Ensuring that COP27 is Truly an ‘African COP’

The document outlines Africa's objectives for COP27, focusing on the African Group of Negotiators' (AGN) demands for increased climate finance and the recognition of the continent's special circumstances. It highlights a tension between the African Union's (AU) support for natural gas as a transition fuel and the goals of renewable energy activists. The brief also details the roles of specific 'climate champion' countries and the impact of global geopolitical tensions, such as the US-China standoff and the Russia-Ukraine war, on climate negotiations.

• Africa contributes only 4% of global emissions but is the continent most impacted by climate change, leading the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) to demand that the continent's "special circumstances be recognised in all COP workstreams."
• The AGN has proposed a new collective mobilisation goal requiring developed countries to provide at least $1.3 trillion annually by 2030, with 50% of these funds specifically allocated to adaptation on a grant basis.
• The African Union (AU) and 10 countries signatory to the Kigali Communiqué support the use of natural gas as a short- to medium-term transition fuel to ensure energy security and universal access, despite concerns from activists that this may "lock the continent into a fossil fuel-based future."
• African priorities for COP27 include operationalising the Santiago Network to provide technical assistance for loss and damage and establishing a dedicated funding arrangement for these destructive impacts.
• Several African nations are emerging as climate leaders: Gabon is a pioneer of the REDD+ programme and has marketed $5 billion in carbon credits; Rwanda was the first African country to update its NDC; and South Africa is leading the Just Energy Transition agenda.
• Global geopolitical instability may hinder COP27, specifically the suspension of climate cooperation between China and the US in August 2022 and the G7's decision to allow continued public financing for liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a temporary solution to reduce reliance on Russian energy.

APA

Chevallier, R., & Marais, D. (2022). Ensuring that COP27 is Truly an ‘African COP’. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SAIIA_PI_139_EnsuringCOP27.pdf

Chicago

Chevallier, Romy, and Danielle Marais. Ensuring that COP27 is Truly an ‘African COP’. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2022. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SAIIA_PI_139_EnsuringCOP27.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chevallier |first1=Romy |last2=Marais |first2=Danielle |title=Ensuring that COP27 is Truly an ‘African COP’ |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=October 2022 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SAIIA_PI_139_EnsuringCOP27.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chevallier2022ensuring, author = {Chevallier, Romy and Marais, Danielle}, title = {{Ensuring that COP27 is Truly an ‘African COP’}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2022}, month = oct, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/SAIIA_PI_139_EnsuringCOP27.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }