Ninety Parties to the Paris Agreement have submitted their first Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs), underscoring the commitment of nations to advancing the goals of the Paris Agreement through the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF). These reports represent a critical effort by governments to establish robust systems for climate data collection and reporting, ensuring transparency in global climate action.
Simon Stiell, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary. Phoro credit UN Climate Change / Lucia Vasquez Tumi
Transparent reporting is a vital enabling tool for all governments, providing crucial data to inform decision-making, design stronger climate policies over time and achieve broader development goals.
Special recognition goes to the 57 developing countries that have submitted their BTRs, including 13 Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States. This important effort by the nations that are most vulnerable to climate impacts reflects their commitment to ensuring that the response to the climate crisis is guided by robust, evidence-based insights.
BTRs are central to the climate ambition cycle, tracking progress on national climate plans (known as nationally determined contributions or NDCs), fostering trust among Parties, identifying support needs and preparing countries for the next round of NDCs in 2025.
“Transparency is crucial, not only because it highlights progress in climate action but because it spurs more action: enabling data-driven responses that build resilience and protect vulnerable populations by identifying risks and vulnerabilities, and leading to better resource allocation,” said UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell, at COP29. “Every submission, every lesson learned, brings us closer to the goals of the Paris Agreement.”
Recognising the critical importance of Biennial Transparency Reports, UN Climate Change urges all Parties that have not yet submitted complete BTRs to do so without delay.
Next steps
BTR submissions undergo independent technical expert reviews, which began last year with reviews of submissions from Andorra and Panama. These reviews involve a thorough assessment of each report, identifying progress towards NDC targets and capacity-building needs, and supporting Parties to improve future reporting.
Following the review of BTRs, the ETF’s multilateral phase – known as Facilitative Multilateral Consideration of Progress (FMCP) – will encourage Parties to share experiences, successes, challenges and insights in implementing the Paris Agreement, driving global cooperation to deliver climate action and support.
Lessons learned from these processes will enhance countries’ long-term capacity to collect and analyse data, inform policy decisions, and implement effective climate action. Additionally, reviews may enable Parties to attract climate finance by assessing market mechanism usage under Article 6 and REDD+ activities.
UN Climate Change plays a crucial role in supporting Parties through extensive training, including of expert reviewers, as well as joint capacity-building initiatives with partner organizations across regions. This enables countries to strengthen their transparency efforts and effectively meet reporting obligations.
Following a nearly century-long effort, Georgia has been certified malaria-free by the World Health Organisation (WHO). With the announcement, made on Thursday, January 23, 2025, Georgia joins the ranks of 45 countries and one territory that have achieved this milestone.
Georgian Minister of Health, Mikheil Sarjveladze
“Today we congratulate the people of Georgia for their decades of targeted and sustained actions to eliminate malaria, one of the world’s leading killers,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Georgia’s commitment and success gives us hope that a malaria-free world is possible.”
“This is a huge milestone worth marking; with Georgia’s achievement, the WHO European Region is another step closer to initiate certification as the first malaria-free region in the world,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “This doesn’t happen in a vacuum, this was made possible thanks to sustained investment, dedication of the health workforce and targeted efforts in prevention, early detection and effective treatment of all malaria cases.”
Certification of malaria elimination is granted by WHO when a country has proven, beyond reasonable doubt, that the chain of indigenous transmission has been interrupted nationwide for at least the previous three consecutive years.
The Minister of Health, Mikheil Sarjveladze, noted that certifying Georgia as malaria-free is a recognition of the sustainability of its healthcare system, “this success means that Georgia can address important health challenges.”
A longstanding challenge
Malaria has plagued Georgia since ancient times. Before the introduction of systematic control efforts in the early 1900s, at least 3 malaria parasite species – P. falciparum, P. malariae and P. vivax – were endemic in the country. In the 1920s, an estimated 30% of the population suffered from malaria caused by the P. vivax malaria species.
By 1940, large-scale mosquito control programmes had helped reduce malaria cases significantly through improved access to diagnostic and treatment facilities. A few years later, however, World War II caused a surge again due to population movement and the strain on health facilities.
In the post-war period, Georgia launched an intensive programme aimed at eliminating malaria, using newer medicines, insecticide spraying and robust entomological surveillance. The campaign successfully interrupted the transmission of P. falciparum by 1953, P. malariae by 1960 and P. vivax by 1970.
