ADDIS ABABA – African leaders are gathering at the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) in Ethiopia to present a unified “green blueprint” for the continent’s development. The summit, held in Addis Ababa, aims to position Africa not as a victim of climate change but as a global powerhouse for solutions, demanding “real investment, not charity” from the international community.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who is co-hosting the summit, highlighted Africa’s vast potential in renewable energy and critical minerals, which are essential for the global energy transition. He urged for the creation of a thousand African-led climate innovations by 2030, a vision that includes a focus on carbon capture and sustainable industrialization.
The summit, which comes just before the upcoming COP30 negotiations in Brazil, aims to create a cohesive African voice on climate action. African leaders are advocating for a fairer global finance system, noting that the continent currently receives only about 1% of global climate finance, despite its high vulnerability to climate impacts. They are pushing for increased funding for clean energy projects, climate adaptation, and community-led solutions, with a strong emphasis on a just and equitable transition.
The gathering builds on the momentum of the inaugural Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2023, which produced the Nairobi Declaration. This year’s summit is expected to culminate in the “Addis Declaration,” a collective statement of Africa’s climate priorities and demands to the global community. The focus is on moving beyond negotiations to tangible, scalable, and impactful climate finance solutions that can empower Africa to lead the world’s next green economy.