We, as movements from african communities affected by the climate crisis, youth, women, civil society organizations, and activists, unite under the African Climate Justice Caravan to demand urgent action for Africa. The climate crisis has disproportionately impacted Africa, despite the continent contributing the least to the problem. This glaring inequality must be addressed.

Key Inequalities Facing Africa:

  1. Climate Change Burden:
    • Africa is one of the regions most vulnerable to the devastating impacts of climate change, including floods, droughts, heatwaves, and rising sea levels. These events are displacing communities, exacerbating poverty, and threatening food security, yet Africa is responsible for less than 4% of global carbon emissions.
  2. Inadequate Climate Finance:
    • Despite contributing the least to climate change, African nations receive inadequate financial support to cope with its effects. For example, West Africa/Sahel countries receive only $4.90 per person per year in climate finance, covering just 12.7% of their stated needs. Moreover, much of this finance comes in the form of loans, deepening debt in already vulnerable countries.
  3. Debt Crisis:
    • Over half of the climate finance provided to fragile African states is in the form of loans, pushing these nations further into debt. Countries like Nigeria and Cameroon have received up to 95% of their climate finance as debt, which is unsustainable and unjust.
  4. Exploitation of Resources:
    • Indigenous peoples in Africa face land monopolization and exploitation by large international companies, often with the approval of national authorities. This not only undermines their rights but also strips them of their natural resources, further exacerbating poverty and inequality.

Our Demands:

  1. Fair Climate Finance:
    • Wealthy nations, who are historically responsible for over 90% of excess emissions, must fulfill their climate finance commitments by providing $5 trillion annually in grants, not loans, to support climate action in Africa.
  2. Debt Relief and Grants:
    • Climate finance should be provided in the form of grants to avoid increasing Africa’s debt burden. Additionally, there must be a focus on closing the climate adaptation finance gap, which currently stands at 82% in the Sahel region.
  3. Polluter Pays Principle:
    • The biggest polluters, including fossil fuel corporations and wealthy nations, must pay their fair share of the climate debt through increased taxes and the cessation of subsidies to the fossil fuel industry.
  4. Inclusive Decision-Making:
    • Those most affected by climate change, particularly indigenous peoples and displaced communities, must be included in decision-making processes to ensure that climate action is just and equitable.

Call to Action:

We call on all stakeholders, including African governments and the international community, to recognize and address these inequalities. It is time for Africa to receive the support it deserves in the fight against climate change. Join us in demanding climate justice for Africa by signing this petition.

NB: You may also find this Statement here