H.E. Hon. William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya,
H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission,
H. E. Azali Assoumani, President of the Union of Comoros and outgoing Chairperson of the African Union,
H.E. Ambassador Josefa Sacko, AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment,
Excellencies and friends.
Please allow me to being by congratulating President of the Republic of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, for his election as the new Chairperson of the African Union. I look forward to strong engagement over the next year. My compliments also to H. E. Azali Assoumani for his leadership over the last year.
This Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change comes at a time of real concern. Climate change is intensifying. Land, nature and biodiversity are eroding. Pollution and waste are sickening the planet and people. This is what we at UNEP call the triple planetary crisis.
But this gathering also comes at a time of, and is indeed part of, growing African leadership. The nations of this diverse continent aren’t just controlling their own destinies. They are shaping the destinies of others. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the international environmental stage.
Africa has shown influence by taking on climate injustice and helping to bring about the Loss and Damage Fund. Africa has shown leadership, through the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment, the Africa Climate Summit and the African Union’s strategies on climate and biodiversity. Africa has shown solidarity, through the Landlocked Developing Countries summit in Rwanda and Uganda’s hosting of the G77+China summit, under the theme of Leaving No One Behind.
Now it is time for Africa to lead on action. Yes, the big emitters, particularly G20 nations, must hit net-zero and step up financing for adaptation and loss and damage. Let’s not forget here that Africa is now a permanent member of the G20, so has more influence. But this is also your chance to show the Global North how it should have been done taking a leap forward to low-carbon, climate-resilient and prosperous societies. Through clean energy, through backing nature, through using the continent’s innovation and rich resources to provide everything from green construction materials to planet-friendly alternatives to plastic.
In particular, there is an opportunity in energy transition metals and minerals. To stay below 2°C by 2050, the world will need over three billion tonnes of such minerals and metals, which some African nations have in abundance. These nations can drive sustainable development by ditching the colonial models that see resources shipped out and instead create value-add at home. Of course, extraction must be responsible, to protect the environment, the land of Indigenous Peoples and the rights of workers. Equally, we must ensure real circularity – keeping resources in the economy by redesign, reuse and recycling – to minimize extraction of virgin materials. Here lies another opportunity. Up to seven per cent of the world’s gold may be in e-waste. As some African nations are big recipient countries for e-waste, they may be sitting on a literal goldmine.
UNEP is fully committed to supporting these endeavours. Through science. Through policy support. Through technical expertise. All of which is available to African Member States.
Excellencies,
The next key moment for African leadership is the sixth UN Environment Assembly, which kicks off in Kenya on February 26. My deep thanks to my friend President Ruto for hosting UNEP and the Assembly in Nairobi, the environmental capital of the world.
There are 20 draft resolutions and two decisions on the table, among them a resolution on the metals and minerals issue I mentioned. In addition, we will have a Youth Environment Assembly, convened by youth, for youth on the world’s youngest continent. We will have leadership dialogues on finance, on science, and on data and digitalization. We will have a day dedicated to bringing together multilateral environmental agreements with a view to creating united and amplified action.
Governments. Intergovernmental organizations. Civil society. The scientific community. The private sector. They will all be there, seeking to tackle the triple planetary crisis through strong multilateralism. So far, 33 ministers from the African States have registered. I encourage more to attend.
Excellencies,
Moments such as this AU Summit and the UN Environment Assembly are important to build political will. To identify new solutions to the triple planetary crisis. Ultimately, though, writing down the recipe doesn’t prepare the stew. When we exit our meeting halls, let us really get cooking. For a stable climate. For healthy nature. For a pollution-free world. And, ultimately, for a peaceful and prosperous African continent.
