African Non-State Actors Unite at COP30 to Demand Climate Justice

By Jean-Pierre A.

As the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) opens in Belém, Brazil, African non-state actors, representing over 10,000 voices from civil society, youth, women, faith groups, labour, academia, and frontline communities, are calling for justice, resources and equitable action.

COP30, rightly called the People’s COP, recalls the spirit of the 1992 Rio Conventions. Yet, it unfolds in a world strained by overlapping crises: climate, debt, inequality, and geopolitical fragmentation, said the African non-state actors in a press statement.

“For Africa, these crises define daily reality for millions whose livelihoods, health, and security are already under siege,” added the group.

Non-state actors have reaffirmed Africa’s resolve to lead boldly, speak truth to power, and demand outcomes that reflect our realities and uphold our rights.

Non-state actors have unveiled their expectations and demands as the UN Climate Conference begins

African non-state actors have released a unified set of expectations and demands, calling for climate justice, equitable financing, and a people-centered transition for the continent. The statement, representing a coalition of civil society groups, youth networks, and grassroots organisations, outlines ten key priorities that they insist must guide negotiations at this year’s UN climate summit.

At the heart of their position is the assertion that climate justice and equity are non-negotiable. The groups reaffirm Africa’s stance on the principle of common but differentiatedresponsibilities, emphasizing that the continent’s right to development and poverty eradication cannot be compromised in pursuit of global ambitions defined elsewhere.

The statement also underscores the urgent need for concrete support for adaptation efforts. While acknowledging the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), the actors stress that indicators alone are meaningless without adequate financing. They call for a tripling of adaptation finance by 2030, delivered as grants rather than loans, and urge that women, youth, and local communities be placed at the center of climate decision-making.

On climate finance, the coalition insists that finance is a right, not charity. They demand that the Baku–Belém Roadmap deliver on its $1.3 trillion annual target by 2035, starting with $300 billion per year directed towards adaptation and loss and damage. These funds, they argue, must be new, additional, predictable, and grant-based — warning that loans merely deepen climate debt rather than resolve it.

The statement further calls for a reform of the global financial architecture, urging debt cancellation, democratization of multilateral institutions, and expansion of fiscal space to support just, people-centered transitions. They insist that climate finance should empower rather than entrench dependence.

One of the strongest appeals centers on the operationalisation of the Loss and DamageFund, which the groups say must become fully functional, accessible, and grant-based after years of delay. They reject voluntary pledges, asserting that climate reparations must reach frontline communities directly — particularly those whose livelihoods, workers, and children are most affected by climate disasters.

Framing Africa’s just transition as a global public good, the actors reject extractive models and “punitive” trade measures such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Instead, they call for investment in local value chains, decent green jobs, and regional governance of critical minerals.

Energy access also features prominently. With 630 million Africans still lacking electricity, the statement declares energy access a climate goal, urging COP30 to formally integrate affordable and clean energy access into the global mitigation framework. The continent’s Mission 300 — targeting 300 GW of renewable capacity and 300 million new connections by 2030 — is cited as a critical pathway.

The actors further emphasize gender justice as integral to climate justice, noting that women and girls disproportionately bear the brunt of climate impacts. They demand greater recognition, resourcing, and protection of women’s leadership across all levels of climate governance.

A just transition anchored in social protection and decent work is another priority. The coalition insists that every climate finance mechanism must include labor safeguards, support for worker retraining, and pathways for youth employment in the green economy.

Finally, the statement calls on global leaders to defend multilateralism and solidarity at a time when nationalism and climate denial threaten progress. It urges the Global North to rebuild trust by honoring commitments and engaging Africa as a genuine partner — not as a subordinate in the global climate effort.