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Leonard Ncube in Dubai, UAE

NEW Partnership for Africa Development (Nepad), an African Union development agency, has solidly supported African member states’ position towards speeding up climate adaptation and pushing for climate financing.

The continent bears the huge burden of climate change despite contributing minutely top the global warming largely caused by developed countries’ fossil fuels and industrial activities.

At the ongoing 28th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) at the Dubai Expo City in Dubai, UAE, the motherland is pushing for actioning of pledges made by the developed world on climate financing and just transition among other focus areas.

Speaking at the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) Africa Investment Summit that took place at the COP28, AUDA-NEPAD chief executive officer Ms Nardos Bekele-Thomas implored member states to use the Nairobi Declaration as an enabling instrument to unlock investment and push for actioning of pledges by polluters.

She said AU is committed to work with African and global institutional investment community and establish African Green Industrial Infrastructure.

This is in line with the Paris Agreement which places NDCs at the heart of agenda as they embody efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change using nationally innovative strategies, with Zimbabwe implementing regenerative agriculture, renewable energy and dam construction as some of the measures.

Ms Bekele-Thomas said Africa has suffered for far too long.

“Africa has been on the wrong end of international climate financing estimated at US$2.5 trillion between 2020 and 2030 but only a small percentage is proceeding to the continent.

We hope that COP28 pledges will be realised and not added to the promises of the past.

“We have been talking for a long time and now action is really needed. All of us collectively should make sure the pledges come to Africa. As Africa we have the capacity to realise the projects,” she said.

Mr Adnan Amin, the chief executive of COP28 said there has been commitment by over 100 countries on some climate financing pledges, adding that the COP28 is a platform for change.

He said many African Governments were working diligently towards green industrialisation and building long term energy transition projects.

Africa has the greatest green technology and its development builds on the success of green investment. We must transition global financing sector to include more financiers. The Nairobi Declaration is about stopping export of raw materials and energy transition is an opportunity for such. Green industrialisation is a platform for building Africa’s socio-economic growth. To achieve green industrialisation, Africa must build innovative and transformative policies,” he said.