It is not as if they have closely missed their goals; it is as if they have not even been trying.  The new Oxfam report on climate change places the blame squarely on the rich countries , the US being the worst offender.

The goal has been to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 45 percent before 2030.  Instead, they are headed for an increase of 10.6 percent.  As  might be expected, these world’s largest economies, the G20, produce the most pollution. 

On average, they emit between 7.4 and 7.7 tons of CO2 per person per year.  To keep global mean temperature rise below 1.5 C above preindustrial levels as has been the goal, they need to come down to 2.9 to 3.8 tons.

The G20 and other countries will be submitting their nationally determined contributions or NDC’s at the UN Climate Summit in Dubai this November.  These assessments there will reveal whether or not they are on track for achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement, namely to limit temperature rise to 1.5C. 

Researchers accessing G20 plans using three different methodologies found these will reduce emissions only to 6.7 to 6.9 tons per person per year on average.  That is nearly double what is required. 

Oxfam’s work on emissions produced by the rich and the poor find them influenced by wealth and inequality — the 125 billionaires themselves produce through their investments and activities a colossal 393 million tons each year at a 3 million ton per person average — a half million times higher than the average G20 person and a million times higher than the bottom 90 percent by global wealth.

The US leads the high income countries with the largest deficit in not meeting the goals planned emissions reduction.  Its shortfall is up to 24.6 tons of CO2 equivalent per person per year.  Middle income countries are led by Russia at 10.  China has a high of 3.4 and India merely 0.7.

If the world is serious about global warming, it has to persuade rich countries, particularly G7 the richest, and the rest of the G20 to ramp up spending to move to low-carbon alternatives, and also increase climate finance for the poorer countries.  It is the only way as these countries simply do not possess the resources otherwise. 

What happens if the rich countries ignore the possibilities?  Well, we have seen the news within the last year — the latest being the catastrophic floods in Libya killing at least 5,300 while an estimated 10,000 remain missing.    What is unusual will become the norm as the air heats up absorbing more moisture from the oceans. 

Extreme weather like hurricanes and typhoons will increase with extended seasons.  Recent examples are the wildfires in Australia and Canada and the Atlantic hurricane season.  The latter runs from June 1 to November 30.  Closely before or after would not be exceptional but this year we experienced a named storm in January. 

So if no one is doing much about climate change except talk, batten down the hatches or move away from the coast, nice as it usually is. 

The historic gathering on Climate Change inside Africa, clearly portrays efforts at spearheading towards finding sustainable solutions to existing challenges. But African leaders are still standing at a crossroads as they try hard to balance their geopolitical positions, this time with raising the needed funds for controlling the effects of climate change in Africa. 

Majority of these African leaders consistently barked at Western and Europeans for the their excessive control, frequent interference in their internal affairs and shout over aspects of democracy, human rights and hegemony, and yet look forward for their invaluable investment in the economy.

This summit held under the theme, “Africa Climate Summit 2023: Driving Green Growth & Climate Finance Solutions for Africa and the World” attracted a host of African and external guests, and including representatives of civil society and non-state organizations. The governmental leaders met for three days while the entire week was dedicated to the current situation and potential solutions. 

With high optimism, the first summit held in Nairobi, Kenya, early September was primarily to review and systematize possible options African nations have to finance climate change, and on the other way, nature and its inherent resources in the continent. Kenyan President William Ruto made the summit’s aim very clear his speech – to discuss how to fund the challenges posed by climate change. 

Ruto further envisioned a “future where Africa finally steps into the stage as an economic and industrial power, an effective and positive actor on a global arena” and unreservedly boasted the availability of the young population, to take advantage of the vast renewable potential and natural resources.

Ruto’s narratives at the conference dealt with the fact that Africa is acutely vulnerable to the growing impacts of climate change, and consequently made a strategic call for accelerating funding in Africa. At the end of the summit, the narratives appealing to the international community to help achieve that goal by easing the continent’s crushing debt burden and reforming the global financial system to unblock investment was finally incorporated into the final declaration.

Prior to the declaration, it  was broadly noted that Africa has an “unparalleled opportunity” to benefit from the fight against global warming but needed massive investment to unlock its potential as Nairobi hosts a landmark climate summit focusing on the continent. “The overarching theme… is the unparalleled opportunity that climate action represents for Africa,” Ruto said in his opening address, while further stressing for trillions of dollars from the international community to unblock financing for Africa.

It is always puzzling, Africa has all the resources. Africa needs external funds. African leaders have savings in foreign banks. Yet, Africa is poor to the bone-marrow, complaints of dearth of finance, and despite the abundance of natural resources in the continent. In order to rebuild confidence, African Union Commission head, Moussa Faki Mahamat, was straight to the point in his demand – wielding his French tongue and some tiredness or frustration – on behalf of the 54-member states, that the international investment must be “massively scaled up to enable commitments to be turned into actions across the continent of Africa.” 

