The Nasarawa State House of Assembly is set to conduct a fact-finding visit to Abuni and Uke districts in Awe and Karu Local Government Areas respectively after receiving a petition jointly signed by the Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI), the Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN) and the Citizens Free Service Forum (CFSF) detailing the state of the mining communities in the two local governments.
Philip Jakpor (left) engaging Adamu Omadefu during the meetin
In the petition dated October 3, 2024, the groups are calling for a comprehensive environmental audit of Abuni and Uke districts and their source of water, revocation of the mining license of any company found wanting, and need for scrutiny of the agreements reached between the mining firms and traditional rulers in the communities, among others.
The plans to carry out the fact-finding visit was disclosed by the Chair of the Environment Committee, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Adamu Omadefu, in a meeting in Abuja on Sunday, November 24, with civil society and newsmen where he vowed that despoilers of the environment in the state would not go scot-free.
Omadefu revealed that the committee on the environment which he heads has written already to the State Ministry of Environment to furnish it with a comprehensive list of the mining firms operating in Nasarawa as the starting point of investigation.
While commending the lawmaker for taking the bull by the horn by his decision to lead the fact-finding visit, Executive Director of RDI, Philip Jakpor, said that the developments in the mining communities in Nasarawa State are frightening as the environment and water sources have been adversely affected by indiscriminate extraction.
Jakpor drew the attention of the lawmaker to Abuni where locals complained that the mining firm operating there channeled its wastewater into the Rafin Jaki River that the locals depend on for consumption and other domestic use.
He opined that the situation in the mining communities in Nasarawa is a ticking time bomb which will explode soon except something urgent and meaningful is done about the situation, going further to state that the oil curse in the Niger Delta is being replicated in sordid form through solid minerals extraction in the north.
EDEN Executive Director, Barrister Chima Williams, commended the lawmaker for his passion to nip the situation in the bud, maintaining that only someone who loves the people and believes in them can take up the challenge of addressing their concerns.
Williams reiterated that the civil society community in Nigeria is not against foreign or local investments that make life meaningful for host communities, even as he stressed that such investments must respect the rights of the people, respect their environment and respect the laws of the country.
Echoing similar sentiment, EDEN Deputy Executive Director, Comrade Alagoa Morris, said that the sad developments in the Niger Delta after oil started leaving behind a trail of death and destruction must not be allowed to happen in the solid minerals sector.
Beyond what can be seen physically, in the Niger Delta oil has affected the life expectancy of most individuals leaving them vulnerable to illnesses, Morris added.
The incessant oil spills in Ogboinbiri Community in Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa State has now become a monthly occurrence, with the most recent happening on Friday, November 15, 2024.
Oil spill at Ogboinbiri community in Bayelsa State
Since the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) divested its shares in the Joint Venture totally to Oando, the company’s Ogboinbiri/Tebidaba pipeline within Ogboinbiri community environment has experienced four spill incidents from four different spill points.
The first spill occurred on September 5, 2024, and two incidents happened in October 2024. Following the report from the community on November 20, the Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN) team in Yenagoa led by Nimiemi Morris and Alagoa Morris mobilised and visited the affected area on Thursday, November 21, 2024, and was led to the site of interest by community guides.
A native of Ogboinbiri community, Bosin Izonakpo, who spoke to the EDEN team, stated that the community has been living in devastation because of the rate of spills in the area. He revealed that the community suffered greatly during the October spill which occurred during the flooding season, spreading the crude all over the environment, destroying aquatic life and damaging their farmlands.
Izonakpo said: “We want to tell everybody, including the government, that the spill is massive. These spills that have taken place within this year have been really massive and devastating. If you can come to Ogboinbiri and see the environment, you will see the damage it has done to the environment, including the aquatic environment. When there is flood this entire (pipeline) environment is covered with water. So, it really affected the aquatic environment and also plants within the impacted areas. We used to have a lot of farms. But since this pipeline came and the spills continued, we have not been able to farm.
“Even if you farm, the yields are not encouraging, very poor harvest. When you come for fishing during the flood, the catch would be poor because crude oil has chased away the fishes from the environment. And this has affected the local economy and livelihood of the indigenes of the community. So, everything possible should be done to clean up the impacted environment and pay damages.’’
Another community member, Esinkumor Richard, who was also one of EDEN guides to the spill area, stated that the excavated area which is about 6 feet deep has been filled with crude oil, which has polluted the environment, making it unfit for life to exist there.
He lamented that the spills have affected the sources of livelihood of the Ogboinbiri people, throwing them into deep hardship, as lands have been lost and even animals are running away from the environment.
Richard said: “The whole environment has been polluted. Investigation showed that it is an equipment failure related incident. So, it means that Oando has work to do. They should come and cleanup, pay compensation and then they should try as much as possible to repair their pipelines and other facilities because it cannot continue like this. The people are suffering. The proceeds of the crude oil and gas are feeding the whole Nigeria and then a few individuals who are hosts to oil installations would be suffering all these negative effects. As it stands it has affected our means of livelihood due to the pollution.
