African Leaders Commit to Climate Action at CCDA-XIII and ACS2 Ahead of COP 30

African leaders have strengthened the continent’s unified stance ahead of the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 30) in Belém, Brazil, through back-to-back high-level meetings: the 13th Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-XIII) and the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2). The gatherings underscored Africa’s determination to lead global climate action.

CCDA-XIII, held from 5–7 September 2025, was convened by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Union Commission (AUC), and the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA). Themed “Empowering Africa’s Climate Action with Science, Finance, and Just Transition,” the conference called for urgent, scaled-up investment across adaptation, loss and damage, climate science, finance, just transitions, ecosystems, and African leadership.

Closing the conference, UNECA Executive Secretary Claver Gatete emphasized Africa’s agency in shaping its climate future:

“Africa is not waiting to be acted upon. We are shaping our destiny, leveraging our resources, and bringing solutions to the world.”

CCDA-XIII outcomes were integrated into the Addis Ababa Declaration on Climate Change and Call to Action, adopted at ACS2, held from 8–10 September 2025 in Ethiopia under the theme “Accelerating Global Climate Solutions: Financing for Africa’s Resilient and Green Development.”

Key announcements included:

• Africa Climate Innovation Compact (ACIC) and African Climate Facility (ACF): Initiated by Ethiopia to mobilize USD 50 billion annually for catalytic climate finance.

• African Climate Change Fund: Operationalization supported by AfDB to channel green bonds and innovative financing instruments tailored to African needs.

• Denmark pledge: USD 79 million to support agricultural transformation.

• Africa Green Industrialisation Initiative (AGII): Cooperation framework signed by African financial institutions, backed by USD 100 billion for green growth.

• Italian Climate Fund: Italy reaffirmed a pledge of USD 4.2 billion, with around 70% dedicated to Africa.

The twin meetings demonstrate Africa’s commitment to combining science, finance, and just transition strategies to strengthen resilience and drive green development across the continent.