NAIROBI, Kenya – In the run-up to the upcoming Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or COP29, the Kenyan government has identified essential concerns that must be prioritised.
The Conference of Parties, or COP29, is a crucial platform for climate action, and Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale underlined that financing is a vital component of climate diplomacy.
“Right now, an uneven distribution and insufficient volume of climate finance is coming to the African continent. In particular, reform is required for emerging economies to make financing available, inexpensive, and accessible. A robust and advantageous financing agreement must be secured at COP29,” Duale said.
How the African continent is preparing for COP29
Duale spoke when he presided over the opening session of the three-day Africa Group of Negotiators (AGN) workshop in Nairobi, which focused on preparing for COP29.
Themed ‘Africa’s Collective Voice for Climate Action and Development,’ the workshop brought together the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC) National Focal Points and negotiators from across Africa to solidify the continent’s stance ahead of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
AGN, chaired by Kenya’s Special Climate Envoy, Ambassador Ali Mohamed, is a pan-African team of experts representing Africa in international climate negotiations.
The CS stated that the continent’s priorities had to be reflected in the African Position Paper.
The 2024 UN Climate Change Conference will convene in November 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Y News has established that other priorities mentioned by CS Duale were damage, loss, and adaptation.
How COP29 can help close the adaptation financial gap
Although adaptation has frequently been overlooked in favour of mitigation, CS Duale claimed that as climate consequences grow, the continent must prioritise and depend on them.
“Adaptation, loss, and damage must be prioritised to obtain the required financial and technical support at COP29. The use of creative funding methods and contributions from the business sector will contribute to closing the adaptation financial gap, according to Duale.
According to the CS, states are moving closer to a new set of nationally decided contributions.
“We also lack clarity on the amount of current and future funding, capacity building and technical support required to implement Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs),” explained Duale.
Y News knows that NDCs aim to reduce emissions and prepare for the effects of climate change.
Every signatory to the 2015 Paris Agreement is required to create an NDC and revise it every five years.
