African climate negotiators have called for increased grant-based financing for adaptation and stronger global accountability, stressing that the continent continues to bear the brunt of a crisis it contributed little to creating.
During discussions on climate resilience and adaptation ahead of global negotiations, the negotiators noted that Africa accounts for less than four per cent of cumulative global greenhouse gas emissions but remains one of the most vulnerable regions to climate impacts.
They highlighted growing losses across key sectors, including agriculture, water resources, infrastructure, coastal systems, and public health, as global temperatures rise beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The negotiators said Africa’s limited capacity to adapt was closely tied to broader development challenges, citing inadequate investment in social, economic, and physical infrastructure as a major constraint to building resilience.
According to the African position, adaptation finance reaching the continent remains “chronically and systematically inadequate,” despite estimated needs running into hundreds of billions of dollars annually.
They criticised the increasing reliance on concessional loans instead of grants, describing it as unjust for African countries to accumulate debt in responding to a climate crisis largely driven by industrialised nations.
The African Group of Negotiators (AGN) reaffirmed its support for the Global Goal on Adaptation, first proposed by Africa in 2013 and later formalised under Article 7.1 of the Paris Agreement.
The group emphasised that the framework must go beyond reporting and serve as a mechanism to drive political action and mobilise financial support for adaptation.
Africa is also demanding parity between adaptation and mitigation efforts, including equitable access to finance, technology transfer, and capacity building under the Paris Agreement implementation process.
The negotiators insisted that adaptation finance should be predominantly public, grant-based, and provided as new and additional funding, guided by assessed needs rather than voluntary contributions from developed countries.
They further called for simplified and direct access to climate finance through national and regional institutions to enhance efficiency and responsiveness.
The group stressed that adaptation requirements vary significantly depending on global temperature scenarios, noting that needs at 1.5 degrees Celsius differ markedly from those at two degrees Celsius or higher.
African countries warned they would reject adaptation finance targets that rely heavily on private sector funding or loans, arguing that such approaches shift financial risks onto already vulnerable nations.
They also opposed any adaptation framework that fails to clearly link targets with corresponding financial commitments from developed countries.
“Targets without finance are not adaptation; they are a record of unmet need,” the African position stated.
The negotiators underscored that adaptation finance should not be viewed as charity but as an obligation rooted in the historical responsibility of high-emitting countries.
They added that adaptation efforts must be integrated with broader development priorities, including just transition, resilient infrastructure, sustainable food systems, social protection, and technology advancement.
