African leaders convened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the second Africa Climate Summit, calling for a shift from traditional climate aid to climate investment. The summit emphasized that Africa should be seen not as a victim of climate change, but as a continent with significant investment potential. With a population exceeding one billion, African nations are among the hardest hit by climate disasters such as droughts and floods, leaving millions vulnerable. While the inaugural summit in Kenya in 2023 set ambitious renewable energy goals, funding constraints have slowed implementation.
The 2025 summit aims to unlock climate financing and accelerate Africa-led solutions and adaptation strategies. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed highlighted the need to move from climate aid to climate investment during the opening ceremony, which brought together heads of state, business leaders, climate scientists, and activists. Climate campaigners like Amos Wemanya from Greenpeace Africa stressed the importance of taxing polluters and the super-rich to address the continent’s climate adaptation funding gap.
African Union Chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf proposed a “climate justice” framework to support vulnerable countries facing both climate and debt challenges. A summit declaration outlining Africa’s priorities and proposed solutions is expected to be finalized during the three-day gathering and will be presented at COP30 in November. COP30 president, Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, attended the summit and expressed solidarity with African climate initiatives.
Ethiopia, as host, showcased its climate and energy initiatives, including the inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile, which will produce over 5,000 megawatts—doubling the country’s current energy output and supplying neighboring countries. The nation also launched a campaign in July to plant 700 million trees in a single day, as part of an ambitious effort to plant 50 billion trees by 2026, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development and climate resilience.
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