While demanding sweeping changes to the global financial system, Moussa Mahamat also announced that the summit would become a regular event and be held every two years.

Among most of the speakers, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki’s remarks seemingly carried different weighty significance. “Climate change poses, by all accounts, one of the most pressing challenges of our times.  Its impact in Africa will be immensely aggravated; compounded as it is by a host of other major hurdles,” he said.

“The policies we articulate, and implementation mechanisms we map out, at the individual national level will not provide the primary panacea to this global challenge,” noted Afwerki, but added that, in this context, Africa can tap and incorporate the numerous scientific measures undertaken by global players in the field to bolster its purposeful mitigation measures.

While concluding his talk at the gathering, he reminded the necessity for Africa to mobilize its own resources rather than extend hands for handouts that may aggravate the existing situation by inviting interference and corrupt practices, mobilizing inside resources will be enabling and motivating creativity at the level of the continent.

Isaias Afwerki urged everyone to not be attracted by the billions that are being promised by so called donors. Rather, better to mobilize resources and get away from this dependency that will definitely compromise everything at the level of the continent.

Despite potential internal and external hurdles to scaling up funds, one report co-authored by Executive Secretary at the UN Economic Commission for Africa, Vera Songwe, concluded that multilateral development banks’ climate finance must triple within five years, from US$60 bln to US$180 bln, to help developing economies globally cope with global warming. Annual climate finance flows in Africa stand at only US$30 billion at the moment, however.

In another report released by Oxfam, for instance, said the devastating drought has gripped Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia — which scientists say has been made more severe by climate change — as well as floods in South Sudan, have caused losses of between US$15 billion and US$30 billion in the two years to 2022, or around two to four percent of the region’s GDP.

It estimated that between 2021 and 2023, the four countries lost about US$7.4 billion in livestock alone. “Millions of already struggling people saw their animals die and lost their ability to grow, sell or eat nutritious food, plunging them into even greater poverty and hunger,” the report said.

There so many reports detailing various aspects of the climate change, specifically with regards to Africa. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) also estimates that 34 of 59 developing economies most vulnerable to climate change, many or which are in Africa, are also at a high risk of fiscal crises.

The summit has raised approximately US$23 billion in funding pledges. There are daunting challenges for the continent where hundreds of millions lack access to electricity. The oil-rich United Arab Emirates (UAE), in complete recognition of the Africa’s potential offered the financial pledge of US$4.5 billion as it competes to get hold of Africa. United States’ climate envoy John Kerry also announced US$30 million in new funding to accelerate climate-resilient food security across the continent.

United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, at African Climate Summit, pointed to an injustice burns at the heart of the climate crisis. And its flame is scorching hopes and possibilities in Africa. This continent accounts for less than four per cent of global emissions. Yet it suffers some of the worst effects of rising global temperatures: Extreme heat, ferocious floods, and tens of thousands dead from devastating droughts. The blow inflicted on development is all around with growing hunger and displacement. Shattered infrastructure. Systems stretched to the limit.

All these above aggravated by climate chaos not of Africans’ making. It is still possible to avoid the worst effects of climate change. But only with a quantum leap in climate action. The people of Africa – and people everywhere – need action to respond to deadly climate extremes.

Notwithstanding all that he mentioned above, Antonio Guterres explained that reaching these targets requires climate justice. Developed countries must present a clear and credible roadmap to double adaptation finance by 2025 as a first step towards devoting, at least, half of all climate finance to adaptation.

Referring to multinational development banks and othe foreign financiers, Antonio Guterres added in his speech: “They must keep their promise to provide $100 billion a year to developing countries for climate support. Every person on earth must be covered by an early warning system by 2027 – by implementing the Action Plan we launched last year.”

“Six out of every 10 Africans currently lack access to these systems. The Early Warning for All Africa Action Plan launched yesterday under the leadership of the African Union will be critical to addressing this need. More broadly, we need a course correction in the global financial system so that it supports accelerated climate action in the context of sustainable development. We can’t achieve one without the other,” accroding to the Secretary General of the United Nations.

It, therefore, means re-capitalizing and changing the business model of Multilateral Development Banks. This could make it possible to leverage private finance at affordable rates to support developing nations to build sustainable economies. The global financial system must be reformed to be an ally of developing nations as they turbocharge a just and equitable green transition that leaves no one behind, especially those in Africa.

But then, and but the point here is that African leaders must get down to their tasks. Interestingly, Africa produces and trades in critical minerals. Africa must be sustainable, transparent and just across every link of the supply chain, with maximum added value produced across Africa. So we are saying is that African leadership must strive to generate innovative green economies anchored in renewable power.

