As the world turns its gaze toward COP30 in Brazil this November, Ethiopia and the United Nations say Africa must not merely be present it must lead. At a joint press briefing during Climate Week in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s Minister of Planning and Development, Dr. Fitsum Assefa, and UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell made an unambiguous appeal. They argued that Africa, with its youthful population.
Africa Climate Summit 2025 Sets Stage for Global Agenda Influence
On the heels of their appeal, Ethiopia is hosting the Second Africa Climate Summit , co-organized with the African Union. Under the theme Accelerating Global Climate Solutions: Financing for Africa’s Resilient and Green Development, the summit offers a critical opportunity for leaders, experts, and innovators to chart real, actionable pathways for climate funding, resilient infrastructure, and green adaptation.
The second UN Climate Week in Addis Ababa laid the groundwork for this momentum. From September 1–6, stakeholders emphasized issues such as adaptation finance, sustainable agriculture, and forest action. Through side events, solution labs, and youth forums, the Week not only highlighted scalable African-led practices—from community-based climate resilience to sustainable agriculture—but also underscored, more importantly, that climate response must be rooted in local realities rather than merely echoing global rhetoric.
Moreover, by showcasing these initiatives in diverse formats, it reinforced the urgency of elevating grassroots innovation alongside international policy. In doing so, it sent a powerful signal: meaningful climate action begins with those most affected
No Retreat from Climate Commitments, Africa’s Lead Negotiator Stresses
Holding firm against global backtracking, Africa’s top climate negotiator reminded the world that “there is no reverse gear” on climate commitments. Despite political shifts like U.S. withdrawal from key climate agreements, he stressed that private sector momentum in renewable energy continues to drive change. The message: Africa won’t relent, and expects developed nations to uphold and deliver on their climate finance pledges.
In July, senior environment ministers gathered in Nairobi for the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment . Their goal: to align on a unified negotiating strategy ahead of ACS2 and COP30. They emphasized crucial themes such as climate finance, nature-based solutions, just transition, and climate justice as part of Africa’s negotiating priorities.
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