African civil society organizations (CSOs), including Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) and the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), have reiterated their demand for up to $8 trillion annually as climate change reparations from industrialized nations to the Global South.
Addressing the media in Abuja on December 4, 2024, on the outcome of the recently concluded COP29 climate talks, the CSOs argued that such reparations would resolve ongoing disputes over climate financing.
The groups reaffirmed their support for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)’s principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR).
This principle calls on wealthy, high-emission nations that have disproportionately contributed to greenhouse gas accumulation to take responsibility, reduce emissions at their source, and provide financial assistance to vulnerable nations that have contributed minimally to the climate crisis.
The 29th session of the Conference of Parties (COP) under the UNFCCC was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 10–24, 2024.
Dubbed the “Finance COP,” poor and vulnerable nations had hoped for a meaningful climate finance deal, especially given the Loss and Damage mechanism agreed upon at COP27 in Egypt and endorsed at COP28 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
However, the CSOs criticized COP29 for “failing spectacularly on the finance front,” with the leader of the Nigerian delegation reportedly describing the minimal amount offered as “an insult.”
The CSOs commended the Director-General of the Nigerian Climate Change Commission (NCCC) for her candid remarks.
HOMEF’s Executive Director, Nnimmo Bassey, remarked: “Scientists inform us that 2024 is the hottest year on record. The year has also seen a significant number of disastrous weather events.”
The groups also criticized the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)—commitments countries make to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of the Paris Agreement.
They pointed to the 2023 and 2024 Emissions Gap Reports issued by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which showed that even full implementation of NDCs would lead to temperature rises well above the 1.5 °C and 2.0 °C targets.
The CSOs expressed frustration over COP29’s announcement of a “paltry $300 billion” climate finance package, which would not take effect until 2035.
They noted that this amount falls drastically short of the trillions required and criticized the plan for relying on “innovative financial sources,” such as loans, which could exacerbate the already significant debt burdens of poor nations.
“Climate finance can readily be raised by redirecting funds from military expenditures, which totalled $2.4 trillion in 2023.
“Eliminating fossil fuel subsidies and holding polluters accountable could raise over $5 trillion annually. The issue is not a lack of resources but misplaced priorities,” the groups suggested.
They also condemned carbon markets as a false solution, arguing that they allow polluters and fossil fuel companies to continue harmful practices by purchasing carbon offsets.
This approach, they said, provides a “lifeline” to industries responsible for environmental destruction.
The groups further warned against what they termed “carbon colonialism,” where African countries risk losing control of their lands to foreign speculators.
They highlighted instances of countries mortgaging vast tracts of forests—sometimes up to 20% of their land mass—to carbon offset schemes. In Nigeria, they noted, mangrove forests are being acquired by speculators for carbon trading.
They also criticized a proposal by Niger State to allocate 16% of its land to a Brazilian meat packaging company, which they argued would have dire socioeconomic and environmental consequences.
The CSOs presented 14 key recommendations, emphasizing community-driven approaches and sustainable solutions.
These include:
1. Halt pollution at the source and uphold communities' sovereignty over forests, water bodies, and other territories.
2. Recognize and compensate communities and nations that have refrained from exploiting fossil fuel reserves, such as Yasuni in Ecuador, Ogoni in Nigeria, and Lofoten in Norway.
3. Urgently clean up areas polluted by fossil fuel exploitation and ensure the provision of clean, renewable energy to underserved communities.
4. Ban geoengineering experiments, including solar radiation management, ocean fertilization, and rock weathering, across Nigeria and Africa.
5. Reject false solutions and market-based mechanisms, such as carbon offsets and removals, that do not address the root causes of the climate crisis.
6. Ensure that energy and other transitions prioritize human rights, adopt gender-responsive approaches, and integrate community participation in decision-making processes.
The CSOs concluded by calling for a global commitment to phasing out fossil fuels, redirecting military expenditures to climate action, and holding polluters accountable.
Only then, they argued, can the world achieve climate justice and secure a sustainable future.
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