Non-state actors raise concern over climate change issues excluded in the Nairobi declaration

Declaration at the Africa climate summit at KICC in Nairobi on September 06, 2023.[Stafford Ondego, Standard]

The Africa Climate Summit -Non-State Actors' Committee (NSAC) has raised concern over some key issues excluded in the inaugural Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.

In a statement on September 8, the organization expressed its disappointment in the just concluded summit, stating that the Nairobi declaration did not prioritise adaptation as a critical concern in addressing Africa's climate change.

"We would like to remind the Heads of States that adaptation is not only crucial for survival but also a matter of justice. Africa is one of the regions that are most affected by climate change, even though it contributes the least to its causes," the non-state actors stated.

The summit adopted the Nairobi Declaration unanimously and by acclamation, as it outlined a common position and vision for Africa's green growth and climate resilience.

The organization has called on the relevant stakeholders to take equal attention and resources while providing adaptation and mitigation measures in their actions.

NSAC wants the adaptation strategies to be designed based on local knowledge, needs, capacities, and human rights principles.

It further noted that the content of the declaration does not give a clear definition nor possible solutions on how it can be implemented.

"We are also concerned that the Declaration does not adequately address the emotive issue of just transition, which is crucial for ensuring that no one is left behind in the shift to a low-carbon economy," the organization noted.

The actors urged various heads of state to come up with a more defining method of capturing just transition through meaningful participation of workers, communities, civil society, and other stakeholders in planning and implementing relevant policies.

It also highlighted that the Summit did not clearly outline how African leaders will collectively work together to ensure that developed countries deliver on the financial pledges made during the event.

"The failure to advance for framework for pushing for a funding mechanism to fund some of the critical climate-related interventions that protect those most affected by inequality and discrimination who are often children, youth, and women, was another waterloo for the Summit's Declaration,"

The NSAC has called on the heads of state to ensure that they integrate nature-based solutions into their mitigation and adaptation strategies.

As the world heads to COP28, the actors want the developed countries to fulfill their financial pledges, technology transfer, and capacity building to support adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage caused by climate change in Africa.