The group said adaptation is a matter of survival for Africa and that COP27 should deliver on scaling up action and support, including GGA.
The African Group of Negotiators and the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment have expressed concerns about the slow pace of progress on issues that affect the continent at the ongoing United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP27, in Egypt.
This position is contained in a statement jointly delivered on Tuesday by Alioune Ndoye, Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition of Senegal, who doubles as the President of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), and Collins Nzovu, Minister of Green Economy and Environment of Zambia, Chair of the African Group of Negotiators.
The statement reads in part: “As you know, COP-27 has been dubbed as an implementation COP, and for us, as the African Group, we came here focused and determined to ensure we deliver on implementation.
“We also view COP-27 as an African COP being held on African soil, a continent that is worst affected by the climate crisis and yet contributes least to the pollution that causes climate change; as such, we expect COP-27 to result in tangible outcomes which reflect people’s aspirations, including Africa’s special needs and special circumstances”.
On assessment report
The group made reference to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) which has released daunting findings, in particular on the African continent.
The report found that Africa will be impacted more than any other continent while the continent only contributes less than 4 per cent of the world’s total emissions.
“Africa has the lowest historical and current emissions. AR6 also estimates that adaptation costs in developing countries will reach $127 billion, and Africa needs up to $86.5 billion annually by 2030,” the statement quoted.
The group said the position of Africans is not a contest for vulnerability, but the COP decisions have recognised Africa, and science alludes to the fact that Africa is a continent plagued by complex overlapping challenges, and many generations of Africans have been left behind and suffer consequences of actions not of their own making.