COP 29: Nigerian Delegates Urged To Demand Climate Debt Payment

Ahead of the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, Nigerian environmental organisations have called on the country’s delegates to demand reparations for climate debt and economic reforms.

The coalition, which includes prominent NGOs such as Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), Community Development Advocacy Foundation (CODAF), Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE) and Renevlyn Development Initiative, is also pushing for a just transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources.

At a press briefing organised by GAIA in Lagos, activists highlighted the urgency of climate reparations for African nations, which they argued have been disproportionately affected by the climate crisis despite contributing minimally to global carbon emissions.

The executive director of the Renevlyn Development Initiative, Philip Jakpor, stressed that reparations should not come in the form of loans but as grants to prevent further economic burden while emphasising the need for Africa to focus on value-added beneficiation and forge strategic partnerships that would enhance its position in the global value chain.

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He also called for structural tax reforms to ensure transnational corporations (TNCs) extracting resources in Africa pay higher taxes in the countries where they operate rather than in their headquarters abroad.

Project officer at CODAF Melody Enyinnaya underscored the demand for climate justice, urging Global North nations to reduce emissions and fund the energy transition as part of their climate debt. “We call for reparations, remediation, and compensation for the impacted peoples of Africa,” she said, denouncing false climate solutions like REDD+, Net Zero, and geo-engineering, which she argued exacerbate the crisis.

In her address, media consultant at CODAF Elvira Jordan called for an immediate halt to fossil fuel extraction across Africa. She stated that these activities have degraded ecosystems, land, and water resources. She advocated prioritising sustainable, people-centred renewable energy that benefits local economies and protects Africa’s environment.

Executive director of PAVE, Anthony Akpan, added that Africa should not be used as a dumping ground for waste, urging the continent to adopt the Global Plastics Treaty to combat pollution across its lifecycle. He also highlighted the importance of Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in extractive projects, allowing communities to have the final say in any development initiatives that affect their environment.