“We are now hungry. Oando should rise up to their responsibilities and do the needful. Otherwise, when the people rise up in anger, they should not blame anybody. Nigeria is benefitting but indigenes of Ogboinbiri are suffering from the negative impacts of these incessant oil spills.”
According to the field report, which was signed by Nimiemi Morris and Alagoa Morris, the crude oil spill was caused by equipment failure, which makes three out of the four spills recorded in the area. It was also observed that none of the previous spills that impacted the environment have been cleaned up. Only recovery of spilt crude oil has been done.
Speaking on the issue, the Executive Director of EDEN, Chima Williams, called on Oando to take immediate and adequate steps to clean up the present spill site and all previously impacted environments, and to replace the aged oil-bearing pipes within the environment, to put an end to these monthly oil spills and further environmental degradation.
Williams also admonished government regulatory bodies at the Federal and State levels to do the needful by ensuring proper cleanup/remediation and replacement of aged pipelines. He charged the people of Ogboinbiri community to continue to remain vigilant in terms of monitoring their environment peacefully and legally demand for environmental justice from Oando and the Federal Government.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has said that its crude oil production figures tallied with that of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Company (NUPRC).
NNPC Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari
Mr. Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd. stated this in a statement on Monday, November 25, 2024.
Soneye gave the clarifications against the backdrop of reports insinuating that the 1.54 million barrels per day (mbpd) for September cited by NUPRC was far below the 1.8mbpd for November cited by NNPC Ltd.
He said the seeming disparity was as a result of the difference in the period of coverage in the reports, stressing that the NNPC Ltd.’s figure was the peak production for October 2024, whereas the NUPRC’s figure was the average production for September 2024.
The spokesman said that the fact was confirmed by the Chief Executive Officer of NUPRC, Mr Gbenga Komolafe, at the recent 42nd Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists Annual International Conference and Exhibition in Lagos.
He said that the NUPRC boss disclosed that Nigeria’s crude oil output, including condensate, increased by 16.56 per cent to 1.8mbpd million in October 2024, from 1.54 million bpd in September 2024.
The statement quoted Komolafe as saying that: “This represents an increase of 253,710, bpd to reach 1.8 million bpd in October, up from 1.54 million bpd in September 2024, representing 16.56 per cent month-on-month rise”.
He said the NUPRC also confirmed at the NAPE event that the 1.8mbpd feat pushed Nigeria’s production beyond the 1.5mbpd quota of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
“There is, therefore, no disparity or discrepancy in the production figures by NNPC Ltd. and the regulator. NNPC Ltd is working closely with relevant stakeholders to boost production to 2mbpd and above by the end of 2024.”
The University of Ibadan’s Heritage Park and Gardens, a symbol of the institution’s rich history and legacy, has been destroyed to make way for the Ivory Tower’s new Senate Building.
Felled trees at the Heritage Park and Gardens, UI
The “sacred space”, developed to commemorate UI’s 60th anniversary, held immense sentimental value and emotional significance to the higher institution.
Like thieves in the night, workers deployed by the university authorities stole into the luxuriant, green, tree-rich park before dawn and took a chainsaw to it. By the time the residents in the University Campus were waking up to a new day on Wednesday, November 21, 2024, the entire park had been destroyed. Over 100 trees were reportedly cut down.
Provision for a new Senate Building had already been made in the University of Ibadan Masterplan, in a totally different location.
But the university authorities, with Federal Government funding, had set their sights on the space occupied by Heritage Park, opposite Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Heritage Park was conceptualised, designed and implemented by Prof. Labode Popoola, during his tenure as Dean of the Post Graduate School in the University of Ibadan, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the University of Ibadan in 2008.
Heritage Park before the tree felling
Prof. Popoola, currently Executive Secretary/CEO of African Forest Forum in Nairobi, had appealed on several occasions earlier this year, when plans to destroy the park had become public knowledge to Federal Ministries, former Vice Chancellors, Pro Chancellors and several others with any pretension to authority within the university sector.
He said: “How do we follow through on conservation efforts when the highest institution of learning which should be a beacon of hope is doing otherwise? Heritage Park, University of Ibadan, is gone.
“Today will pass as one of the saddest days in my over 40 years sojourn at the University of Ibadan. I do not, however, blame the powers that be who did the unimaginable. I blame those who should have led the protest against this heist but chose to keep a deafening silence for reasons they will forever live to regret!”
Environmentalists have also frowned at the development, saying that demolition of the iconic landmark is an indictment of the university’s administration.
According to the conservationists, the university administrators’ collective failure to preserve and protect the cherished heritage site raises questions about their commitment to the university’s values and traditions.
Rosalie-Ann Modder Oyefeso of The Save Our Green Spaces Group said: “Enlightenment is not merely about titles, positions, or credentials; it’s about wisdom, foresight, and a deep understanding of the consequences of one’s actions. The destruction of the Heritage Park and Gardens is a stark reminder that true enlightenment is sorely lacking in the university’s leadership.
