Africa Climate Summit 23: What You Need To Know

This perspective comes from Chhavi Maggu , who was on the ground in Nairobi for the UNFCCC Africa Regional Climate Week (4-8 September 2023) and Africa's first Climate Summit (4-6 September 2023).

Why This Summit Matters

Setting the stage for African countries’ participation in COP28, the inaugural Africa Climate Summit marked a defining moment for the climate conversation in Africa, a continent too often excluded from global decisions and exposed to disproportionate burdens from climate change.

Overarching Themes

Kenya's President Ruto opened the summit with a powerful call to delegates to “see in green growth not just a climate imperative, but also a fountain of multi-billion-dollar economic opportunities.”

This sense of opportunity resounded throughout sessions, with consensus that harnessing Africa's tremendous renewable energy potential and vast natural resources not only makes strategic sense but is essential for the continent's development.

Not all reactions to the summit were positive though, as climate campaigners marched peacefully outside demanding action for wider systems transformation and a just energy transition. For a continent responsible for less than 4% of emissions, an open letter to Ruto, signed by over 500 civil society organisations, called for an African-led integrated approach to the continent's climate, energy, and development issues rather than being "led by Western interests."?

Key Takeaways

• Build capacity at scale: It is crucial to build local manufacturing capabilities and shift away from the model of exporting raw minerals for external manufacturing. Africa is home to 60% of the best global solar resources but has only ~2% of global renewable energy capacity. Similarly, Africa holds 30% of global mineral reserves, many of which are critical to the energy transition.
• Invest in local green jobs: The continent struggles with ‘brain drain’, as the labour moves to where capital can be found.
• Unlock financing: More financing is needed to support Africa's adaptation efforts and accelerate climate mitigation. Climate action requires funding through more equity investments and concessional financing.
• Build decentralised policy: There is a call to ensure the positive impacts of development are felt at the grassroots level.?

Moving Forward

Issued at the end of the summit, the Nairobi Declaration will serve as a negotiating document for African leaders at COP28.?

This document, signed by 19 African heads of state, calls for a global carbon tax, six-fold increase in renewable energy capacity across the continent, the removal of fossil fuel subsidies, the development of policies to advance green growth (including attracting investments) and to strengthen continental collaboration (e.g. through the acceleration of the operationalisation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.

Should You Go Next Year?

The next regional climate summit for Africa is yet to be announced. The gathering welcomes a diverse range of participants, but it is likely to be most beneficial for policy makers, NGO representatives, investors, business leaders with environmental impact on African countries, or indigenous leaders on the frontlines of environmental change.

In addition to the ACS, the UNFCCC has started planning for the 2024 Regional Climate Week in Africa, and the Expression of Interest is open to national governments to host Africa Climate Week in 2024.

About the Author

Chhavi Maggu is the Metals and Mining Lead at the Climate Champions team supporting the UN High Level Climate Champions H.E. Razan Al Mubarak (COP28) and Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin (COP27). She is seconded from Accenture's London office where she is a Sustainability Strategy Manager. Chhavi works across energy transition and sustainability topics, primarily with organisations in the natural resources sectors globally. Her work in the mining sector spans across and is not limited to ethical value chains, emissions abatement solutions, and low carbon mobility.

Chhavi holds the Sustainability Excellence Professional credential, and she currently serves as Governing Board Vice President for the International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) , the world’s leading professional association of sustainability practitioners.