As the world prepares for COP30 in Belém, Africa’s civil society is uniting to shape a clear, justice-first position rooted in the realities of the continent and the aspirations of its people. The Pre-COP30 African Civil Society Convening, held on the 21st and 22nd of October 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya, brought together a diverse coalition of Africa’s voices, including youth, women, grassroots organisers, faith actors, and policy experts to consolidate civil society perspectives and strengthen Africa’s unified voice ahead of COP30.
The convening reaffirmed Africa’s disproportionate vulnerability to climate impacts despite contributing the least to global emissions, underscoring the continent’s moral authority and right to climate justice. Participants emphasised the importance of anchoring Africa’s engagement at Belém within the continent’s established negotiation structures, including the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), Africa Climate Summit 2, and the Africa Group of Negotiators (AGN), while recognising the complementary role of civil society ingrounding these processes in justice, inclusion, equity, and community realities.
The convening called for Africa to speak in one strong, coordinated voice, moving from advocacy to influence, from isolated projects to systemic resilience, and from framing climate change as an environmental concern to advancing it as a core development imperative. Delegates affirmed that COP30 must be the moment Africa shifts from negotiating frameworks to delivering tangible results for its people.
Download the position paper here: https://can-africa.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Africa-CSOs_COP30-Position-Paper.pdf