“One might make excuses for entrepreneur property developers or state governors or even delegates at COP29 pretending to commit to climate change mitigation, on the grounds that tertiary education, through no fault of their own, is not their strongest suit.
“Because if it was, they wouldn’t be neck deep in large scale deforestation all over the country.
“But what excuse can one make for Nigeria’s oldest University which even boasts a long-standing Department of Forestry?
“Today, the authorities of the University of Ibadan, securely backed by Federal might, have not only destroyed a thing of beauty and rich, environmental benefit.
“They have also destroyed the credibility of their academia as the most learned in the myriad ramifications of deforestation and climate change.
“Today, as Nigeria’s foremost Centre of Excellence, they have set an unfortunate precedent for the rest of the country.”
The NCQG unveiled at COP29, promises to raise $1.3 trillion annually by 2035 to support developing nations in combating the climate crisis. Within this broader target, developed nations committed to providing $300 billion annually through public finance triple the current $100 billion pledge. However, much of the remaining funds are expected to come from private investments and voluntary contributions.
Pay Up action at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan
On paper, this is a step forward, a glimmer of hope for nations vulnerable to climate change. But a closer look reveals deep cracks in the foundation of this agreement. For Africa, a continent facing existential climate threats, the NCQG feels less like a lifeline and more like an empty gesture.
Why NCQG Matters to Africa
The stakes could not be higher for Africa. Climate change is not a distant concern but a present and intensifying crisis. Families in the Sahel are grappling with droughts that leave their fields barren, while coastal communities in West Africa battle rising seas that swallow homes and livelihoods. Africa contributes less than 4% of global emissions, yet it suffers some of the worst consequences of the climate crisis. To address these challenges, Africa needs massive investments – not just to adapt to a warming planet but to transition to clean energy and build climate-resilient economies. Leaders across the continent have made it clear: Africa requires at least $1.3 trillion annually to meet these goals. Yet, the NCQG allocates just $300 billion in public finance, with no guarantees that these funds will be accessible or sufficient.
This makes COP29 for Africa another exercise in lofty rhetoric and empty promises, leaving vulnerable nations scrambling for scraps while developed countries once again evaded meaningful accountability. The much-touted New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance – a $300 billion annual pledge by 2035 – falls woefully short of the $1.3 trillion demanded by the Global South. Even worse, the paltry sum is padded with vague commitments from private investors, loans disguised as aid, and a weak “encouragement” for contributions from emerging economies like China. This is not solidarity; it’s a smokescreen.
Moreover, Africa is home to some of the world’s most climate-vulnerable populations. As the continent leaves Baku., the consensus is that it is leaving with little more than crumbs. The insistence on loans rather than grants perpetuates debt traps which shows the economic imperative of the deal. While the lack of tailored solutions for the continent underscores the disinterest of developed nations in addressing specific regional challenges. Promises of clean energy transitions and climate-resilient agriculture remain hollow without clear timelines, adequate funding, and genuine technology transfer.
Worse still, the NCQG’s reliance on private sector involvement sets a dangerous precedent. While private investments are framed as a solution, they open the door to exploitation under the guise of “climate action.” For African nations, this is not a partnership; it’s a transaction rigged against their interests. Again, accountability mechanisms are glaringly absent, allowing developed countries to celebrate their token gestures while sidestepping the real work of delivering funds on time and ensuring their effectiveness. The promise of transparent tracking systems remains an illusion, making it impossible to measure whether these commitments translate into tangible outcomes or remain stranded in boardroom discussions.
It is therefore an insurance deal without the premium.UN Climate Chief Simon Stiell called the NCQG “an insurance policy for humanity,” emphasising its potential to safeguard billions of lives. But for many African nations, it feels like an insurance deal with no premiums paid. The $300 billion commitment, while significant, is a fraction of what’s needed. Worse, much of it is expected to come as loans or investments, not grants, further deepening the debt burdens of nations already struggling under economic pressure.
Imagine being a farmer in Kenya, watching your crops fail year after year due to unpredictable rains. Or a mother in Mozambique, rebuilding your home for the third time after another devastating cyclone. These communities need immediate, reliable support – not vague promises of private sector investments or voluntary contributions that may never come.
Another Race to the Bottom
The NCQG reflects a worrying shift in responsibility. By relying on voluntary contributions from emerging economies like China and heavily emphasising private investments, developed nations sidestep their historic obligations. This approach waters down the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” enshrined in the Paris Agreement. For African nations, this is more than a political maneuver – it’s a betrayal. It shifts the financial burden onto those least equipped to bear it, creating a race to the bottom where nations must compete for limited resources. Without binding commitments and transparent mechanisms, Africa risks being left behind once again, its people bearing the brunt of promises unfulfilled.
