Experts call for Africa climate funding to go where it’s truly needed
Keletso Thobega | Monday September 22, 2025 08:50
This was said by David Abudho, director of Oxfam Climate Just Lead Africa, during a pre-summit forum ahead of the Africa Climate Summit, which was held in Ethiopia this week. He noted that African governments should improve grassroots capacity to implement climate initiatives, emphasising the importance of national, clarified and strengthened measures, which will trickle down to the district and community level. “Climate financing should go where it will benefit communities, and it should be accessible to all people, particularly frontline communities,” he said. He further said that while many funders have readiness programmes for governments, institutions and organisations, it is still important to capacitate local community projects to ensure they develop bankable projects. He also said that there are some corrupt African countries that take climate funds but do not use it for what it is intended for, which calls for a strong culture of accountability around climate funding. “To avoid corruption and maladministration, there should be consideration of direct funding to ensure the money reaches communities,” he said. Africa feels the brunt of climate impacts despite contributing just 1% to global emissions. And Africa is the least prepared for climate shocks. Drought, floods, and heat waves are becoming more frequent and health outbreaks are now a norm. In most cases, it is women who bear the brunt of climate impact, yet financing doesn't often reach them, Abudho noted.
He pointed out that women are often disadvantaged by institutional, cultural and social barriers. He said African governments should prioritise ‘gender transformative' programmes as part of climate finance agendas. “The first step is to address the building blocks and this includes improving policy, protocols and frameworks, and ensuring that there are inclusive and dedicated programmes that consider women,” he said. Abudho also called for a culture of accountability for climate funding. He said 80% of funding is from international organisations and Governments should share with citizens how this funding is used. He emphasised that there should be “awareness of what is involved when it comes to climate funding and how that money is used to improve people's lives.” Ambassador Gamal Hassan, director of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Centre for Climate Adoption and environmental protection, noted that it's important to ensure greater investments towards enhancing climate resilience to climate impacts, adding that the IGAD Climate Adoption strategy 2023-2030 supports strengthening capacity, mainstreaming climate action and improving climate knowledge. Findings by climate research institutions indicate that Africa is currently faced with a huge funding gap, overwhelming debt burdens, limited capacity for bankable projects and weak institutional and policy frameworks.
Held ahead of COP30 to be held in Brazil in November, and building on the first Africa Climate Summit which was held in Kenya in 2023, this Summit will unify Africa’s voice to shape global climate negotiation, and supports the need for Africa to harness climate financing strategies that address the impacts of climate change while contributing to both climate adaptation and mitigation interventions and ensuring green development. It also recognises Africa’s potential for global climate solutions, emphasising the need for fair and equitable allocation of resources and support, particularly for African nations that contribute the least to climate change but are disproportionately affected by its impacts. A statement from the African Union Commission notes that it will also push for fairer global finance systems, prioritising renewable energy, nature-based and technology-based solutions, adaptation, and community-led solutions. “This vision empowers African communities, especially youth and indigenous groups, to shape a prosperous, climate-resilient future.” The Summit is built on principles that reflect a shift in how climate action is approached: It upholds international rights frameworks, providing the legal and moral foundation for just and equitable climate action; recognises the interdependence of nations and the need for a new, respectful model of sustainable development that reduces emissions in developed countries, scales up adaptation efforts, and ensures access to green technologies and champions partnerships that promote nature- and people-centred investments.”
*Keletso Thobega writes from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the Africa Climate Summit is being held. Apart from Summit proceedings which have attracted over 3000 academics, researchers, policymakers, climate journalists and climate civil society experts, she took part in a pre-summit forum themed ‘Media as a catalyst for Africa’s Climate and Peace Security Agenda,’ supported by the Federation for African journalists (FAJ), German Development Agency (GIZ), Oxfam and African Union (AU) Department of Peace and Security. Thobega is a development journalist, data consultant and African Union(AU) Media Fellow.