Written by Umamah Bakharia 

The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as COP27, will be the 27th United Nations Climate Change conference, held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt this year.

However, the African Climate Foundation argues that Africa’s own climate issues tend to be viewed through a parochial lens. They add that never has there been an opportunity to do something different and rethink traditional forms of climate diplomacy.

Speaking to Radio Islam, Senior Advisor on Climate Diplomacy and Geopolitics at the Aftica Climate Foundation, Faten Aggad says a solution needs to be found to ensure that African countries are not left behind in this climate transition.

“In Glasgow, much of the African agenda was pushed aside with the exception of a deal with South Africa where international partners pledged to contribute $8.5 billion for South Africa’s energy transition,” says Aggad.

She adds that Africa is at the recieving end of a geopolitical issue.

“The responsibilty does not lie with Africa, the responsibility lies with the industrialised nations that refuse to make the drastic measures like for example, [focus on] their own consumption tendancies,” says Aggad.

She reiterates that African countries should avoid a project approach but rather look at what is needed for our entire economy to transform.