Kenyan scientist: $1.3 trillion climate cash is good start

The $1.3 trillion that African countries are demanding to fight the impacts of climate change is a good start, a climate scientist from Kenya has said.

Joyce Kimutai, who is also an advisor to Kenyan delegation said the African continent is in Azerbaijan with one purpose of ensuring that funds to address the impacts of climate change have been unlocked.

“The African continent is here with a quantum of $1.3 trillion, and that is what they think, is the kind of finance that will be required to support those needs in the continent,” Kimutai said.

African countries are fighting to have a quantum of $1.3 trillion annually, accessible finance that are grants instead of debt inducing instruments.

Kimutai said the continent has done an assessment on the resources they need. “They have a rough idea of what is required in terms of finance that can support adaptation needs in the continent. And these could also involve or include funding for loss and damage as well.”

The scientist said there are barriers that exist and preventing the continent from accessing some of the resources.

She said there has been a strong push to trying and rework on financial architecture for the funds to flow into the continent uninterrupted.

Kimutai said the continent has been forced to divert money for provision of services in education, social facilities to go towards addressing the impacts of climate change.

She decried that developed countries were putting a lot of money to things such as fossil fuels as well as wars and not giving priority to climate change.

Union of Concerned Scientists policy director Rachel Cleetus said fossil fuels have been causing disasters across the world, including in the United States.

“So even richer nations are not immune from the destruction and ravages being caused by this level’s emissions coming primarily from richer countries,” she said.

“So we’re here at this COP29 to see responsibility being taken because as these emissions continue to rise, the focus on mitigation is obviously crucial.”

Cleetus said there is a need to have in place strong emission reduction commitments by February next year. She said adaptation needs are rising while loss and damage is increasing.

The experts spoke even as negotiators struggled to agree on the text on the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance.