As the world gathers in Belém, Brazil, for the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), millions of people from frontline communities are watching with a single question: Will our voices finally be heard?
For the people of Nigeria’s Niger Delta, climate change is not a policy debate – it’s a daily struggle. Sea-level rise swallows ancestral farmlands. Oil spills destroy rivers that once sustained livelihoods. Gas flaring burns endlessly above our homes. Yet, the same communities that suffer the most from extraction and pollution are excluded from the global negotiations that decide their future.
At Connected Advocacy, we stand at COP30 to say: Enough is enough. The climate crisis is global, but its impacts are local – and solutions must be local too. The world cannot win this fight without the people who are living it.
Our Five Demands for COP30
- Climate Finance That Reaches the Ground
Climate finance remains trapped in bureaucratic systems that rarely benefit local actors. We call for direct access to climate-blended finance for civil society, community networks, and youth-led initiatives. Funding must empower those implementing real solutions, not just those managing paperwork. - Local Design, Global Impact
True climate action begins in communities. Governments and donors must support local climate design and innovation – enabling indigenous, youth, and women-led groups to deliver renewable energy, climate education, and ecosystem restoration tailored to their needs. - Green Skills for a Just Transition
The energy transition must lift people, not leave them behind. COP30 must prioritize green skills development, especially for young people and women in Africa, ensuring that new jobs in clean energy, climate adaptation, and digital innovation are accessible to all. - Environmental Justice and Accountability
For decades, the Niger Delta has been the ground zero of environmental injustice. Polluters must pay. Communities must heal. COP30 must ensure that Loss and Damage funds are operationalized with justice at their core – compensating those most affected by fossil extraction and climate impacts. - Meaningful Participation, Not Tokenism
Indigenous and grassroots voices deserve seats at the decision-making table. We call for inclusive national delegations and mechanisms that make participation real – not symbolic. Nothing about us, without us.
Why Belém Matters
Belém, at the heart of the Amazon, symbolises both the beauty and vulnerability of our planet. It is a powerful reminder that the global climate crisis is interconnected – from the rainforests of the Amazon to the mangroves of the Niger Delta.
The choices made here will determine whether the transition to renewable energy becomes a story of justice or exclusion, of shared prosperity or deepening inequality.
Our Call to Action
We urge COP30 negotiators, global leaders, and climate financiers to:
- Invest in grassroots innovation that combines local knowledge with sustainable technology;
- Support youth and women with green skills and leadership opportunities;
- Hold polluters accountable through enforceable Loss and Damage mechanisms; and
- Empower local voices as co-creators in the global climate process.
The people of the Niger Delta – and countless communities like ours – have waited too long to be seen and heard. The time for promises has passed. The time for climate justice and shared power is now.