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In a collective reaction to the conclusion of COP30, African Non-State Actors (NSAs) have warned that that the decisions adopted still fall short of securing true climate justice for the continent least responsible for the crisis yet suffering its most devastating impacts.
The NSAs acknowledged the COP30 decision to mobilise $1.3 trillion annually by 2035, with
developed countries taking the lead, saying that this marks the first time Parties have committed to a quantified pathway of climate finance “at scale.” They noted that, for Africa, where climate impacts already cost 5–15% of GDP growth each year, this commitment is significant.
They, however, called for clear burden-sharing arrangements, predictable public
finance, and stronger accountability measures to ensure the pledge delivers real resources to
countries most in need.
The decision to double adaptation finance by 2025 and triple it by 2035 was welcomed as a
long-overdue shift toward balancing the global climate response. African NSAs noted that
adaptation has for years received less than one-third of global climate finance, despite Africa’s
acute exposure to droughts, floods, storms, and rising temperatures.
“Adaptation is not charity; it is a lifeline. We caution that without transparent tracking, grant
heavy finance, and country-driven programming, even these strengthened pledges risk
underdelivering in practice,” the NSAs stated, even as they celebrate the confirmation of operationalisation and replenishment cycles for the Loss and Damage Fund as a critical victory for frontline communities.
“This opens the door to a predictable financing mechanism for countries already experiencing irreversible climate losses. Nevertheless, PACJA maintains a cautious approach to celebrating any announcements on loss and damage, and historical decisions appear to serve the role of
procrastinating justice,” the group noted, stressing that the scale and accessibility of the fund will determine its real value.
“A functional fund is not the same as a funded fund,” warned, Dr Mithika Mwenda, Executive
Director of the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance.
COP30’s launch of the Global Implementation Accelerator and the Belém Mission to 1.5°C was seen as a positive signal of renewed global ambition. African NSAs say these initiatives must translate into actual resources, technology partnerships, and strengthened implementation capacity across the continent and not merely new banners and slogans.
“In a year characterised by intense climate denial, the emerging consensus that avoids making any commitment to deal with the primary contributor of global warming, the fossil fuels, cannot go unnoticed.”
The commitment to safeguard information integrity and counter climate disinformation was welcomed as essential to protecting public trust, scientific integrity, and democratic processes. African NSAs urge Parties to pair this with protections for environmental defenders, journalists, and civic space.