Georgia remained malaria-free for 25 years but, by 2002, malaria had reemerged in the country with 474 cases reported.
Renewed commitments to stop the disease
In 2005, together with nine other countries in the WHO European Region, Georgia signed the Tashkent Declaration, reaffirming its pledge to eliminate malaria. The intensified interventions that followed significantly reduced malaria incidence in Georgia, with the last indigenous case recorded in 2009. By 2015, all 53 countries of the WHO European Region, including Georgia, reported zero indigenous cases of malaria.
To prevent further re-establishment of malaria transmission in the region, the original signatories of the Tashkent Declaration issued the Ashgabat Statement in 2017 committing to take all efforts to remain malaria-free. Türkiye is the only country in the WHO European Region remaining to be certified.
In 2024, during the Georgia’s malaria-free certification process, members of the Technical Advisory Group on Malaria Elimination and Certification, an independent WHO advisory body, noted that Georgia has a well-functioning and adequately resourced health system, strong public-private cooperation, and political commitment to maintaining a malaria-free status.
Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Moussa Faki, has expressed dismay over announcement by the U.S. to withdraw from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Moussa Faki
The U.S. President, Donald Trump, had earlier on Monday, January 20, 2025, announced that U.S. government would withdraw from the global health body, citing WHO’s mishandling of the COVID-19 outbreak from Wuhan, China and other health crisis.
Faki, the Chief Executive Officer, legal representative of the AU and the Commission’s Chief Accounting Officer, made this known in a statement by the mission on Thursday, January 23, via its website.
Faki said, “The U.S. as a member of WHO was crucial in shaping global WHO instruments and norms on public health, security and well being over the past seven decades.
“In Africa, the U.S. was an early and strong supporter towards the establishment of Africa CDC, the African Union’s technical agency for public health emergencies.
“The agency works with WHO and the global WHO membership to detect, prepare for, respond to and recover from pandemics.
“Today, now more than ever, the world depends on WHO to carry out its mandate to ensure global public health security as a shared common good.
“It is therefore hoped that the U.S. government will reconsider its decision to withdraw from this key global organisation of which it is a founding member,” Faki said.
The Chairperson of the Commission is often elected by the AU General Assembly for a four-year term, renewable once to oversee the administration and finances; promoting and popularising the AU’s objectives.
Also, to enhance the Commission’s performance, consulting and coordinating with Member States, development partners, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), appointing and managing Commission staff, and act as depository for all AU and OAU treaties and legal instruments.
Magistrate Court 7, in Moore Road Calabar, Cross River State, has granted environmental activist and Director of the Rainforest Resources and Development Centre (RRDC), Odey Oyama, bail.
Odey Oyama
Odey was on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, granted bailed alongside four others allegedly accused and arrested by the Cross River State Police Command of instigating native war in Effi Community.
They were arrested in Ikom on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, detained and charged to court by the Police in Calabar.
In case No MC/ 20C/2025, the presiding judge, Magistrate Okoho Bassey, ruled that the court is enjoined to protect the rule of law and the right of the citizen especially when guilt is not established. She, therefore, granted bail to the defendant; with a bail condition of N5 million and two sureties.
While she ruled that the prosecutor did not act in good faith, the Judge said when a case is brought before a magistrate court for the purpose of remand, it must comply with section 290 sub section 1 and 2 of Cross River State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, that in the instant case, only the charge was brought with no case file and motion.
“I’m careful not to strike out this case even though it is incompetent before me,” she stated.
Earlier while presenting his case, the Defense Counsel, Ntufam Sunny Mgbe, citing section 136 and 160 sub section 1 of Cross River State Administration of Justice Law, argued that a case of such nature should not have been brought to the magistrate court since it does not have the jurisdiction over a case that attracts a capital punishment.
Mgbe pleaded to the court to either strike out the case or grant the defendant bail, citing section 136 and 160 sub section 1 of the state justice law
But the Prosecuting Counsel, O. U. Ubi in his argument pleaded to the court not to strike the case or grant bail to the defendant, stating that the court has the jurisdiction over the case upon citing section 101 sub section 1 and 2 and section 102 of the state criminal justice law.
The court, however, granted bail to the defendant and four others, namely, Alobi Ofuka, Ogbeshi Opene, Samuel Agbor and Konye Eka. The court was adjoined till February 7, 2025.
