Climate News

African Women Need More Than Commitments on the Belém Action Plan

Leave a Comment / Climate News /

Nairobi, Kenya | 9 October 2026- Climate finance must move beyond policy commitments to deliver measurable improvements in the lives of women and girls. This was a central message from Unlocking Climate Finance for Gender Equality, held 5 to 7 October 2026 at the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON), which brought together climate finance institutions, policymakers, development partners, and civil society to examine pathways to gender-responsive climate action. The 2026 pre-COP31 convening, organized by UN Women, UNEP, the African Group of Negotiators Expert Support (AGNES), and other partners, explored access to international climate funds, private sector investment, domestic resource mobilization, and the implementation of gender-responsive Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). For the African Center for Health, Climate and Gender Justice Alliance (ACHCGA), the discussions were timely, as they underscored a persistent gap between climate finance commitments and the realities facing women, girls and frontline communities. Speaking during the preliminary sessions, Imali Ngusale, Strategic Lead at ACHCGA, said, “Women and vulnerable girls remain underserved, and many cannot access climate finance, despite experiencing disproportionate climate-related risks.” Ngusale stressed that the Belém Gender Action Plan must be adequately financed to turn its commitments into action and deliver the UNFCCC gender-responsive indicators’ intended outcomes. “Without dedicated resources, measurable targets and accountability, gender equality risks remaining an aspiration rather than an outcome of climate policy”, added Ngusale while commenting on the intersections of violence against women and girls and climate change. The discussions also highlighted the intersectionality between climate change and gender-based violence, pegged to a 2026 report that underscored that climate disasters such as floods, droughts, cyclones, and extreme heat affected over 5,000 women and girls in Kenya, Bangladesh, Peru, Senegal, and Zimbabwe. Accordingly, Janet Odhiambo from Safe Online Women said, “Data on climate change and sexual and gender-based violence must not be ignored.” Odhiambo insisted that meaningful youth engagement is more than tokenism or listing young women and girls as statistics in publications. Her concerns not only mirrored a 2026 survey report on the status of girls and young women aged 15–24 in Kenya, Bangladesh, Peru, Senegal, and Zimbabwe, but also reflected the vulnerabilities African women and girls are exposed to. The findings from the 2026 Change Her Forecast report sharpen the urgency. Notably, one in 10 respondents had experienced an unintended pregnancy following a climate-related event, while 28% reported observing increased violence against women and girls after such events. These figures underscore why climate finance cannot be separated from sexual and reproductive health and rights, protection from gender-based violence, and the safety of women and girls. Women-led enterprises and grassroots activists at the Nairobi convening examined opportunities to mobilize funding through the Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund, Climate Investment Funds and Global Environment Facility. However, access to international funds alone will not close the gap. Governments must therefore work collaboratively with domestic investors and mobilize domestic resources, strengthen gender-responsive budgeting, and ensure public and private investments address the interconnected impacts of climate change on women’s health, livelihoods, and security. As African countries advance their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and prepare to implement the Belém Gender Action Plan, the central question is whether financing, measurable targets, and accountability will match these commitments. The Belém Gender Action Plan now faces a defining test, will governments and climate finance institutions fund the change they have promised, or will African women be left confronting the consequences of climate change while waiting for commitments to become reality?

African Women Need More Than Commitments on the Belém Action Plan Read More »

