African negotiators at the ongoing COP30 Climate Summit in Belém, Brazil, must push for binding and measurable climate finance commitments that go beyond political promises to real delivery for vulnerable nations, Power Shift Africa has said.
The Nairobi-based climate think tank made the call in a new policy brief released this week, warning that Africa continues to warm at twice the global average rate despite contributing the least to global greenhouse gas emissions.
According to the report, the continent’s accelerating temperature rise is intensifying droughts, floods, and heatwaves, worsening food insecurity, displacing communities, and straining national budgets that are already under pressure.
“COP30 must move from ambition to implementation,” Power Shift Africa said. “African leaders should demand concrete timelines for climate finance delivery, technology transfer, and capacity-building to strengthen resilience on the continent.”
The report highlights Africa’s urgent financing needs, estimating that the continent requires about US$70 billion annually for effective adaptation measures.
Yet, in 2023, only US$14.8 billion flowed to African countries, less than a quarter of the required amount.
Power Shift Africa emphasized that this financing gap continues to undermine Africa’s ability to adapt to worsening climate conditions, even as developed countries fail to meet their historic pledges.
The organisation urged negotiators at COP30 to triple adaptation finance beyond the current global goal of doubling it by 2030, insisting that funds should be delivered mainly as grants, not loans, to prevent further debt accumulation in developing countries.
COP30 marks a critical turning point, the first major climate conference following the Global Stocktake of the Paris Agreement. This review assessed global progress toward limiting warming to 1.5°C and revealed major shortfalls in climate action and finance delivery.
Against this backdrop, Power Shift Africa said Africa must use the summit to push for a “decisive shift” toward accountability and measurable progress.
The organisation called for clear implementation mechanisms to ensure that wealthy nations follow through on their financial and technological support commitments.
A key priority, according to the brief, is the adoption of measurable indicators under the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) that would allow countries to track progress and link adaptation targets to predictable and scaled-up financing.
“Adaptation must be more than rhetoric,” the brief said. “It requires measurable goals, transparent reporting, and sustained funding especially for countries with the highest climate vulnerability.”
Power Shift Africa also underscored the need for a well-funded Loss and Damage Fund that allows climate-impacted communities to access financial support directly and without bureaucratic delays.
The organisation cautioned that the global just transition dialogue must reflect Africa’s development realities, including the urgent need for energy access, industrialization, and job creation.
It argued that Africa’s transition away from fossil fuels should be “nationally determined and economically inclusive”, ensuring that local economies benefit rather than suffer from decarbonization efforts.
On climate technology, the brief called for the removal of intellectual property and structural barriers that limit Africa’s ability to develop and deploy green innovations.
“Africa cannot remain just a consumer of imported technologies,” Power Shift Africa stressed. “We must build our capacity to innovate, adapt, and manufacture climate technologies locally.”
As negotiations continue in Brazil, finance, adaptation, and just transition are expected to dominate the high-level discussions at COP30.
Observers say Africa’s ability to unite around these priorities could determine how strongly the continent influences the next phase of global climate action.
Power Shift Africa concluded that the outcomes of COP30 must not only reaffirm ambition but also deliver real resources to help Africa build resilience, protect livelihoods, and secure a sustainable future.
“This is Africa’s moment to demand delivery, not just promises,” the organisation said.