It will be recalled that some civil society organisations on Tuesday called for the immediate release of Oyama, saying his arrest and detention by the Nigerian Police signifies a rising trend of abuse and repression.
The Executive Director of PADIC, formally known as Development Concerns (DEVCON), Dr, Martins Egot, and Director of PeacePoint Development Foundation (PPDF), Mr. Umo Isuaiko, described his arrest and detention as deliberate to keep him incommunicado.
In a statement by the Executive Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Comrade Nnimmo Bassey, Egot of DEVCON, Isuaiko of PPDF, Ken Henshaw of We the People (WTP) and 28 others said it was against the law for Odey to be detained beyond 24 hours without trial and “the action of the Nigeria Police has once again demonstrated flagrant disregard for due process and their role in stifling dissenting voices, especially when vested business interests are at stake”.
They said: “This instance, Odey Oyama a conscientious objector to the destruction of the environment, rather than enjoy the protection of the government, is being systematically persecuted.”
The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has validated its National Biosafety Guidelines on Low-Level Presence (LLP) to ensure that only approved Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are safely imported into the country.
Director-General of NBMA, Dr Agnes Asagbra
Speaking during the presentation and validation of the guidelines on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, in Abuja, the Director-General of NBMA, Dr. Agnes Asagbra, emphasised the agency’s commitment to protecting human health, animals, plants, and the environment.
“I like to assure Nigerians that we are concerned about their safety. We have to conduct rigorous assessments to ensure that GMOs are safe for consumption,” Asagbra stated.
She noted NBMA’s mandate to regulate modern biotechnology, adding that the newly validated guidelines are crucial in ensuring that no unverified seeds or grains enter the country.
“A very important guideline is being validated on LLP for the importation of GMOs.
“Because of our mandate to save human lives, we are determined that not just any seed or grain can come into the country,” she said.
Asagbra further assured that all grains or seeds imported into Nigeria must be analysed and certified safe.
“LLP means the product must have been certified, approved, and gone through basic risk assessment in other countries and certified safe before it is accepted in Nigeria.
“Let me state categorically that LLP is not a safety issue; it is a trade issue,” she clarified.
Similarly, Mrs. Modupe Adeyemo, Senior Programme Officer at AUDA-NEPAD, expressed satisfaction with the guidelines and pledged support for implementing NBMA’s GMO importation policies.
Construction of a giant celestial solar farm is underway in China, with a scale comparable to creating a “Three Gorges Dam project above the Earth”.
International Space Station solar array. Photo credit: NASA via Wikimedia Commons
The solar farm, which would be launched into space using heavy-lift rockets, is expected to stretch one kilometre in width and continuously harvest renewable energy for Earth.
It would be positioned in geostationary orbit, meaning it has an orbital time equivalent to the Earth’s rotational period and always remains at the same point above the Earth’s surface.
When revealing plans for the structure, Chinese aerospace engineer, Long Lehao, referred to it as “another Three Gorges Dam project above the Earth”, South China Morning Post reported.
The 2,335-metre-long Three Gorges Dam, which crosses the Yangtze River in central China, is the largest producer of hydroelectric power in the world.
“We are working on this project now,” said Long.
“It is as significant as moving the Three Gorges Dam to a geostationary orbit 36,000 kilometres above the Earth. This is an incredible project to look forward to.”
Solar panels are engineered to harness the sun’s energy to generate electricity by turning light energy into usable power – a process known as the photovoltaic effect.
Unlike terrestrial arrays, space-based photovoltaics can provide continuous power as they are unaffected by seasons or daylight, allowing constant harvesting of energy from the sun.
They are also estimated to be 10 times more efficient at energy collection than photovoltaic panels on Earth.
According to Global Construction Review, work started on the space solar power station in Chongqing in 2019. It is expected that a reusable heavy-lift rocket, named the Long March-9, will be required to launch the solar farm into orbit.
Once in place, this one-kilometre-wide solar array is expected to harvest as much energy in a year as the total quantity of oil that can be extracted from the Earth, reported Sustainability Magazine. The energy is planned to be transmitted to ground using microwaves.
The Korea Forest Service (KFS) of the Republic of Korea and the Secretariat of Natural Resources and the National Institute of Forest Conservation and Development of the Republic of Honduras signed a five-year bi-lateral cooperation agreement on Tuesday, January 21 2025, on the implementation of Articles 5 and 6 of the Paris Agreement.