From the Ashes of Sharm el Sheikh to the Santiago Network

Leave a Comment / Climate News, Leadership /

There is a particular kind of rage that lives quietly in the chest of a child who has watched the only thing her family ever owned  a small plot of land, a few goats, a mud-walled home be swallowed by floodwaters that science says were made three times more likely by a planet warming at the hands of others. She did not cause this. Her country did not cause this. And yet she is standing in the wreckage, barefoot, with nowhere to go and no one who has been made to answer for it. It was precisely to document and amplify that rage and to transform it into policy that the African Center for Health, Climate & Gender Justice Alliance (ACHCGA) began its extraordinary journey into the world’s most complex climate negotiations. What follows is the story of that journey: from a seaside conference hall in Egypt to the corridors of the Santiago Network, and from the Amazon rainforest of Brazil to the cold bureaucratic chambers of Baku, Azerbaijan. It is a story about a women led NGO that refused to be a bystander. The Spark: Sharm el-Sheikh, 2022 It started, as so many movements do, with an act of deliberate courage in an unlikely place. At COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, ACHCGA launched its Loss and Damage campaign in close collaboration with UNFPA the United Nations Population Fund. The air in Sharm el-Sheikh that year was electric with expectation; developing nations had spent years demanding that wealthy, high emitting countries acknowledge and compensate for climate-induced destruction. And for the first time, the world was listening. But ACHCGA did not arrive merely to observe. The organization brought something that no delegation of diplomats could replicate: a child ambassador a young Kenyan whose presence on the world stage put a human face on the sterile phrase “loss and damage.” This child stood not as a symbol, but as a frontliner documenting, in real time, what climate-induced loss looks like when it strips a community of its crops, its coastline, its culture. “Climate change is not just an environmental crisis, it is a human rights crisis. And behind every statistic is a child who never got to choose the world she was born into.” ECHOED AT THE BRASÍLIA GLOBAL SYMPOSIUM, JULY 2025 Alongside this powerful debut, ACHCGA forged a vital intellectual partnership with the Loss and Damage Collaborators a consortium of researchers and advocates to understand what the priorities for loss and damage look like from the perspective of the Global North, and how those priorities diverged, often sharply, from the lived realities of communities in Africa. That gap between Geneva and the grassroots became ACHCGA’s map. A World Tour in the Name of Justice From Sharm el-Sheikh, ACHCGA’s journey did not slow it accelerated. The organization’s footprint grew to span continents, negotiations, and national policy tables. Each stop on the road deepened both its expertise and its conviction. BAKU, AZERBAIJANCOP29Into the Heart of Global Climate Negotiations In partnership with Kenya’s Climate Change Directorate and with sponsorship from UNFPA, ACHCGA participated in the international climate negotiations on loss and damage in Baku. For a Kenyan NGO to hold space in those rooms — alongside nation states, multilateral institutions, and powerful lobbying blocs — was no small thing. ACHCGA brought the voice of community; it left with the language of policy. NAIROBI , KENYANATIONAL LEVELChampions Born at Home: Youth Climate Capacity Building The global stage matters. But so does the school hall in Nairobi. ACHCGA brought its negotiations experience home, contributing to capacity development for youth climate champions across Kenya — building the next generation of advocates who would carry the loss and damage argument into communities, county governments, and national policy forums. B RASÍLIA, BRAZILPRE-COP30 AMAZONIA CONFERENCEFrom the Savanna to the Amazon Invited by both UNFPA ESARO and UNFPA Brazil, ACHCGA attended the landmark Pre-COP30 Amazonia Global Symposium on Climate Justice and Impacted Populations, held in Brazil’s capital from July 28–31, 2025. The event, co-hosted by UNFPA and the Government of Brazil, convened government delegates, civil society, economists, and health experts from over twenty nations. It was here that ACHCGA’s Strategic Lead, Imali Ngusale, moderated a pivotal session, sitting alongside a World Bank senior economist who noted bluntly that the poor in Brazil are disproportionately crushed by natural disasters, and that Latin America and the Caribbean faces its steepest poverty increases from climate events. The session affirmed what ACHCGA had long known: across continents, it is always the already-vulnerable who inherit the worst of a crisis they did not create. The BIM Moment: Kenya Domesticates the Global Compact In late 2025 and early 2026, ACHCGA became part of something historic on its own soil. The organisation was among a small, select group of NGOs invited to a landmark national process: the operationalization of the Barbados Implementation Modalities (BIM) — the framework that governs how global loss and damage commitments under Article 8 of the Paris Agreement will actually translate into support for vulnerable communities.   Around the table sat an extraordinary assembly: professors and disaster management experts from Masinde Muliro University, county governments from Kisumu, Turkana, and Busia, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), KIPPRA, the State Department of Gender and Affirmative Action, the National Treasury, Egerton University, the NDC Partnership, the National Social Protection Secretariat, UNFPA, and climate directors from Turkana, Marsabit, Kisumu, and Nakuru Counties. What the BIM Means — and Why It Matters The Barbados Implementation Modalities are not abstract diplomatic language. They are the operational blueprint for how the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage will reach communities that have suffered — and continue to suffer — from climate impacts they did not cause. Critically, the BIM establishes that support will be needs-based and capped, with defined priorities for the most climate-vulnerable countries. For Kenya — battling intensifying floods in the west, prolonged drought in the north, and coastal erosion along its Indian Ocean shoreline — this is not a theoretical framework. It is a potential

From the Ashes of Sharm el Sheikh to the Santiago Network Read More »

Nairobi Floods and the Urgent Case for Loss and Damage Finance

Leave a Comment / Climate News /

Climate-induced floods are no longer distant projections but present realities. The devastating March 2026 flash floods in Nairobi have left 23 people dead and 71 vehicles swept away. Beyond the numbers lies a deeper story of vulnerability, inequality, and the escalating human cost of climate change. Across Nairobi, many communities have been severely affected. Among the hardest-hit areas are Pipeline and Embakasi, where Kware Road was cut off by floodwaters. The deadly waters also flooded residential areas in Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Reuben, Viwandani, Kibra, Mathare, Huruma, Baba Dogo, Githurai, South B, South C, and parts of Westlands. For residents in these neighborhoods many of whom already face precarious living conditions- the floods have disrupted livelihoods, displaced families, and destroyed homes and essential infrastructure. The floods have also paralyzed mobility across Nairobi. Several major roads have been declared impassable due to rising water levels and debris. Key transport routes affected by the flooding include sections of Central Business District roads, Uhuru Highway, Mbagathi Way, Mombasa Road (South C–JKIA Exit–Kyumbi), Thika Superhighway (Githurai–Kahawa Sukari), Jogoo Road, Lunga Lunga Road, Enterprise Road, and Lang’ata Road near T-Mall. These disruptions have not only stranded commuters but also hindered emergency response efforts, compounding the crisis for affected communities. While floods have long been part of seasonal weather patterns, the frequency and intensity of such extreme weather events are increasing due to climate change. The flooding in Nairobi is exacerbated by a combination of heavier rainfall, inadequate drainage systems, rapid urbanization, and settlements located in flood-prone areas. The result is a disaster that disproportionately affects low-income communities living at the frontline of climate change. These tragedies highlight the urgent need for global Loss and Damage financing mechanisms to support vulnerable countries like Kenya. Loss and damage refer to the impacts of climate change that go beyond what communities can adapt to when homes are destroyed, lives are lost, and livelihoods are washed away. For countries across the Global South, these impacts are becoming increasingly frequent and devastating. Yet Kenya, like many African countries, accounts for only a smallfraction of global greenhouse gas emissions. Africa as a whole accounts for less than 4% of historic global emissions, yet it faces some of the most severe consequences of climate change. This stark imbalance underscores a fundamental principle of climate justice: those who have contributed most to the climate crisis must take responsibility for addressing its consequences. The establishment of the Funding for Loss and Damage under the global climate negotiations marked an important step toward recognizing this responsibility. However, commitments must now translate into adequate, accessible, and predictable financing for affected countries and communities. Without this support, governments and communities will continue to struggle to recover from disasters while also attempting to invest in resilience and adaptation. The devastating floods in Nairobi are a painful reminder that the costs of climate inaction are measured not only in economic losses but also in human lives, dignity, and the stability of communities. The world must act, and act now. #PayUp4LossandDamage

Nairobi Floods and the Urgent Case for Loss and Damage Finance Read More »

Kenya First Tracks the Barbados Implementation Modalities Under FRLD

8 Comments / Climate News /

African Center for Health, Climate & Gender Justice Alliance (ACHCGA)  joined experts, professors and  lecturers from Masinde Muliro University Department of Disaster Management, the County Government of Kisumu, the County Government of Turkana, Cunty of Busia, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA), State Department of Gender and Affirmative action, the National Treasury, United Nations Population Fund, Egerton University, and the National Social Protection Secretariat, Collaborative Centre for Gender and Development, State Department for transport,  the African Center for Health, and the NDC Partnership to discuss the  Barbados Implementation Modalities acronymized as BIM. The BIM guides the operationalization of the global response to loss and damage under Article 8 of the Paris Agreement. The BIM also reaffirms that support for Parties (Nation States) that have suffered Loss and Damage will be needs-based and capped. The BIM also stipulates priorities for climate-vulnerable countries. In a landmark move, the climate Change Directorate (CCD) under the Kenyan Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Kenya, launched an initiative to fast-track discussion climate-induced loss and damage in the country and domesticate, in line with the Barbados Implementation Modalities. Kenya’s bold step to domesticate the BIM is critical in addressing the escalating climate crisis that continues to inflict severe environmental, economic, and social impacts. This move is timely, following discussions at COP30 in Belém (November 2025), where Parties advanced the implementation of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage under the Barbados Implementation Modalities (BIM). Speaking during one of the sessions, James Thonjo, a senior climate change officer with Kenya’s Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, said, “The losses and damages from climate change can no longer be ignored.” “We have witnessed rising water levels in the recent past that have ravaged communities of their livelihoods,” Thonjo continued, highlighting the immediate and visible impacts. Notably, in 2024 flash floods, exacerbated by an unprecedented El Niño, ravaged the country, claiming over 174 lives, displacing over 500,000 households. The unabated floods also destroyed 17,000 acres of farmland.  Professor Simon Onywere from Kenyatta University said, “Climate change is one of the major drivers of the rising lakes and hence application for FRLD funds are quite in order.” The Professor who has done extensive research on rising water levels along the Rift Valley Lakes reiterated the worsening impacts faced by the communities. Professor Onywere further, underscored the need for government to increase funds allocation to support these communities including through accessing the available global funding like the Funding for Loss and Damage. 

Kenya First Tracks the Barbados Implementation Modalities Under FRLD Read More »

Why Gender Must Drive Loss and Damage Responses

Leave a Comment / Climate News /

Climate change is not gender neutral. A 2022 United Nations report underscores the disproportionate burden borne by women and girls in the face of climate-related disasters. When extreme weather events strike, women and children are 14 times more likely to die than men, largely due to limited access to early warning information, restricted mobility, unequal decision-making power, and fewer economic resources.   In Kenya, the impacts of climate change prolonged droughts, flooding, food insecurity, and displacement have had far-reaching and increasingly irreversible consequences. These effects can no longer be addressed through adaptation measures alone. As articulated under Article 8 of the Paris Agreement, it recognizes loss and damage as climate-induced harms that are unavoidable, irreversible, and beyond the limits of adaptation. The 2024 IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) confirms climate change disproportionately affects women, exacerbating inequalities, while also highlighting women’s crucial role in solutions. Speaking during a Post COP 30 meeting on loss and damage organized by UNFPA Kenya and the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Forestry, Ruth Nyamasege, the in-Country Facilitator for Kenya with the NDC Partnership said, “Women in Kenya have been disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis.” Nyamasege also underscore that there have incurred losses and damages that not only warrant attention but quantification.” She further highlighted that women’s livelihoods have been deeply affected by climate change, and that women remain vulnerable now more than ever. Accordingly, Grace Uwizeye from UNFPA East Africa Regional Office (UNFPA ESARO) said, “Climate change is not gender neutral.” Uwizeye further demonstrated that women loss of livelihood has been attributed to the climate induced loss and damage. She also highlighted that over 107, 318 women of reproductive age have been affected in Kenya due to rising water levels.  She further insisted that more studies need to be conducted in order to satiate that the gravity of the losses imputed by climate change.

