The African Union Climate Summit brought together Heads of State, climate ministers, development partners, and civil society from across the continent to chart a course for Africa's climate future. SACCN, through its ClimateJustice Watch programme, submitted a comprehensive policy brief arguing that without a fundamental re-scaling of adaptation finance to Southern Africa, the region's development gains of the past three decades could be erased by climate breakdown within a generation.
The Finance Gap: A Crisis Within a Crisis
The gap between adaptation finance pledged to SADC nations and the finance actually required is staggering. SACCN's analysis, drawing on data from the UNFCCC, the African Development Bank, and SADC member state adaptation plans, found that current annual adaptation finance flows to the SADC region total approximately USD 3.2 billion — while the region's own nationally determined adaptation needs amount to at least USD 12.7 billion per year. The gap is USD 9.5 billion annually, and it is widening as climate impacts intensify.
"Africa did not create the climate crisis. Africa is being asked to manage it with approximately 25 cents for every dollar of need. This is not climate justice — it is climate apartheid." — Mr B. Guvava, SACCN Climate Justice Watch
SACCN's Core Demands at the Summit
SACCN's submission made four core demands. First: that the AU collectively negotiate for a New Collective Quantified Goal on climate finance that is explicitly disaggregated by region, ensuring Africa receives a proportionate share based on vulnerability, not negotiating power. Second: that at least 50% of all climate finance to Africa be dedicated to adaptation, not mitigation. Third: that climate finance be channelled increasingly through national and regional institutions — including civil society networks — rather than through multilateral development banks with high transaction costs and long disbursement timelines. Fourth: that the loss and damage finance mechanism established at COP27 be operationalised with USD 400 billion for Africa over the decade.
Summit Outcomes and Follow-Up
The African Union Summit endorsed a continental position on climate finance that partially reflected SACCN's demands. The AU called for at least USD 600 billion per year in climate finance for Africa — roughly double current levels — and committed to establishing a continental climate finance tracking mechanism. SACCN is now working with the AU's climate policy team to ensure civil society has formal representation in the tracking mechanism's governance structure.
