BRAZIL: AFRICA has intensified its call for adequate financing for climate adaptation, warning that without real support for implementation, global decisions will remain elegant words on paper with little impact on vulnerable communities.
Speaking on behalf of the 54-member African Group of Negotiators (AGN) at the COP30 closing plenary, where the UN climate conference adopted its final decision in Belém, Brazil, on Sunday, AGN Chair under Tanzania, Dr Richard Muyungi stressed that Africa requires reliable and predictable financing to turn adaptation commitments into real environmental action.
“Despite the progress made on the Global Goal on Adaptation, the absence of clear and robust financial mechanisms threatens to undermine Africa’s efforts to protect its people from worsening climate extremes,” Dr Muyungi said.
Dr Muyungi, who also serves as Tanzania’s Special Envoy and Presidential Advisor on Environment and Climate Change, emphasised that Africa did not come to Belém merely as a negotiating bloc, but as a continent carrying the hopes of more than one billion people whose lives are increasingly shaped by a changing climate.
“For us, adaptation is not a choice; it is a matter of survival,” he stressed.
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He warned that the lack of explicit and sufficient support for implementing National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) poses a grave risk to vulnerable populations. He described the plans as vital lifelines for communities facing drought, floods, coastal erosion and increasingly extreme weather.
“When NAPs remain unfunded, it is not simply a procedural gap. It is a missed opportunity to safeguard communities who live each day on the edge of climate extremes,” he noted.
Dr Muyungi said that climate change is already reshaping daily life across Africa, from farmers struggling to predict rainfall patterns to coastal communities losing land to rising sea levels, and children growing up in regions where traditional seasons no longer apply.
He underscored that genuine implementation must go beyond indicators and promises, calling instead for tangible action through finance, technology transfer and capacity-building.
“Indicators alone cannot protect families from floods or guarantee food security during prolonged drought. What Africa needs is action that translates commitments into measurable change on the ground,” he said.
Affirming Africa’s commitment to a just and inclusive transition, Dr Muyungi cautioned that such a transition must not compromise the continent’s development aspirations.
Rather, it should expand energy access, promote clean cooking solutions and unlock opportunities for industrialisation, job creation and innovation.
He also stressed the importance of recognising Africa’s strategic minerals, manufacturing potential and value-addition capacities as essential to powering a fair global transition and strengthening economic resilience.
While noting progress achieved during the Belém conference, Dr Muyungi expressed concern that critical issues such as agriculture, food systems and human security still lack the urgency they deserve within global climate negotiations.
“Africa remains steadfast. We engage with flexibility and purpose, and we will continue to support the presidency as we strive for a fair and effective global response to climate change that puts people at the centre,” he said.
In his closing remarks, Dr Muyungi conveyed Africa’s deep appreciation to the government and people of Brazil for their leadership, hospitality and resilience in hosting the conference despite unexpected challenges, including a fire outbreak during the event.
“We extend our sincere gratitude to the Brazilian people and government for their outstanding hospitality and determination in hosting this conference, which has provided a crucial platform for advancing global climate action,” he said.