Why Gender Must Drive Loss and Damage Responses Read More »

From Brasília to Belém: Why COP30 Must Center Rights, Resilience & Reproductive Justice in the Climate AgendaGlobal Sympossium ahead of COP 30

Climate News /

Brasília, Brazil — From July 28 to 31, the 2025 Global Symposium on Climate Justice and Impacted Populations convened in Brazil’s capital, setting the stage for urgent dialogue ahead of COP30 in Belém. In attendance were government delegates, civil society representatives, economists, and climate and gender experts from the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, India, Italy, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Panama, Philippines, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, the United States, Zimbabwe, and beyond. Some netizens zoomed into the symposium. Imali Ngusale the lead strategist at the African Center for Health, Climate & Gender Justice Alliance (ACHCGA)  moderated a session on Social Protection, Alternative Livelihoods, and Climate Resilience. Speaking during the session, Hugo Rolando Nopo Aguilar, Senior Economist at the World Bank, emphasized the urgency of the moment:, “Brazil is one of the countries most prone to natural disasters,” he noted, “and the time to strengthen resilience is now.”Accordingly, Mohamed Ageez, Youth Participation Officer, UNFPA ASRO, stated that climate change remains the most significant environmental challenge of our era.” Ageez admitted that climate change disproportionately impacts those least responsible for it, citing that women and girls, particularly in low-income nations, face heightened risks from extreme weather events.” Accordingly, Augustus Lito M. Narag, EnP, Officer In Charge, Director for Mindanao Affairs and Concurrent Director for Data Management and Systems, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) on Conditional Cash Transfer in the Philippines, made a presentation that revealed that gender-based violence is exacerbated by climate change. Narag, also said that climate change disrupts access to sexual and reproductive health services and deepens economic inequities. Markedly, participants from Brasília, policymakers, climate scientists, health experts, youth leaders, and civil society activists who attended the session admitted that climate action needs to prioritize human rights and resilience. While addressing a panel on Social Protection, Thais Lemos Ribeiro, Coordinator of Education in Human Rights and the Environment at the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship, said that “Climate change is not just an environmental crisis, it’s a human rights crisis.” Ribeiro insisted that while many discussions focus mainly on combating climate change, the dignity, health, and choices of millions, especially women and young people, need to be prioritized.” Notably, Bothaina Eltigani, a PhD student at Oxford University, said that “We are responsible for ensuring their voices drive the solutions.” Eltigani underscored that climate solutions should not just be regurgitated in summits but implemented in grassroots places. The symposium was a strategic milestone on the road to COP30, which also comes three decades after the landmark International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The symposium builds on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, emphasizing that climate justice must uphold sexual and reproductive health, combat gender-based violence, and dismantle harmful practices. Whether all the aforementioned will explore gaps in research, showcase rights-based adaptation strategies, and push for stronger partnerships to finance climate-resilient health systems will only be told in the sands of time.

From Brasília to Belém: Why COP30 Must Center Rights, Resilience & Reproductive Justice in the Climate AgendaGlobal Sympossium ahead of COP 30 Read More »

A Youthful Generation Leading for Climate Finance in Kenya

Leave a Comment / Climate News /

A wave of youth-led climate ambition swept through the Northern Rift this June as the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry hosted the NOREB (Northern Rift Economic Bloc) Youth Climate Finance and Proposal Development Workshop from 2nd to 6th June 2025. The highly anticipated event was officially opened by Miss Ressa Kombi from the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry. During her keynote address, Kombi underscored the urgency of youth and women participation in the climate agenda. She emphasized that young people make up 80% of Kenya’s population and must be included in climate action. She also spotlighted the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) as a gateway for youth engagement through targeted training, workshops, and education. The landmark workshop brought together young climate leaders from eight counties, Baringo, West Pokot, Nandi, Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Samburu, Turkana, and Elgeyo Marakwet, aimed at equipping them with the technical skills to develop bankable climate proposals and navigate the climate finance landscape. As the climate crisis escalates, the event struck a timely chord by positioning youth not as future leaders, but as present- day agents of transformative change. Speaking during the convening James Thonjo, the Youth Coordinator from Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry said, “We are devoted to ensuring that the youth are engaged in climate finance discussions. It is only through understanding financing that they can be prepared to make significant change.” Accordingly, the youth consented to the same view, affirming their readiness to lead in shaping Kenya’s climate future. Throughout the NOREB Youth Climate Finance and Proposal Development Workshop, participants echoed the call for meaningful youth engagement in climate decision-making and financing processes. They expressed a shared understanding that their generation holds both the greatest stake and the greatest potential to drive climate solutions.

