Since the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2015, countries and organisations worldwide have either adopted the agreement’s principles or attempted to do so. Multiple Conference of the Parties (COP) summits have consequently been held, with negotiations failing to deliver results, meet acceptable standards, or reach set goals.

The latest edition, COP30, was held in Belém, Brazil, from 10th to 21st November, aiming to address key climate issues such as roadmaps for achieving Net Zero Emissions (NZE), transitioning Climate Financing from pledges to vital support, and reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Although the United States of America boycotted, 190 countries attended, reaffirming their commitment to the Paris Agreements and to strategies for their implementation. 

Some, including Brazilian President Lula da Silva, have dubbed it the “COP of Truth”, as it aims to promote and safeguard public trust in climate policies. Like other COP summits, COP30 was very divisive, with negotiations and discussions on fossil fuels and their phase-out left out. As a major emitter of GHGs, Brazil is a leader in global warming, prompting some to question the viability of energy discussions. COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago recognised the key omission by stating the need to develop frameworks to fight climate change and by accepting the disappointment of youth and civil rights groups, as expectations were high that the final communiqué would address fossil fuels and a potential transition strategy. 

Despite a tense geopolitical atmosphere, marred by Climate Denial, conflicts, and polarisation, Africa presented a united narrative in favour of prioritising the implementation of the framework, development-centred transitions to clean energy, and climate finance. Although Africa secured some key institutional and conceptual wins, COP30 fell short of addressing the urgent commitments needed.

African negotiators played a key role in establishing a Just Transition Mechanism by including the ‘Clean Cooking and Energy Poverty’ as a requirement in achieving a Just Energy transition, which would address energy access for over 600 million Africans. 

Emphasising sustained implementation over rhetoric on issues including climate financing, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), Africa advocated for a more scaled, predictable, and equitable climate financing mechanism that considers the goals and objectives of African countries and the global south. They called for unconditional grant-based financing to address climate injustice and ease debt burdens on African nations as they pursue just transitions.

Africa’s wealth in mineral resources and leadership was also used as a key to achieving NZE and most of the Paris Agreement’s aims. Natural assets such as the Congo Basin and the Nile, along with minerals such as rare earths, hydrogen, and lithium, are vital to advancing Green Energy transitions. They also emphasised the benefits of championing mineral wealth rather than serving overseas nations. 

Apart from these contributions, Africa also gained key insights from the summit, although some gaps in ambition, finance, and implementation were recognised, much to the disappointment of most. 

Through Africa’s negotiations and commitments, they secured an agreement on adaptation targets that called for doubling financing and tripling adaptation to $120 billion by 2035. However, the latter was deferred, which many delegates criticised as inadequate and too slow to meet urgent current needs. There was also the formal adoption of an agenda item recognising “The Special Needs and Special Circumstances of Africa” under the Just Transition Mechanism to attract greater technical support, mitigate climate risks, and secure broader financing.

The general sentiment in Africa was that, although COP30 secured important strategic and institutional frameworks to address climate risks, it fell short of providing transformative, scaled financing options and did not include any commitment to phase out fossil fuels. As Africa is the most vulnerable to climate impacts, all deliberations and perspectives should align with Africa’s and the Global South’s development goals and climate ambitions.