Way Forward: Turning Promises into Action
To transform promises into action, developed nations must honour their commitments with binding timelines, ensuring the $300 billion pledge materialises as real, accessible funding. Crucially, grants not loans must form the foundation of this financial support to avoid exacerbating the debt burdens of vulnerable nations. Africa’s unique challenges demand tailored solutions, including concessional financing, technology transfer, and debt relief. Regional initiatives, such as clean energy projects in East Africa or climate-resilient agriculture in the Sahel, require targeted backing to address specific needs effectively. Equally important are robust accountability mechanisms.
Transparent tracking systems must be implemented to ensure timely delivery and efficient utilisation of funds. Without such transparency, the NCQG risks becoming another empty promise. African nations must also unite with other developing countries to build solidarity and push for meaningful financial commitments at COP30 in Brazil. This collective strength will be vital in resisting attempts to dilute the obligations of wealthier nations. Although private investments have a role to play, they must align with Africa’s priorities.
Clear regulatory frameworks are essential to prevent exploitation and ensure that these investments genuinely benefit local communities. By focusing on these key actions, the NCQG can move beyond rhetoric to deliver tangible support, helping Africa and other vulnerable regions combat the climate crisis with dignity and resilience.
A Call for Climate Justice
The NCQG was meant to be a beacon of hope, a symbol of global solidarity. But for Africa, it risks becoming a mirage hence an optical illusion of progress that fades upon closer inspection. The climate crisis is not waiting for boardroom negotiations or incremental changes. Every missed commitment, every diluted promise, comes at a cost measured in lives, livelihoods, and lost futures. For Africa, COP29 was a bitter reminder that the global climate process remains skewed in favor of the wealthy. This was not a breakthrough; it was a betrayal. The road to COP30 in Brazil must be paved with real, enforceable commitments not the tired spectacle of broken promises and diluted ambition.
Africa deserves more than hollow pledges; it deserves justice. As the world looks to COP30, the voices of those on the frontlines must not be ignored. If the global community truly believes in an equitable future, it’s time to turn words into action, promises into progress, and goals into tangible change. Only then will the NCQG be more than an illusion – it will be a lifeline for a continent and a world in crisis.
Nairobi-based Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), in an assessment of the outcome of the COP29 climate change summit that ended on Sunday, November 24, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan, laments that $300 billion falls far short of the $1.3 trillion the African and developing countries were pushing for
Dr Mithika Mwenda, Executive Director, Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA)
As we absorb the outcome of the all-stakes COP29, dubbed the “finance COP”, it is reverberating across mountains, valleys, oceans, rivers, and all over the world that, once again, rich countries have their way – delaying action, and escaping their duty to pay what is due to the victims of their actions.
The $300 billion Goal falls far short of the $1.3 trillion the African and developing countries were pushing for to address the gap in adaptation needs and climate funding for vulnerable people.
Woefully, the money will come in many forms and sources, defeating the spirit of the principles of the Climate Change Convention and the Paris Agreement that calls for the provision of public finance by developed countries. Clearly, developing countries are poised to sink deeper into debt as climate becomes a new source of debt as they grapple with rising development demands. Moreso, the deal does not inspire hope for less developed countries who have suffered unjustly low access to climate finance due to their constrained fiscal space.
And the problems for Africa do not end in the size of commitment. Article 6 has been messed up to centre the carbon market in the mobilisation of climate finance. This is a bold departure from the Paris Agreement, centring carbon market in climate finance as opposed to their contribution to reducing emissions, a role this market has played with dismal performance with peaking emissions and violations of human rights.
No free lunch was what then Africa was pushed to, technically being pushed to clean the pollution mess of developed countries to access the much-desired climate finance. A COP where justice, equity, reparations, and responding to the needs of climate-vulnerable people ruled the airwaves, this was a stab at the back. Unfortunately, the decision on the carbon market was lauded in the COP29 Presidency closing speech as a breakthrough – a height of hypocrisy.
For PACJA, Baku remains one of the worst deals in the history of COPs. In the coming days we will be making an extensive analysis on Baku, and provide the way forward to our members, partners and other stakeholders.
The Nigerian government has launched Abating Greenhouse Gas Emission from Obsolete Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (AGORA) Equipment project to create a future where energy-efficient and climate-friendly cooling and refrigeration technologies become a standard.
L-R: The Finance and Market Monitoring Expert, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Victor Minguez; National Project Coordinator, UNEP, Etiosa Uyigue; Acting director, Energy Transition Unit, Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr. Shehu Mustafa; National Ozone Officer, National Ozone Office, Engr. Idris Abdullahi; Regional policy and technical specialist, Regional Service Centre for Africa, United National Development Programme (UNDP), Joel Ayim Darkwah; Climate change programme analyst, UNDP, Udumma Nwokike; Energy expert, United for Efficency, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Miquel Pitarch Mocholi; and Programme Manager, UNEP, Mzwandile Thwala, during the AGORA Project stakeholders’ inception workshop in Abuja
During a stakeholders’ workshop organised by the Federal Ministry of Environment through the National Ozone Office, in collaboration with the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United for Efficiency (UNEP-U4E), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), titled “Abating Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Obsolete RAC Equipment in Ghana and Nigeria (AGORA)”, participants stressed that the project would tackle climate change issues.
