde highlighted this contradiction and emphasized the need to reevaluate Africa’s GDP by factoring in its immense natural assets, including the second-largest rainforest and biodiversity on the planet, according to Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank.
However, a divisive issue that demands resolution emerged during the summit: the role of fossil fuels. While African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina called for the responsible use of Africa’s natural gas resources alongside renewables, President Ruto expressed strong criticism of fossil fuel dependence. Kenya has successfully transitioned to over 90% renewable energy sources, proving that a transition to clean energy is indeed attainable.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an end to fossil fuel dependency, citing the staggering $7 trillion spent on fossil fuel subsidies in 2022 alone. Ursula Von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, highlighted Africa’s potential to generate ample clean energy for both domestic consumption and export, contingent on substantial investment.
Several of Africa’s major economies continue to rely heavily on fossil fuels, with South Africa’s coal-fired plants struggling and parts of Nigeria’s Niger Delta suffering from oil extraction. Despite these challenges, the resolve to combat climate change remains strong.
The conspicuous absence of leaders from key African economies like South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, and forest-rich Congo underscored the complexity of uniting diverse nations with varying priorities. Notably absent from the list of prominent speakers was China, the world’s largest emitter of heat-trapping gases, a major trading partner with Africa, and a significant creditor to many African nations.
Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio eloquently summarized the gravity of the situation, noting that the seas that once offered solace now forewarn of rising tides. The climate crisis is an African narrative with global repercussions, demanding urgent cooperation to address its pervasive impact. The Africa Climate Summit marks a critical milestone in fostering a united global response to climate change, offering hope for a sustainable and prosperous future for the continent and the world at large.