A Youthful Generation Leading for Climate Finance in Kenya Read More »

It is Time  to Reclaim the Future for the Most Vulnerable

Leave a Comment / Climate News, Justice /

The African Center for Health, Climate & Gender Justice Alliance (ACHCGA) stands at the forefront of a global advocacy campaign demanding urgent action to address the escalating burden of climate change-induced loss and damage. As the world gathered at COP 29 in Baku, a critical yet contentious development emerged: Rule 16 was recommended under the Loss and Damage Fund. Far from accelerating progress, this procedural maneuver has stymied the long-overdue process of ensuring reparations for the most affected communities. It is a stark reminder that, despite years of promises, climate justice seems elusive.   Kenya is a stark testament to the devastating consequences of inadequate global climate action. The nation’s vulnerabilities to the climate crisis are not theoretical; they are palpable and mounting. With economic losses currently estimated at 3-5% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually, projections indicate that this figure could balloon to 9% by 2050. This reality is more than numbers on a spreadsheet—it’s livelihoods destroyed, ecosystems degraded, and infrastructure crumbling under the weight of a changing climate. For Kenya and other nations in the Global South, climate-induced loss and damage are not distant threats; they are daily crises.   This grim trajectory underscores the urgency of the #PayUp4LossAndDamage campaign, a clarion call for a global commitment to rectify these climate injustices. The campaign’s demands are clear: robust financial support, comprehensive capacity-building programs, and the deployment of cutting-edge technological solutions. But the road to justice is riddled with obstacles, as demonstrated by the paralysis in Baku.   Rule 16, a procedural fallback invoked when parties fail to reach consensus, has effectively delayed substantive progress on the Loss and Damage Fund. This bureaucratic quagmire disproportionately affects nations like Kenya, where the stakes are existential. While wealthier nations debate semantics and procedural minutiae, the most vulnerable continue to bear the brunt of climate inaction.   Yet, amidst this frustration, there is resolve. ACHCGA is galvanizing voices across the continent to demand accountability and action. The alliance’s approach is multifaceted, leveraging grassroots advocacy, policy influence, and global solidarity to shift the narrative and demand reparations. The message is unequivocal: climate justice is not charity it is a moral imperative.   As we reflect on COP 29’s outcomes, the question remains: will the global community rise to the challenge? The clock is ticking, and the cost of inaction grows every day. The #PayUp4LossAndDamage campaign is more than a rallying cry; it is a movement demanding that promises made translate into tangible action.

It is Time  to Reclaim the Future for the Most Vulnerable Read More »