The National Ozone Officer, Mr. Idris Abdullahi, from the Federal Ministry of Environment, revealed that the AGORA Project is an avenue to advance and promote energy efficient and low GWP technologies by strengthening policies of the transition leading to reduction of GHG emissions.
He added that the project would reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the refrigeration and air conditioning sector, as well as tackle climate change related issues.
According to Abdullahi, the objectives of the AGORA project is to obsolete Rac equipment. The project is at its initiative stage and will last up to three years.
“The AGORA project that we are launching today presents another opportunity for us to further advance our efforts towards the promotion of Energy Efficient and Low GWP technologies in the RAC sector by Establishing and strengthening policies, regulations and partnerships to ensure the success of the transition to Energy Efficient and Low GWP RAC equipment thereby leading to the reduction of GHG emissions at the equipment’s end of life and transforming the RAC market through ambitious replacement programmes for old and in-efficient equipment using high GWP refrigerants, initiating market transformation in the air-conditioning sector in Africa, and also supporting South-South cooperation between Nigeria and Ghana, since the project will be implemented in both countries,” he said.
Abdullahi recalled that Nigeria is a party to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer and has ratified all its Amendments, the recent being the Kigali Amendment on phase down of Hydrofluorocarbons, which are greenhouse gases used mainly as cooling agents in the Refrigeration & AC sector. Over the past three decades, Nigeria has been implementing the Protocol’s Ozone Depleting Substances Phase out Programme in the relevant sectors, such as the Refrigeration, Air Conditioning, Foam, among others.
Similarly, Dr. Shehu Mustapha of the Energy Commission of Nigeria highlighted that AGORA Project focuses on accelerating the transition to energy efficient and climate friendly refrigerator and air conditioner RAC in Nigeria and Ghana.
Speaking further, he stressed that the commission is aimed at enhancing energy efficiency and promoting climate-friendly cooling solutions, thereby contributing significantly to Nigeria’s climate goals and sustainable energy access.
“The project will help to sharpen the future of air conditioning and refrigerating standards in Nigeria, driving advancements in energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and sustainable economic growth,” he said.
The project manager from UNEP-U4E, Mr. Mzwandile Thwala, in his remarks emphasised that AGORA Project is advancing efforts to integrate energy-efficient and sustainable cooling solutions into Nigeria’s climate goals.
He added that project is a tool in addressing climate challenges as well as driving economic growth and enhancing the well-being of communities, also to promote the use of low-GWP refrigerants and energy-efficient ACs in residential and commercial sectors to reduce energy demand and emissions.
Furthermore, Thwala outlined that UNEP-U4E’s Integrated Policy Approach advocates for an integrated policy approach that facilitates the transition to sustainable cooling solutions. This approach encompasses five key components:
Standards and Regulations which set clear energy efficiency requirements and ensure that products entering the market are fit for purpose.
Supporting Policies which ensure that requirements are consistently conveyed to consumers, such as helping buyers understand their energy performance and other attributes, empowering them to make informed decisions.
Finance and Financial Delivery Mechanisms which help offset the higher purchase price of energy-efficient products, making them more accessible to consumers and businesses alike. AGORA is one of such mechanisms.
Monitoring, Verification, and Enforcement which involves overseeing the products sold in the market, verifying compliance with standards, and enforcing these requirements to ensure that consumers and businesses benefit from the market transformation.
Environmental Sound Management and Health, such as end-of-life management of RAC equipment and refrigerants, a component which the AGORA project is trying to address.
“The AGORA Project embodies this collective commitment. It provides a platform to accelerate the replacement of obsolete RAC equipment with energy-efficient and climate-friendly alternatives. The project also facilitates innovative financing mechanisms and strengthens the end-of-life management of equipment and refrigerants, setting a new benchmark for circular economy practices in the RAC sector,” he said.
Thwala reaffirmed UNEP-U4E commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient and climate-friendly technologies, particularly in the refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) sector.
Additionally, the regional policy and technical specialist regional service centre for Africa of UNDP, Mr. Joel Darkwah, disclosed that AGORA Project would support sustainable cooling solutions as well as ensuring a more circular economy in Nigeria.
He revealed that Nigeria has been one of the leading actors on the Montreal Protocol globally and in Africa and has been recognised as such for decades. It has been one of the most proactive Parties and also a leading member of the Africa group within the institutions.
“This leadership is essential as Nigeria has significant needs in terms of sustainable cooling in view of its diverse economy and population. This can only grow over time, as the needs in residential cooling, but also for cold chain, for example, keep growing. The challenge therefore is how to make this growth sustainable, by selecting the most efficient and environmentally friendly cooling solutions,” Darkwah stressed.
He assured that the equipment replaced is handled properly through proper sound disposal.
Darkwah charged the media to increase public awareness on this process for the uptake of sustainable cooling options at the household level.
