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What to expect at the upcoming Africa Climate Summit 2.0

The CEO of the first summit in 2023 looks back – and forwards to the second summit next month

August 21, 2025

Welcome to Green Rising – This week we’ve invited Joseph Nganga to take over our newsletter. 

You’ll remember that he was CEO of the inaugural Africa Climate Summit two years ago, and is now the founding leader of the Africa Climate and Energy Nexus (AfCEN).

We’re now looking forward to another climate summit on the continent, this time in Addis Ababa (Sept 8-10). What’s cooking? 

Over to you, Joseph… 

Many thanks. Two years ago in Nairobi, we stood at a defining moment. The inaugural Africa Climate Summit (ACS1) was not just a gathering of minds, but a powerful collective statement: Africa is not merely a victim of climate change—we are leaders, innovators, and solution-providers.

The Nairobi Declaration, born out of that summit, outlined an ambitious vision for a just, climate-resilient future, anchored in African priorities. It boldly called for reforms in the global financial architecture, uplifted African-led climate solutions, and demanded that Africa’s unique development needs be matched with appropriate resources.

Today, as we prepare for ACS2 in Addis Ababa, I find myself reflecting not just on the commitments we made, but on the strides we have taken and the urgent course corrections we must now embrace.

What ACS1 Achieved: Setting the Bar for Ambition

ACS1 marked a watershed moment. We unified Africa’s voice under one declaration, driving momentum into global platforms like COP28 and the G20. Over $26 billion in climate pledges were announced, and for the first time, the world heard Africa speak not with a list of demands, but with a blueprint of solutions.

From pushing for reforms in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), to advocating for debt pause clauses and climate-aligned credit ratings, the Nairobi Declaration made it clear: Africa does not seek aid, we seek fairness. We championed green growth, renewable energy, carbon markets, nature-based solutions, and local innovation. Most importantly, we called for the transition from climate rhetoric to climate investment.

Where Are We Now? The Stocktake So Far

In June 2025, The Africa Climate and Energy Nexus (AfCEN) coordinated a comprehensive stocktake to assess how far we’ve come since ACS1. The findings are both encouraging and sobering.

1. Climate Finance: Africa saw climate finance flows increase by 48%, from $29.5 billion to $43.7 billion. Private climate finance doubled. Yet, we remain far from the $250 billion a year needed to meet our nationally determined contributions (NDCs) by 2030. Progress on debt instruments and sustainability-linked bonds are welcome, but bankable projects and access to affordable credit remain major bottlenecks. Only a handful of African countries have effective mechanisms to de-risk investments or access carbon markets at scale.

2. Energy and Industry: The launch of Mission 300, aiming to provide renewable energy access to 300 million people by 2030, was a major win. Our renewable capacity is now at 62 GW, yet we still need to quintuple that in the next five years. Green industrialisation is gaining traction with regional initiatives like the Africa Green Minerals Strategy, but baseload power, local value addition, and tech transfer remain underdeveloped.

3. Adaptation: The Loss and Damage Fund, finally operationalised at COP29, has yet to approve a single African project, despite millions pledged. Multi-hazard early warning systems expanded, and the Great Green Wall initiative is at 30% of its 2030 target—but funding shortfalls and policy incoherence continue to delay outcomes. Integration of adaptation into national plans is progressing, though slowly.

4. Nature and Oceans: Only 8 African nations have updated their National Biodiversity Strategies, despite continent-wide goals under the AUBSAP and AFR100. However, the rise of debt-for-nature swaps—like Gabon’s—and commitments to protect marine ecosystems signal momentum.

Lessons from ACS1 and what We Must Do Differently

Lesson 1: Commitments are not enough, implementation is king. Too many announcements at ACS1 have yet to translate into execution. Pledges must come with timelines, financing strategies, and delivery mechanisms tracked at national and continental levels. ACS2 must institutionalise a Delivery Unit for Africa’s climate goals.

