United Kingdom (Commonwealth Union)_ The ongoing Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, serves as a pivotal platform for the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Honourable Patricia Scotland KC, to bolster international backing for augmented climate finance commitments on a global scale. With the overarching theme of ‘Driving Green Growth and Climate Finance Solutions for Africa and the World,’ this summit assumes a momentous role in galvanizing action across the African continent, preceding the UN Climate Change Conference COP28 scheduled for November. It bears emphasizing that Africa, with its vulnerable countries and populations, finds itself acutely exposed to the detrimental ramifications of climate change, notably manifested in erratic weather patterns and increasingly severe climatic events, exerting a profound impact on the lives, livelihoods, and residences of millions.
During her presence in Nairobi, the Secretary-General engaged in deliberations with various Heads of State hailing from the region, as well as global dignitaries, including the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres. The focus of her advocacy lies in catalyzing actions that will unlock substantial climate finance resources earmarked to bolster the resilience of vulnerable nations, while concurrently enhancing accessibility to these vital funds. This endeavor encompasses the fulfillment of the longstanding annual commitment, dating back to 2009, to disburse US$100 billion in climate finance to developing nations, alongside the operationalization of an inclusive and fit-for-purpose Loss and Damage Fund, a landmark agreement reached during COP27 in the previous year, intended to assist vulnerable nations grappling with the catastrophic impacts of climate change.
The Secretary-General’s call resounds with urgency as she underscores the collective imperative facing leaders, the international community, the private sector, and civil society alike. Their concerted commitment is indispensable to initiate and propel the transformational change requisite to meet the aspirations outlined in the Paris Agreement. Accordingly, she underscores that the means and solutions to realize these ambitions already lie within our grasp, precluding any justification for delay. Neglecting the repercussions of inaction will cause disproportionate suffering for the most vulnerable segments of society, not to mention the grave implications for future generations. The Secretary-General stated, “I urge leaders, the international community, the private sector, and civil society – together, we must all step up and drive this transformation. The means and the solutions to realize our ambitions under the Paris Agreement are already available to us – there is no excuse for a delay in action. Ignoring the consequences of inaction will hurt the most vulnerable the hardest, not to mention the generations that follow.”
Accompanying the Secretary-General is a panel of esteemed experts from the Commonwealth Secretariat, who exchanged invaluable insights and exemplar practices garnered through flagship initiatives like the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub (CCFAH); the Commonwealth Blue Charter; the Commonwealth Sustainable Energy Transition Agenda; and the Commonwealth Living Lands Charter: A Call to Action on Living Lands (CALL). Importantly, these initiatives have increased their commitment to supporting the African region. On the 5th of September, the Secretary-General participated in a high-level panel with the President of Somalia, H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohmaud; the President of Mozambique, H.E. Filipe Jacinto Nyusi; and the Vice President of Colombia, H.E. Francia Elena Marquez Mina.
The primary focus of this panel discussion revolved around the unlocking of the potential inherent in a “regenerative blue economy,” a concept of critical import for Africa and the world at large. Throughout her mission, the Secretary-General engaged in substantive dialogue with environment and climate ministers representing the region. These deliberations will serve as a forum to address expectations and critical concerns in the lead-up to the UN Climate Change Conference COP28. The insights gleaned from these discussions will be channeled into the inaugural Commonwealth Environment and Climate Ministers’ Meeting, an event scheduled to unfold on the periphery of the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York on September 21st.
