• WWF urges African leaders to adopt their long-due climate policies and demonstrate leadership at COP27 negotiations. 

• After another year of climate devastation in Africa and around the world, WWF calls for major breakthroughs on financing for adaption and Loss and Damage for a successful and equitable COP27 outcome

• WWF highlights pressing need for nature-based solutions to come to the fore as world gears up for critical biodiversity COP in December.

• WWF calls on UN Climate Change to ensure civil society is free to fully engage in all UNFCCC processes and meetings, including COP27.

Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt (November 6, 2022) – As different countries gather for the COP27 climate summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, WWF is calling for robust solutions to challenges affecting the African continent. Despite accounting for roughly only 4 per cent of global emissions, Africa is the region most vulnerable to, and the least capable of protecting itself from the adverse impacts of climate change. 

Livelihoods have been disrupted, with severe droughts, flooding and a rise in sea levels not only affecting livestock and harvests but exposing millions to internal migrations, and intra- and inter-community conflicts. The situation is dire. Global financial support is paramount because Africa has special needs and circumstances owing to high levels of poverty, unemployment, and underdevelopment. 

Alice Ruhweza, Regional Director for Africa, WWF said: 

“Already, Africa is increasingly devastated by severe droughts, flooding, sea level rise, heat waves and other extreme events. We cannot ignore the threat that humanity is facing due to climate change.

“Many African nations have shown their commitment towards transitioning to green energy and sustainable food systems within a short time frame. Clean energy and agriculture are, for example, prioritized in over 70% of African NDCs. This ambition needs to be an integral part of setting the economic development priorities of the continent”.

“Decisions made at COP27 must prioritise how to accelerate implementation with the time we have before 2030. It includes, but is not limited to, institutional capacity, scaled-up cooperation, and honoring commitments made in the past”.

More emphasis should be placed on securing the requisite climate finance to address adaptation needs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and account for climate change related loss and damage”. Climate change is having a growing impact on the African continent, hitting the most vulnerable hardest, and contributing to food insecurity, population displacement and stress on water resources. In recent months, we have experienced devastating floods in Nigeria and Mozambique, an invasion of desert locusts and now face the looming spectre of drought, especially in countries around the horn of Africa like Kenya and Ethiopia.  WWF urges international communities to secure breakthrough agreements on adaption and Loss and Damage financing.

WWF argues that this year’s COP27, which takes place on the African continent, delivers for African people. Africa is poorly served by a climate finance system with funds operating under a fragmented patchwork of mechanisms that does little to bring in private investment. Funding for adaptation must be increased and consolidated. Hence, developed countries must urgently deliver on, and step-up their financial, technology and capacity building commitments to Africa for the continent to be climate resilient by 2030.

WWF is also calling for African governments to adopt policies that are long overdue – and to demonstrate leadership on the international stage. This is already happening: countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda have already developed climate-resilient strategies to reduce poverty, raise productivity and cut emissions.

There is need for nature to be given a more substantive role in discussions this year. The climate crisis in Africa is driving nature loss, and the destruction of natural ecosystems. But nature can be part of the solution. WWF urges leaders to embed nature-based solutions within climate action and create momentum ahead of the December COP15 biodiversity summit in Montreal - humanity's last chance to reset its broken relationship with nature.

For a strong outcome at COP27, WWF calls on UN Climate Change to ensure civil society groups fully participate in the summit. All discussions should take into account and benefit from the expertise that has been developed by civil society groups and Indigenous Peoples around the world in addressing the challenges posed by the climate crisis. 

As the summit takes place, WWF calls on countries to come together to deliver strong outcomes that will provide solutions for a safe and secure future. Without rapidly transforming our energy, food, transport and land use sectors and eliminating dependence on fossil fuels, geopolitical tensions will only worsen. 

More is needed if we are to deliver an effective response to protect people from climate change. Climate change will not take a break and neither should we in our ambition to tackle it. It is time for Africa to rise. We must have honest conversation at this year’s COP27 to address the issues at hand. 

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Contact:

Victor Nyambok,  Advocacy and Policy Communications Manager, Africa | WWF International | Nairobi, Kenya | Mobile: +254 798 484 941 | E-Mail: vnyambok@wwfint.org | Skype: victor_nyambok 

WWF International newsdesk: news@wwfint.org

Editor’s notes:

WWF COP27 Expectations paper is available to read here

WWF Africa’s expectations paper available here

WWF has identified these priorities for successful outcome in Egypt:

Loss and Damage

Each year, the climate crisis leads to billions of dollars of loss and damage, often in countries where historical emissions have made a small contribution to the climate crisis. Using the Glasgow Dialogue body established at COP26, parties should agree to create a Loss and Damage funding facility with concrete money on the table.

Mitigation 

Parties must prioritise mobilising the political will, financial resources and institutional responses necessary to achieve sectoral transformation, including phase out of fossil fuels. To drive this, we need the adoption of a robust Mitigation Work Programme.

Adaption 

On adaptation, COP27 should build on the COP26 promise of at least doubling adaptation finance. We also need a commitment of earmarking 50% of public climate finance for adaptation. Both can be delivered through a roadmap on adaptation finance with an accountability mechanism.

Energy transition 

Energy efficiency and energy conservation is the most impactful way to respond to the energy crisis. The Glasgow Pact Decision called upon Parties to rapidly scale up the deployment of clean power generation and energy efficiency measures. We need to see announcements that show that countries and companies are rapidly moving towards these goals.

Nature-based solutions

Parties must recognise the critical contribution of nature to keep warming below 1.5°C and for building resilience to climate impacts. Nature-based solutions for mitigation and adaptation must be anchored in the formal outcomes of the conference. 

Civil society 

WWF strongly believes that the organisation of all COPs must be based on full access and effective participation of civil society. WWF highlights the urgency and importance of an inclusive international climate decision-making process. Without civil society sitting at the table, it will be impossible for the world to achieve the goals and commitments set out in Paris and Glasgow. Inclusion of the direct knowledge-holders and bearers of climate-related adversities is fundamental to unlock whole-of-government and whole-of-society solutions to tackle the twin climate and biodiversity crises.

About WWF

WWF is an independent conservation organisation, with over 30 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. Visit www.panda.org/news for the latest news and media resources and follow us on Twitter @WWF_media and @climateWWF