Lesson 2: Reform must be internal as much as external. While we rightly demand global financial reforms, we must also ensure our own house is in order. Fewer than half of AU member states have submitted or updated National Adaptation Plans. Local capacity to absorb and deploy climate finance remains weak. At ACS2, we must place greater emphasis on institutional strengthening and project pipeline readiness.

Lesson 3: Climate justice must be inclusive and local. ACS1 rightly centred on climate justice, but more needs to be done to embed indigenous knowledge, youth leadership, and gender equity in national climate strategies. Success will not come from top-down frameworks alone.

Shifting from Momentum to Acceleration

As we head to Addis Ababa this September, ACS2 must move from ambition to acceleration. Here’s how:

1. Unify and amplify Africa’s voice ahead of COP30. Let ACS2 serve as the continent’s staging ground for coordinated action. A renewed African Leaders’ Declaration must call for a rebalanced global finance system, equitable carbon markets, and the formalisation of Africa’s role in shaping global rules—from SDR allocations to Article 6 governance.

2. Establish a continent-wide implementation roadmap. We must go beyond thematic discussions and set up delivery frameworks per the seven core areas—climate finance, adaptation, energy, nature, green minerals, sustainable infrastructure, and agriculture. ACS2 should establish a shared Climate Scorecard for Africa, aligned with the Nairobi Declaration, to track progress.

3. Mobilise scalable, catalytic capital. We need investment vehicles tailored to African contexts: local currency green bonds, regional project preparation facilities, results-based financing, and a pan-African blended finance platform. Let’s push MDBs to offer sovereign borrowing in local currency indexed to FX rates.

4. Make the just transition real. Africa’s energy transition must create jobs, close the energy access gap, and boost local economies. ACS2 should formalise youth-focused programs like green jobs re-skilling and unlock capital for SMEs working on climate-smart agriculture, clean cooking, and circular economy innovations.

5. Protect nature and value Africa’s natural capital. We must stop undervaluing what Africa already possesses. ACS2 must call for GDP rebasing based on natural capital valuation and accelerate mechanisms like biodiversity credits and debt-for-nature swaps.

A Moment for Leadership

ACS1 taught us that bold convening is only the beginning. Real leadership lies in what follows. As we gather in Addis, I call upon my fellow Africans, financiers, development partners, and community champions: let us not simply reiterate promises. Let us measure our progress, sharpen our strategies, and institutionalise the reforms needed to keep Africa on the frontlines of global climate solutions.

Africa has already shown it has the vision. Now we must prove we can deliver—faster, fairer, and at scale. Because when Africa rises to meet this moment, the whole world benefits.

Number of the week 

… of Libya's power needs will supposedly be met by a $10 billion solar energy program aiming to generate 4GW by 2035. The country, once a byword for oil-funded dysfunction, wants to create 40,000 jobs in renewables… if security conditions allow.

Network corner

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👉 BasiGo is named the first authorised CATL Battery Service Agent in Sub-Saharan Africa… to service and repair Chinese battery technology across the continent

EVENTS UPDATE 

📆 Join the Global African Hydrogen Summit in Namibia (Sept 9)

📆 Sign up for the Energy Forum for Africa in Zambia (Sept 10)

📆 Attend the Africa E-Mobility Week in Ethiopia (Oct 14)

What we’re reading

  • Renewable power surge: Africa has scaled up its renewable energy capacity to 70 GW, benefiting from falling global costs and vast wind, solar, and water resources. Africa’s Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) is now comparable to that of developed regions, despite limited local manufacturing. (Renewables Rising)

  • Electric arrival: The world’s largest automaker is introducing electric vehicles in Africa for the first time, launching three fully-electric models in South Africa in 2026. Toyota, currently leading South Africa’s hybrid market with a 67% share, will initially import EVs, aiming to produce some locally later. (Mobility Rising)

  • Nature’s capital: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) plans to launch biodiversity bonds, aiming to raise up to $1.5 billion for the protection of endangered species and ecosystems in 54 African countries. (Conservation Rising)

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