Africa’s needs overlooked at COP28

Tuesday, December 19, 2023 | 290 Views |

Harsh reality: African countries wanted COP28 to focus on funding measures to alleviate climate change, but the meeting paid more attention to reducing carbon emissions. Africa contributes less than four percent of global emissions PIC: BBC

Africa, the continent least responsible for climate change but most affected by it, went to COP28 in Dubai seeking funding to help cope with the effects of the crisis. Negotiators returned this week with little to show for the two-week long negotiations. Mmegi Correspondent, BABOKI KAYAWE* was in the UAE

MAUN: The deal that emerged on Wednesday from the two week-long climate talks in Dubai has been hailed as a big win on “phasing down” unabated fossils, but it is not exactly what African negotiators were pushing for.

The call for a fossil fuel “phase out”, not “phase down” was heavily backed by protesters and campaigners as an urgent climate action, with the push having garnered electrifying momentum at Expo City 2020, the host venue for the just ended United Arab Emirates Conference of Parties (COP) climate talks.

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