Simon Stiell, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary said COP30 showed that climate cooperation is alive and kicking.
In his closing remarks on Sunday, Stiell said 194 countries stood firm in solidarity, to support climate cooperation.
Some wins thus far, are the agreement to further a global transition to low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilience, trillion dollars for clean grids raised, millions of hectares of forest, land and oceans protected or restored.
Although no roadmap was reached on fossil fuels, strides to enable implementation, include science-based information to assist countries launched by institutions at COP30, country implementation plans were submitted, and development banks committed to raising finances.
ICLEA Africa launched a new report at COP30 titled “No Time To Waste: Improving waste management in African cities.”
Other African initiatives include efforts to harness indigenous knowledge to support local information, by Wits researchers last week, environmental clubs and youth initiatives by the Federal Ministry of the Environment.
African Non-State Actors (NSAs) through the PanAfrican Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), said on Monday, acknowledged several hard-won gains.
Dr Mithika Mwenda, the Executive Director of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), said “COP30 delivered progress, but not justice. Africa did not cause this crisis. The continent must not continue to pay twice, first through climate impacts, and then through global responses that remain underfunded or unfair.”
He said NSA acknowledges the COP30 decision to mobilize USD 1.3 trillion annually by 2035, with developed countries taking the lead.
“This marks the first time Parties have committed to a quantified pathway of climate finance at scale. For Africa, where climate impacts already cost 5–15% of GDP growth each year, this commitment is significant.
However, African civil society called for clear burden-sharing arrangements, predictable public finance, and stronger accountability measures to ensure the pledge delivers real resources to countries most in need.”
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