By Bunmi Yekini
As global leaders continue to delay decisive action on phasing out fossil fuels, the devastating effects of the climate crisis weigh heaviest on marginalized communities. ActionAid International has called for urgent and ambitious climate finance commitments at the COP29 summit to accelerate the transition to renewable energy and mitigate these impacts.
Teresa Anderson, Global Lead on Climate Justice at ActionAid International, stressed the need for transformative funding. “To step up the energy transition, we need COP29 to unlock the funds,” she said. “An ambitious climate finance goal worth trillions of dollars each year will finally help the developing countries already drowning in debt from climate impacts to afford to scale up renewable energy and leapfrog the fossil fuel era.”
She emphasized that climate finance must prioritize grants over loans and private investments, ensuring a fair and inclusive transition. “Ensuring a just transition in energy isn’t just about replacing technology and can’t just be left up to the private sector. A responsible energy transition must actively involve communities and invest in infrastructure, training, social protections, and sustainable livelihoods,” Anderson added.
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From the Niger Delta, where fossil fuel extraction has left a trail of destruction, Friday Ogezi, Climate Justice Advisor for Liberia and Nigeria at ActionAid International, highlighted the dire need for justice and accountability. “Every day, more than 2.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas are flared in the Niger Delta, releasing pollutants that have poisoned water sources, destroyed farmland, and sickened people. The once vibrant community is now a shadow of its former self,” Ogezi explained.
He urged COP29 leaders to prioritize vulnerable communities in energy transition decisions, saying, “The oil companies have stolen our future. We demand a just transition backed by adequate finance in the form of grants. The time for empty promises is over. It’s time for action.”
The plight of the Niger Delta underscores the urgent need for the world to phase out fossil fuels and commit to renewable energy solutions. As Anderson warned, “Agreeing on an ambitious new climate finance goal to accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels now will be far, far cheaper than the escalating costs of runaway climate breakdown later.”
ActionAid’s call adds to the mounting pressure on global leaders to deliver meaningful outcomes at COP29, ensuring that no community is left behind in the fight against climate change.