Lucky Medina, Minister of Environment, Honduras
The partnership aims to promote the implementation of both Article 5 and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement at national level. The collaboration will include support on capacity building, exchange of information, knowledge sharing, best practices, and experience of implementing mitigation outcomes frameworks and policies governing the management and development of greenhouse gas mitigation activities and resources.
Honduras and Korea will also apply corresponding adjustments, share, and transfer the Mitigation Outcomes generated from the mitigation activities under Article 5, based on mutually agreed-upon quantities and timelines in accordance with the CMA guidance.
“Our goal, as a rainforest nation, is to implement the UN-compliance carbon market for the forestry sector at the national level in following Article 5.2 and additionally fulfilling all of the requirements of Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, recently regulated at COP29 in Baku,” said Lucky Medina, Minister of Environment, Honduras. “These types of national partnerships are critical for the environmental integrity of the new UN carbon markets under Article 6.”
The Republic of Honduras has already complied with Article 5 of the Paris Agreement on REDD+, voluntarily reporting its national forest reference level (FREL), and covering at national level the activities reducing emissions from deforestation, reducing emissions from forest degradation, conservation of forest carbon stocks, sustainable management of forest, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.
This has been carried out in accordance with decisions 1/CP.16, 12/CP. 17, and 13/CP. 19 of the Paris Agreement. As a result, the Biennial Update Report for the Republic of Honduras includes REDD+ Results for the years 2021, 2022, and 2023, transactable as ITMOs under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
Coalition for Rainforest Nations, a US not-for-profit, has been working with Honduras both on capacity building and institutional frameworks throughout the ITMO development process. ITMO Ltd will support Honduras on the sale of its ITMOs.
To begin the partnership, both countries will cooperate on a pre-feasibility study and a feasibility study toward the development and implementation of a UN REDD+ Programme for implementation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. The initial partnership is set for five years with the option to renew.
On January 23, 2025, we will launch the 2025 Nigeria Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP). The plan targets 3.6 million of the most vulnerable people in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY) states, requiring $910.2 million in funding. It underscores the urgent need for lifesaving interventions while laying the groundwork for resilience and recovery. It is a result of extensive consultations with affected people, Government authorities, and partners, ensuring that our response is evidence-based and needs-driven.
A family in need in the Northeast
As we launch the Nigeria 2025 HNRP, we are reminded of the escalating challenges and the profound resilience of Nigerians facing one of the largest and most complex humanitarian crises in the world. From conflict-induced displacement to climate shocks, food insecurity, and disease outbreaks, Nigeria continues to grapple with overlapping emergencies that strain resources and test the limits of our humanitarian response. Yet, these challenges present an opportunity to rethink, reform, and realign our efforts for more efficient, impactful and sustainable outcomes.
The Nigeria 2025 HNRP is a strategic blueprint aimed at addressing these multifaceted crises. With an estimated 33 million Nigerians facing food insecurity, 1.8 million children at risk of severe malnutrition, and millions displaced across the country, the stakes are higher than ever.
Humanitarian needs extend far beyond the BAY states, affecting communities nationwide. The United Nations acknowledges these challenges and the urgency to address them. However, limited resources and capacity constraints necessitate careful prioritisation to ensure the most effective use of available resources. Outside of the BAY states, a model is being developed that will jointly address humanitarian, development and peacebuilding needs. This with emphasis on development interventions addressing the underlying causes of vulnerability, reducing overall humanitarian needs.
Recognising that the approach used in the BAY states may not be suitable for all other regions, efforts outside these areas will focus on a coordinated response with development actors to address underlying vulnerabilities. This strategy will be led by the government, leveraging national leadership and resources to ensure sustainability. A new model of coordination and response is being developed to achieve this goal.
The crises in Nigeria are rooted in a complex interplay of conflict, economic instability, and climate change. The BAY states remain the epicenter, with 7.8 million people in need, including displaced individuals and host communities. Conflict continues to drive displacement, disrupt livelihoods, and erode access to basic services. At the same time, climate-related disasters, such as the devastating floods of 2024, have exacerbated vulnerabilities, destroying homes, farmland, and critical infrastructure.