Billed as the “Finance COP”, the UN climate talks fell short of expectations and needs. The most vulnerable countries, already bearing the brunt of increasingly severe climate impacts were forced to accept a token financial pledge to prevent the collapse of negotiations – a stark reminder of the persistent imbalance in global climate justice.
Standing ovation of NCQG adoption at COP29
Developed countries committed just “at least $300 billion per year” from a variety of sources – including public and private – a figure that risks deepening the debt burden for vulnerable nations who are already paying the price of the climate crisis. High-income countries, responsible for the bulk of historical emissions, owe trillions to nations shouldering the costs.
Landry Ninteretse, Africa Regional Director at 350.org, said: “COP29 has once again fallen short of what is urgently needed for African communities grappling with the devastating impacts of the climate crisis. The lack of decisive action and the required finance for adaptation and energy transition is a stark betrayal of those who have contributed the least to global warming but suffer the most from its consequences.
“But while governments stall, Africa’s solutions are moving forward. Initiatives like REPower Afrika are proof that community-led renewable energy projects can deliver real change. Across the continent, people are already showing what a just transition can look like – replacing fossil fuels with clean, affordable energy that prioritises livelihoods and the planet.
“As we look ahead to COP30, the message is clear: Africa demands a systemic overhaul of global climate finance – just, fair, urgent, and responding to the scale of appropriate adaptation and mitigation needs for our communities. Rich nations must stop the delays and deliver the financing that African communities deserve. The solutions are here, and the renewable energy revolution is underway – driven by people, for the people. The world must follow their lead.”
Namrata Chowdhary, Head of Public Engagement at 350.org, said: “Once again, inequity has driven a hard bargain that the vulnerable have no choice but to accept. Rich countries have failed to honour their responsibilities and shown up with rigid unwillingness to meet this moment with the ambition required to address the climate crisis. As this deal gets pushed through in this dark, disappointing moment, we continue to stand in solidarity with those most impacted by both – a crisis they did not cause, and a result they could not influence.
“This deal has failed to meet the ambition needed, but as we’ve seen over the past two weeks in the halls of the COP venue and the many actions held across the world, hope and ambition are alive and well in the climate movement. We are already looking ahead and preparing to build new momentum in the global movement for climate justice, with a wave of campaigns and mobilisations focussed on real solutions to the climate crisis.”
The lack of financial backing from rich nations continues to obstruct meaningful progress on adaptation and mitigation, particularly in regions hardest hit by climate impacts. Instead, greenwashing tactics such as global carbon markets and unproven technologies are being touted as solutions, but without adequate funding, they remain out of reach for the most vulnerable communities.
Rich countries continue to keep money locked away by enforcing austerity measures, signalling to their citizens that resources are too scarce to invest in public services, social security, or climate action – a false claim and one that blocks progress on the renewable energy transition.
As the G20 declaration hinted, taxing the ultra-rich, financial transactions, aviation, shipping, and extractive industries could raise trillions annually, unlocking critical funds for climate finance, bolstering public services, and driving healthier, more equitable, and sustainable communities.
The conclusion of COP29 comes at the end of a record-breaking year for climate impacts, with rising temperatures, floods, hurricanes, droughts, and wildfires destroying communities and ecosystems worldwide. Every fraction of a degree matters, and we cannot delay action on climate any longer if we are to keep the hope of limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5°C alive.
In the face of governments failing us, social movements are showing leadership and driving forward renewable energy solutions that are locally led and put communities first. Indigenous groups in Brazil are calling to co-lead the UN climate conference in Belém, the Brazilian Amazon, alongside Brazil next year, acknowledging that they are the guardians of our ecosystems and are leaders in climate solutions. Meanwhile, civil society across the world has been taking to the streets demanding action from world leaders, holding the richest and most polluting individuals and companies to account, and demanding investment in renewable energy.
Next year’s COP30 in Brazil is expected to see an unprecedented demonstration of solidarity and strength from Indigenous peoples, Small Island Developing States, Global South communities, and the international climate movement. In the wake of COP29’s failure to deliver, all eyes have turned promptly to Brazil as the next critical arena in which to fight for climate justice, human rights, and robust international cooperation.
After two weeks of deliberations, and an extra day, COP29 finally reached a deal in the wee hours of Sunday morning. But it was not the deal Africa and other vulnerable regions hoped for. The rich countries – the historical polluters most responsible for the climate crisis – focused almost completely on shifting responsibility to other growing economies.
COP29, Baku, Azerbaijan
But developing countries worked with partners to realign the global financial system to tackle climate change, represented by the $1.3 trillion goal in 2035. In the end, COP29 delivered a down payment of $300 billion a year by 2035.
As Avinash Persaud, a climate finance expert, put it, “It was hard fought over, but at $300 billion per year, we have arrived at the boundary between what is politically achievable today in developed countries and what would make a difference in developing countries.”
The Baku deal will, however, only work if this money is primarily allocated to help vulnerable countries become more resilient to climate change.
