African delegates demand climate finance and fossil fuels for just transition at COP28

At the official opening ceremony of COP28, COP President, Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber made a case for trust, purpose, partnership and pragmatism as components essential for a successful COP28. He encouraged delegates to make a way for and ensure the inclusion of the role of fossil fuel in a just transition.

He asked delegates to be flexible, find a common ground and never lose sight of the north star which is 1.5 degree Celsius as they go into negotiations.

Climate finance, he notes, is not available, accessible or affordable promising that the COP presidency will unlock climate finance to ensure that the global south does not have to choose between development and climate action.

Dr. Sultan insists that loss and damage must be delivered while adaptation and mitigation must be at the heart of all actions, encouraging countries to bridge the finance gap, put nature, live and livelihood at the core of national plans.

Reacting to the opening address of the COP28 President, some delegates from the African continent say they expect negotiators to support the efforts of developing countries that require resources from investments in oil and gas, including Nigeria which plans to use gas as a transition energy to fund its climate change programmes.

Beyond promises, the delegates anticipate real and concrete actions in fulfilling climate finance pledges already made, especially that of the One Hundred Million Dollars annually from the developed north to the developing south.

In pushing for climate finance, the delegates expect leaders on the African continent to be prudent and accountable in the use of funds against the tradition of mismanagement of resources that has bedevilled the region for a long time.