These challenges are compounded by systemic inequities. Women and children face heightened risks, from gender-based violence to malnutrition and lack of access to education. Girls and women are also often excluded from access to health care, livelihoods and decision-making processes. People with disabilities report feeling overlooked in aid distribution, highlighting the need for inclusive and equitable approaches. These disparities demand targeted interventions that prioritise the most marginalised.
Recognising the need for transformative action, the 2025 HNRP introduces key reforms to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of humanitarian responses. First, we aim to reduce transaction costs by localising aid delivery, channeling more resources through national and local organisations that better understand community dynamics. Empowering these organisations not only enhances local acceptance but also ensures faster, more trusted responses.
Second, it promotes a shift from reactive to anticipatory and proactive approaches to humanitarian action. By investing in early warning systems and pre-agreed trigger mechanisms, we can respond swiftly to predictable shocks such as floods and disease outbreaks. Allocating 5% of the budget to anticipatory action is a step toward minimising human suffering and resource wastage.
Third, we are committed to leveraging partnerships with development actors and the Government to address the root causes of vulnerability. By integrating humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts, we can create durable solutions that reduce reliance on aid and promote long-term stability.
Finally, the plan seeks to diversify funding sources. Traditional funding mechanisms are no longer sufficient to meet growing needs. Innovative approaches, including private sector engagement and government-led initiatives, are essential to bridging the gap.
The success of the 2025 HNRP depends on the collective efforts of all stakeholders. Humanitarian actors must collaborate closely with the government, civil society, and affected communities to ensure that assistance is tailored, inclusive, and effective. Donors are called upon to sustain their commitment, recognising that their support is vital to driving the necessary reforms and innovations.
More than anything, we must challenge our perceptions of humanitarian assistance. It is not a standalone solution but a critical component of a broader strategy that includes development and peacebuilding. By aligning our actions with these principles, we can address immediate needs while paving the way for resilience and empowerment.
As we embark on this journey, let us draw inspiration from the resilience of those we serve. Their courage and determination remind us of the profound impact we can achieve through collective action.
I call upon all stakeholders to support the 2025 HNRP. Together, let us invest in humanity and leave no one behind.
By Mohamed Malick Fall
Mohamed Malick Fall is the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria.
Nigerian plastic manufacturers have been reminded by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) that their participation in the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programme is mandatory to bolster government initiatives to address the country’s plastic waste pollution crisis.
NESREA officials during an inspection of various plastic and packaging companies in Lagos State
Dr. Innocent Barikor, Director General of NESREA, who reinforced the call during an inspection of some plastic and packaging companies in Lagos, stated that the visit was part of the agency’s grand plan to gather information on how to best develop a regulatory framework that would be used to implement the EPR initiative throughout the country.
Nigeria is currently implementing a project with support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to explore how to use the circular economy concept to reduce plastic pollution and its impacts in Africa, which the EPR is a key component of.
“We want to assess stakeholders’ understanding of the EPR implementation, get firsthand information on plastic pollution management strategies in the respective states, and evaluate plastic packaging producers’ knowledge of their obligations, including the formation and subscription to Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs),” the DG, who was represented by Chukwudi Nwabuisiaku, NESREA’s Assistant Director, Plastics Pollution Control, said.
He urged the different producers to help implement the EPR in their sectors in order to expedite the nation’s goals of leveraging the circular economy approach to address the waste pollution crisis, increase job opportunities, and advance a sustainable environment for all Nigerians.
As Donald Trump was sworn into office for a second term as the President of the United States, he has, for the second time, announced his intention to withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change.
President Donald Trump signs an executive order as he attends an indoor Presidential Inauguration parade event at Capital One Arena, on January 20, 2025, in Washington. Photo credit: Evan Vucci/AP
“I’m immediately withdrawing from the unfair, one-sided Paris climate accord rip-off,” Trump said as he signed the executive order ahead of his inauguration. “The United States will not sabotage our own industries while China pollutes with impunity.”
Trump’s presidential orders include declaring an “Energy Emergency”, which could give the administration increased powers to approve production of both fossil fuels and, interestingly, critical green minerals, essential to the energy transition.
Though the withdrawal is immediate, it officially takes a year to kick in; and the order indicates the administration’s intent to limit participating, including cutting funding for climate mitigation and adaptation, and increasing production of fossil-fuels.