Down payment on a climate debt owed to the most vulnerable
Not the deal most hoped for, but the COP29 consensus provides a chance to continue fighting climate change. This deal is essentially a floor, not a ceiling, said a commentator. A down payment on funds due to vulnerable countries to build resilience. The work is now cut out to ensure the developed nations deliver $1.3 trillion in climate action by 2035. All eyes are now trained on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that are due in February, as the road to COP30 in Brazil, which has been described by host President Lula as a “turnaround” COP, starts in earnest.
Africa leading the charge
With rich countries slow to rise to the occasion in Baku, a new leadership group emerged in Baku, and African nations and others from the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) led the charge. Kenya and Sierra Leone, in particular, were the leading lights, working with others like Columbia to push for a better deal from Baku. Kenya’s climate envoy, Mohamed Ali, who also chairs the African Group of Negotiators, and Sierra Leone’s Minister of Environment, Jiwoh Abdulai, pressured the COP presidency to deliver a better deal.
“We must have inclusive approaches so that no parties are left behind. As the African Group, we are prepared to reach an agreement here in Baku, and indeed, we must reach an ambitious agreement in all respects, but we are not prepared to accept things that cross our red lines,” Ali offered as the negotiations dragged on.
“LDCs remain committed to the COP process, but the developed world needs to show good faith, leadership and commitment to this process. They have to pay their climate debt, which is in the trillions,” said Jiwoh.
Rohey John Manjang, Gambia’s minister of environment, called out the rich nations over what she termed a deliberate attempt to delay climate justice and block economic progress for Africa
“This COP has shown how developed countries want to shirk their climate finance responsibilities to vulnerable countries. It is sad that after months of negotiations, they have waited till the last official day of COP to table a dismal figure, leaving no sufficient time for deliberations amongst parties, and to make it worse, the figure is shockingly too low,” she said.
Bearing the weight
The Baku deal was widely described as “a betrayal,” “insufficient,” and “an optical illusion.” Representatives from the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) walked out of the talks in protest but later returned. A “No Deal is Better Than Bad Deal” greeted the next-to-final text, with climate groups urging negotiators to walk out rather than accept a bad deal.
Climate finance expert Faten Aggad put it boldly: “It is in the interest of our countries to know when to walk out. A no deal is better than a deal that commits African countries to what is undeliverable without serious climate finance. We cannot bear the weight of the historical responsibility alone. We need to draw a line in the sand.” Solid numbers backed the #PayUsNow call:
(i) Mitigation: no less than $300 billion annually in grant-equivalent finance (ii) Adaptation: no less than $300 billion annually in grant-equivalent finance (iii) Loss and damage: no less than $400 billion in grant-based finance
Unruly, complex Article 6: A watershed moment
Climate experts waged a valiant fight against a flawed and unchecked carbon markets framework at COP29 in Baku. However, the adopted Article 6 risks facilitating “cowboy” carbon markets at a time when the world desperately needs a “sheriff”. Governments approved a concerning package, a weak one, that could hinder rather than help emissions reduction.
While some countries fought and pushed hard for transparency and unaccountability under article 6.2, the gains were minimal reflecting a preference for quick fixes over long-term and much needed solutions.
Experts warned that the adoption of Article six without discussion was a means to bypass consultations with States and departed from the Paris Agreement’s party-driven process.
“The fast-tracking of this decision raises serious concerns about the prioritising of carbon markets over other, more effective climate solutions and other pending decisions on climate finance, without the necessary transparency and due consideration of justice issues and negative human rights impacts,” UN experts warned. “There are founded concerns that carbon markets allow polluters to continue to pollute, while distracting from the need to address the direct causes of climate change, through phasing out of fossil fuels.”
Isa Mulder, a policy expert at Carbon Market Watch, said the outcome of Baku leaves the framework for Article 6.2 dangerously loose and opaque, tailor-made for those pushing to turn it into a free-for-all.
Backtracking on COP28
The COP Presidency deferred the final decision on the UAE Dialogue to the mid-year talks at Bonn and COP30 after parties failed to reach consensus on the text on the global stocktake, with Saudi Arabia raising contention on language on transitioning away from fossil fuels.
G20: No time to lose
G20 leaders at the Rio summit (November 18-19, 2024), while reaffirming their commitment to strengthening multilateral climate action, supported calls for a strong finance deal at COP29 in Baku, including more climate cash flows to developing countries. The Rio Declaration recommits to the COP28 Dubai consensus for countries to transition away from fossil fuels and triple renewable energy.
The summit, however, did not offer concrete numbers for the new climate finance goal (NCQG), only outlining the need to rapidly and substantially scale up climate finance from billions to trillions from all sources.
Host Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva criticised developed countries for falling short of their promise to deliver $100 billion of climate financing annually to developing countries by 2020. He urged G20 leaders to accelerate their national climate targets, calling on them to reach net zero climate emissions five to 10 years ahead of schedule.
