The urgent race to net-zero: exploring African priorities for COP26

The document argues that African nations must align their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-term Low Emissions Strategies (LTSs) with a cohesive vision for carbon neutrality by 2050. It highlights the necessity of integrating COVID-19 green recovery plans with these climate goals and emphasizes that current global mitigation and adaptation pledges remain insufficient to meet IPCC recommendations. For Africa, the briefing identifies climate finance, adaptation, loss and damage, and youth inclusion as critical priorities for the COP26 agenda.

• Current global climate mitigation and adaptation pledges are insufficient to achieve a climate-resilient, zero-carbon world by mid-century. A UNFCCC synthesis report of 48 NDCs showed that updated pledges would only reduce total GHG emissions by 2030 by about 3% more than previous NDCs, falling short of IPCC recommendations which suggest a 45% decline from 2010 levels by 2030 to meet the 1.5°C goal.
• African countries are utilizing NDCs and LTSs to transition toward carbon neutrality, with South Africa and Rwanda cited as leaders. South Africa has implemented a revised NDC, a Low Emissions Development Strategy 2050, and a draft Climate Change Act. Rwanda submitted a revised NDC in March 2020 targeting a 38% reduction in GHG emissions compared to business as usual by 2030, with an estimated implementation cost of $11 billion.
• There is a critical need to align COVID-19 green recovery measures with NDCs and LTSs to ensure a transformational shift away from fossil fuel-dependent economies. This includes investing in sustainable businesses, ending fossil-fuel subsidies, and using financial incentives like debt swaps to ease debt burdens while enhancing sustainability.
• Climate finance remains the primary obstacle to climate action in Africa. Developed countries failed to meet the 2020 commitment of $100 billion annually for vulnerable countries. Developing nations requested $373 billion in international financing in the most recent NDC round, including $236 billion from Ethiopia; South Africa specifically proposed increasing its yearly climate funding from $2 billion to $8 billion by 2030.
• Africa's priorities for COP26 include operationalizing the global goal on adaptation, securing fair finance for loss and damage, and integrating nature-based solutions into the Paris implementation strategy. Additionally, there is a strong push for youth inclusion in climate advocacy, noting that nearly 60% of Africa's population is under 25.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2021). The urgent race to net-zero: exploring African priorities for COP26. https://saiia.org.za/research/the-urgent-race-to-net-zero-exploring-african-priorities-for-cop26/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. The urgent race to net-zero: exploring African priorities for COP26. 2021. https://saiia.org.za/research/the-urgent-race-to-net-zero-exploring-african-priorities-for-cop26/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=The urgent race to net-zero: exploring African priorities for COP26 |date=23 June 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/the-urgent-race-to-net-zero-exploring-african-priorities-for-cop26/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2021urgent, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{The urgent race to net-zero: exploring African priorities for COP26}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = jun, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/the-urgent-race-to-net-zero-exploring-african-priorities-for-cop26/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }