African Voices Demand a Just Climate Future
A powerful call for a climate future designed by and for Africa resonated throughout a recent pre-COP30 summit, marking a notable shift in the global conversation. Leaders from across the continent, including Catholic bishops, Protestant, Orthodox Christian, and Muslim representatives, are demanding that Africa’s unique needs and assets be central to solutions addressing the climate crisis.
Despite contributing a minimal 2-3% of global carbon dioxide emissions from energy and industrial sources – with per capita output a quarter of the world average – Africa disproportionately suffers the consequences of climate change. This disparity fuels a growing insistence that the continent cannot simply be subject to the agendas of wealthier nations. As Archbishop Roger Coffi Anoumou of benin articulated, “True solutions must integrate social equity, human dignity and creation care – not short-term profit or ‘false solutions,’ such as harmful offsets or extractive projects.”
The summit focused on championing African-led solutions, prioritizing renewable energy, lasting agricultural practices, and technologies that protect biodiversity and respect cultural heritage. investment in community-driven renewable systems, like solar power, was highlighted as a pathway to job creation, empowerment for women and youth, and poverty reduction, all while simultaneously curbing emissions. A central demand was for wealthy nations to acknowledge and repay their “ecological debt” to the continent.
ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed opened the gathering with a vision of Africa as a leader in the new climate economy. He emphasized the continent’s strengths: a young population, immense solar energy potential, significant carbon absorption capacity through forests and wetlands, vast arable land, and crucial mineral deposits for green technologies. “We are not here to negotiate our survival,” Ahmed declared, “We are here to design the next world’s climate economy. If we make the right choices now,Africa can be the first continent to industrialize without destroying its ecosystems.”
This sentiment was echoed by Ashley Kitisya, programs manager of the Laudato Si’ Movement in Africa, who described the summit’s focus on an “Africa-driven future” as a “profound shift.” She believes grounding discussions in the lived realities and existing solutions within the continent is key to transforming the summit from a mere “talk shop” into a genuine turning point.Kitisya noted the moral clarity and spiritual conviction brought by the bishops, a departure from traditional diplomatic approaches.
For the first time, faith leaders were formally recognized as integral participants in the summit’s process, a change welcomed by Tinashe Gumbo of the All-Africa Conference of Churches. This inclusion allowed for a comprehensive articulation of perspectives previously marginalized.
The resulting interfaith declaration outlines a unified vision encompassing peace,climate justice,debt cancellation as a crucial step towards climate justice,increased climate finance,significant carbon emission reductions,and energy justice. The declaration specifically calls for a just transition to clean energy, ensuring dignity, opportunity, and resilience for communities currently reliant on fossil fuels – from the coal regions of South Africa to the oil-producing areas of Nigeria and beyond.
This summit signals a powerful moment of agency for africa, demanding a seat at the table not just as a recipient of aid, but as a driver of innovation and a leader in building a sustainable and equitable future for all.