Without hyperbolic geopolitical slogans, now is the time to bring together African states with developed world, financial institutions and technology companies to create a true African Renewable Energy Alliance. With adequate access to financial resources at a reasonable cost and technological support, renewables could dramatically boost economies, grow new industries, create jobs and drive development – including by reaching the over 600 million Africans living without access to power.

Nevertheless, African leaders and the attendees,  demand from external nations to honour long-standing climate pledges for poorer nations. Analysts in their several news reports also acknowledged that the summit unity generated momentum for making this demand. But consensus is still challenging across the diverse continent of 1.4 billion people, the 54 African leaders and the African Union and within the context of geopolitical situation around the world.

In recent months, India has broken several temperature records, recording its hottest February in 120 years. Heatwaves have devastating impacts on the health, economy, and environment of the nation, causing deaths, illnesses, crop failures, power outages, and water shortages. They also worsen air pollution, which is already a major public health crisis in India.

Heat stress is a serious threat to human health and well-being, especially for the poor and marginalized populations who lack access to cooling infrastructure, green spaces, and adequate housing. According to the World Bank, heat waves affected over 1 billion people in India and Pakistan in 2020, exposing the region’s acute vulnerabilities to rising temperatures and frequency, duration, and intensity of extreme heat events¹. Moreover, heat stress can reduce the labor capacity and productivity of workers, especially in outdoor and manual occupations that are prevalent among the poor. By 2030, lost labor due to rising heat and humidity could risk up to 4.5% of India’s GDP – approximately USD 150-250 billion. Another study found that low-income households in rural and urban South Asia experience higher indoor temperatures than outdoor temperatures, due to poor housing quality and lack of ventilation. These findings suggest that heat stress can exacerbate poverty and inequality, both within and across countries, and undermine the efforts to achieve sustainable development for all.

The problem of heat is particularly acute in urban areas, where the urban heat island (UHI) effect makes cities much hotter than their surroundings. The UHI effect is caused by the replacement of natural vegetation with concrete and asphalt, and the emission of waste heat from vehicles, industries, and air conditioners. The UHI effect also creates thermal inequities within cities, as the poor and marginalized suffer more from the lack of cooling infrastructure, green spaces, and adequate housing.

The World Bank’s recent policy brief titled “Urban Heat in South Asia: Integrating People and Place in Adapting to Rising Temperatures” offers a comprehensive analysis of the urban heat challenge in India and its neighboring countries. It provides a conceptual framework and three specific recommendations for enhancing urban heat resilience in the region. These include gathering more data and research on urban microclimates and heat-vulnerable populations, integrating social and spatial factors in planning and development processes, and embedding urban heat resilience in building codes, zoning, and land-use regulations.

India must urgently address its urban heat challenge not only as a climate challenge but also as a development challenge. It poses a threat to the country’s economic growth, social progress, and environmental sustainability, as well as exposing deep inequalities and injustices in our cities. Immediate action is needed to make our cities cooler, greener, and more inclusive for all.

Sustainable cooling solutions in India will not only benefit the people and the planet, but also create a huge economic opportunity for the country. According to a recent report by the World Bank, India can generate a whopping $1.6 trillion of investment by 2040 by adopting green cooling technologies and practices¹. These include improving energy efficiency of cooling appliances, enhancing building design and construction, expanding renewable energy sources, and phasing down high-GWP refrigerants. By implementing these measures, India can also reduce its annual greenhouse gas emissions by 213 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2040², contributing significantly to the global climate goals. As a signatory of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol and the Paris Agreement, India has shown its commitment to addressing the challenge of cooling in a climate-friendly manner. The India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP), launched in 2019, is a visionary document that sets forth five ambitious goals and 100 concrete actions to achieve sustainable and equitable cooling for all. By pursuing these goals, India can not only protect its people from the deadly impacts of heat waves, but also unlock its economic potential and leadership in the global cooling market.

To achieve its cooling goals, India must invest in three major sectors: building construction, cold chains, and refrigerants. This requires adopting climate-responsive cooling techniques in affordable housing, district cooling systems in urban areas, pre-cooling and refrigerated transport in cold chains, and alternative refrigerants with lower global warming potential. These are proven technologies and best practices from around the world, and India has the potential to become a global leader and a hub for green cooling manufacturing and innovation. However, it will require concerted action from all stakeholders, including government, industry, civil society, and consumers.

The government must create an enabling policy and regulatory environment, provide incentives and financing mechanisms, promote awareness and capacity building, and monitor and evaluate progress. The industry must invest in research and development, adopt quality standards and labels, and scale up the production and distribution of energy-efficient cooling products and services. Civil society must advocate for sustainable cooling as a public good, mobilize consumer demand and behavior change, and ensure that the benefits of cooling reach the poor and vulnerable.

 This Opinion piece first appeared in Jansatta via World Bank