“We have to do more and better. There is no time to lose,” Lula said.
The G20 also announced an alliance to combat hunger and poverty around the globe.
Africa’s permanent seat at the big table
The Rio G20 summit was Africa’s first at the big table after the African Union (AU) was given a permanent seat earlier this year. The seat was long overdue, said Raila Amolo Odinga, former prime minister of Kenya and candidate for Chair of the AU Commission, reflecting Africa’s growing importance and the severity of its crises. But representation alone is not enough, he cautioned, as it must translate into substantial financial support and tangible benefits for local communities bearing the brunt of a climate crisis they did not create.
“Africa needs substantial financial investment and technical support to unlock its vast potential in renewables. To this end, the continent’s development must be central to the global push to triple renewable energy production by 2030. The world’s largest economies have a responsibility to dismantle the entrenched structures that keep Africa and other developing regions impoverished. The path forward is clear: wealthy G20 countries must move beyond rhetoric and provide sustainable, long-term climate financing and concessional loans to help the Global South close the current funding gap,” he said.
South Africa takes over the G20 presidency from Brazil
South Africa will over the next year be the G20 Presidency from December – becoming the first African country to chair the group of 20 major economies.
“As South Africa, we undertake to advance the work of the G20 towards achieving greater global economic growth and sustainable development. We will work to ensure that no one is left behind,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said in Rio. “We will use this moment to bring the development priorities of the African Continent and the Global South more firmly onto the agenda of the G20.”
Analysts said that this presidency presents a unique opportunity to reform global economic governance by integrating sustainable finance into the conversation on debt vulnerability, particularly in Africa. It also provides a critical platform to advance the reform of global debt governance by aligning debt treatment initiatives with climate resilience and sustainable development goals.
Proposed tax on billionaires gets G20 leaders’ support
G20 leaders rallied behind the Rio declaration to tax the wealth of super-rich individuals to fight widening inequality. The declaration text doesn’t offer a specific tax rate or range. However, estimates indicate that a two per cent tax on the wealth of the super-rich could generate $250 billion annually, to be invested in combating inequality and funding a green transition. This elite group of ultra-wealthy individuals comprises around 3,000 people whose combined assets total approximately $15 trillion – five times more than the GDP of Africa, which has a population of about 1.4 billion.
Biden pledges $4 billion to IDA
US President Joe Biden pledged a $4 billion US contribution to the International Development Association (IDA) – the World Bank’s concessional fund – at the G20 summit in Rio. This is up from the $3.5 billion contribution that the US previously made. Norway also pledged a 50 percent increase in its IDA contribution to NOK 5 billion ($451 million), as did Denmark, a 40 per cent increase to DKK 3.3 billion ($461 million).
The IDA fund, which provides mainly grants and very low-interest loans to low-income countries, is replenished every three years. A pledging conference for donor countries will be held on December 5-6 in Seoul, setting the stage for the next cycle starting in July 2025. At the IDA 21 summit in Nairobi in April, African leaders called for a robust IDA replenishment of $120 billion, up from the $93 billion made during the December 2021 cycle.
In line with its 2030 ambition to decarbonise the hydrogen used in its European refineries, TotalEnergies has joined forces with Air Liquide to produce renewable hydrogen at La Mède in southeast France.
TotalEnergies’ La Mède Complex in France
The new project complements the Masshylia project to produce green hydrogen by electrolysis led by TotalEnergies in partnership with ENGIE. These projects will reduce the La Mède biorefinery’s annual CO2 emissions by 130,000 tons.
Air Liquide is going to build and operate a renewable hydrogen production unit at the La Mède platform. With an annual capacity of 25,000 tons, this unit will recycle co-products from the TotalEnergies biorefinery. The hydrogen will then be used in the biorefinery to produce biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The project’s total investment amounts to €150 million for TotalEnergies and Air Liquide. The new unit is expected to start production in 2028.
“This new renewable hydrogen production project, carried out with Air Liquide, allows us to accelerate the decarbonisation of our La Mède platform. Almost ten years after the announcement of its conversion, La Mède is continuing its transformation and is becoming a low-carbon hydrogen production center, thus contributing to the decarbonization ambition of the Provence-Alpes-Côte-D’Azur region,” said Vincent Stoquart, President, Refining & Chemicals at TotalEnergies.
At the same time, TotalEnergies says it is continuing the development, with its partner ENGIE, of the Masshylia project of green hydrogen production by water electrolysis with a capacity of 10,000 tons per year, to contribute to the decarbonisation of both the biorefinery and local customers at the Fos-Berre industrial-port zone. The two partners are aiming to start up the first 20 MW electrolyser in 2029, subject to confirmation of European and French subsidies and the necessary public authorisations.
TotalEnergies stated that it is committed to reducing the carbon footprint of producing, converting and supplying energy to its customers. One of the paths identified by the company is to use low-carbon hydrogen to decarbonise its European refineries, a move that should help reduce its CO2 emissions by around three million tons a year by 2030.