The US exit from the Paris Agreement means that America is withdrawing from a global pact aimed at mitigating climate change. The agreement, signed in 2015, brings almost 200 countries together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming to well below 2°C (3.6°F) above pre-industrial levels.
The US is the world’s second-largest greenhouse gas emitter behind only China. The exit means that America will no longer be bound by the agreement’s requirements, such as submitting plans to reduce carbon emissions.
However, it’s worth noting that the agreement has no enforcement mechanisms, so countries can’t be punished for not meeting their targets.
Months after taking office for the first time in 2017, President Trump signed an order to withdraw from the pact, a move President Joe Biden promptly reversed on his first day in office in 2021.
While wildfires in Los Angeles serve as a reminder of the immediate impacts of the climate crisis, the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement highlights the continued challenges in global climate action.
As scientists call for drastic reductions in carbon emissions,UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has already noted that the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement would undermine global efforts to halt climate change.
“The Paris agreement can survive, but people sometimes can lose important organs or lose the legs and survive. But we don’t want a crippled Paris agreement. We want a real Paris agreement,” Guterres told the Guardian. “It’s very important that the United States remain in the Paris Agreement, and more than remain in the Paris agreement, that the United States adopts the kind of policies that are necessary to make the 1.5 degrees still a realistic objective.”
Implications for Africa
Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate change, with many countries already experiencing severe droughts, floods, and heatwaves. The US exit may lead to reduced international support for climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts in Africa.
This could exacerbate the already devastating impacts of climate change on the continent, including food and water scarcity, displacement, and economic instability.
“The cost of inaction far outweighs the cost of action,” observed Dr. Joyce Kimutai, Climate Scientist at Imperial College London and Kenya Meteorological Department. “Vulnerable communities, who have contributed the least to this crisis, are bearing the heaviest burdens. The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are eroding developmental gains and plunging countries further into debt. The longer we wait, the harder recovery will become, and the planet will face massive losses and damages.”
The US exit may also lead to a decrease in climate finance for Africa. The Paris Agreement aims to mobilise climate finance for developing countries, including those in Africa. Without US participation, it may be challenging to meet this goal, leaving African countries with limited resources to address climate change.
According to Faten Aggad, Executive Director of the African Future Policies Hub, “the world cannot afford to see the largest greenhouse gas emitter per capita and the second largest emitter globally disengage from an agreement that is already under significant strain.
“Truth be told, we need the US to act seriously. After all, it is responsible for 13.5% of global emissions – more than 4-fold Africa’s contribution as a full continent. This is the moment for a stronger leadership from industrialised economies, whose higher ambition is the only way forward to compensate for the USA’s failures.”
The US exit may also impact African economies that are transitioning to renewable energy. The Paris Agreement aims to promote the development and deployment of renewable energy technologies. Without US participation, African countries may face reduced access to technology, expertise, and funding for renewable energy projects.
All Hope Not Lost
Even without the US on board, some experts believe that the rest of the world will continue to move forward with climate action.
“This decision is a major setback at a time when the urgency of climate change calls for more concerted action, solidarity and greater ambition. Faced with this situation, we reaffirm our commitment to working for fair climate finance and inclusive solutions for the energy transition,” said Mouhamadou Sissoko, Secretary General, Teranga Lab, Senegal.
According to Just Climate Policy Expert, Julius Mbatia, “the world has lived through this once, and greater multilateral cooperation holds a promise to handle it yet again.”
He added that “it’s inconceivable that the US pulls out of the Paris Agreement and quench its strategic role in shaping the green and safe future that is in the making. This is not the leadership required at a moment when the majority of the people and States are mobilising for climate action and issue unmatched commitment to tackling the climate crisis.”
The US exit from the Paris Agreement indeed poses significant setback for global climate action, and raises challenges for Africa, from reduced climate finance to decreased support for climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts.
However, many countries, cities, and businesses remain committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the worst impacts of climate change.
“Trump attempting to sabotage global efforts to tackle the climate crisis, is a huge threat to our future. Africa, being one of the continents facing the impacts of the climate crisis, will not stop in the face of those who choose to risk everything for the profit of a privileged few,” said Fred Njehu, Pan-African Political Strategist for Greenpeace Africa.
Kofi Adu Domfeh is a journalist and climate reality leader; adomfeh@gmail.com