ACHCGA’s Impact on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

Leave a Comment / Climate News /

At the sunset of 2024, the African Center for Health, Climate & Gender Justice Alliance (ACHCGA), in close collaboration with UNDP, UNFPA, and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, took a bold step in advancing youth participation in climate action. Through a strategic initiative focused on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), ACHCGA contributed to a transformative workshop held in the Lake Victoria region for youth climate leaders. Additionally, ACHCGA highlighted the youth and children-specific targets for Kenya’s new Nationally Determined Contribution and Loss and Damage Fund. The workshop served as a platform for knowledge exchange, solution-oriented discussions, and capacity-building in climate action planning. Speaking during the NDC review session in Kisumu, James Thonjo, Senior Government Official from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, said, “The workshop reinforced the critical role that young people, including myself, play in advancing climate solutions. The connections I made and the skills I acquired will serve as catalysts for more collaborative and effective youth-led climate action.” James insisted that, “Including youth and partners such as ACHCGA is critical to have diversity.” He also stated, “It is great that ACHCGA advocated to have health as one of the priorities in the NDC.” Accordingly, Brian Mounde, a Senior Climate Change Officer from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, stated, “Youth engagement on NDCs is critical because it ensures the government fulfills the targets of the NCCAP.” Mounde also stated that the Ministry of Environment and Forestry remains committed to strengthening youth participation in climate action to ensure inclusive and effective policy implementation. “I connected with like-minded young climate leaders from youth-led institutions like ACHCGA and I hope that the youth have invaluable insights into climate change policy frameworks.” Additionally, Rosebell Barbara from ACHCGA said, “Attending the Youth Climate Finance and NDC 2.0 Engagement Workshop was an incredible opportunity. I connected with like-minded young climate leaders, gained invaluable insights into climate finance, and developed practical skills to design bankable proposals for climate projects.” The NDC review workshop in Kenya was timely because it served as a platform for knowledge exchange, solution-oriented discussions, and capacity-building in climate action planning. It also underscored the power of youth-driven innovation, with participants presenting groundbreaking local solutions, including: Beyond these innovations, the workshop provided participants with a deep understanding of critical climate finance concepts, including: The Ministry of Environment and Forestry’s unwavering commitment to empowering young climate leaders and support from UNFPA, UNICEF, and UNDP made meaningful youth engagement in NDCs possible. This collaboration ensures that youth are not just beneficiaries of climate policies but active contributors to shaping a sustainable and resilient future.

ACHCGA’s Impact on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) Read More »

COP29: A Missed Opportunity for Climate Justice

3 Comments / Climate News /

  The 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, unfolded as a harsh reminder of the global North’s persistent neglect of the Global South’s demands for climate equity and justice. While vulnerable communities from the global south face the devastating consequences of climate inaction, the architects of the crisis developed nations continue to prioritize profits over people. At COP29, the African Center for Health, Climate & Gender Justice Alliance (ACHCGA) joined the Women and Gender Constituency and global advocates in demanding urgent action to cap global warming at 1.5°C, unlock meaningful climate finance for loss and damage, and ensure feminist climate justice. Instead, we encountered dangerous distractions, empty promises, and a betrayal of trust.   Small Wins Amidst Broken Promises Carbon Markets: Progress was made in operationalizing Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, particularly mechanisms to improve transparency and accessibility. However, loopholes remain, threatening to undermine the equitable distribution of carbon credits. Climate Finance: A new climate finance deal was announced, aiming for $300 billion annually by 2035. While a step forward the inclusion of private financing sparked concerns about accountability and the marginalization of vulnerable communities.   Disappointments That Can’t Be Ignored Loss and Damage Fund: Rule 16 outcomes fell short of expectations, with major emitters resisting accountability for their historical emissions. Fossil Fuel Phase-out: Despite dire warnings from scientists, weak language dominated the discussions on fossil fuel phase-outs, leaving the door open for continued reliance on dirty energy. Climate Finance Shortfall: The promised $100 billion annual commitment remains unfulfilled, compounding the Global South’s struggle to address loss and damage. UNEP and IPCC reports underline the catastrophic consequences of this inaction, yet no significant steps were taken.   A Bleak Future Without Bold Action The lack of urgency and ambition at COP29 casts a shadow over our collective future. Climate finance continues to fall short, the fossil fuel industry remains unchecked, and the voices of marginalized communities are drowned out by the rhetoric of green capitalism. But hope is not lost. ACHCGA remains steadfast in pushing for climate and gender justice. At COP29, we witnessed the undeniable power of youth, women, and indigenous communities coming together to demand meaningful action.   What’s Next? Building a Just Future COP29 may have betrayed our trust, but it also reignited our resolve. We commit to advocating for a future where climate justice is inseparable from gender justice. 💪🌿 Click here https://x.com/ACHCGJA_Africa/status/1860584558590116066 to read our social media posts in one thread #ClimateJustice ⚖️ #COP29 #FeministClimateJustice  

COP29: A Missed Opportunity for Climate Justice Read More »

Scroll to Top