COP26: Africa is already on the way to Cairo

The climate summit in Glasgow ended with an agreement on the lowest common denominator. From the point of view of many participants, but especially representatives of civil society, the COP26 was disappointing. How do participants from Africa assess the results? For a first evaluation of the outcomes, the Friedich-Ebert-Stiftung spoke to four participants from Africa in order to capture both positive and negative impressions. What are key challenges for the complex North-South relationship? How can the World Climate Conference in Cairo next year become a success?

Sixbert Mwanga from the Climate Action Network in Tanzania, Rinmicit Aboki from the We Unite Foundation from Nigeria, Robert Muthami from the Friedrich Ebert Foundations’ Office in Kenya and Rhoda Boateng from the African branch of the International Trade Union Confederation in Lomé address the last-minute changes to the final declaration of COP26, the difficulties of phasing-out coal, the problem of the lack of implementation of financial commitments by industrialized countries for the fight against climate change in the Global South as well as the sometimes not always easy negotiating conditions in Glasgow, especially for the large number of civil society organizations that participated on site with observer status.

"COP26 is almost like a win for developed countries. The developing countries are still left to tackle a problem which we now that they are not totally responsible for."
- Rinmicit Aboki

The interviewees agreed that the substance of the result could have been better, but that there is still room for optimism with regards to the COP27 in Cairo in 2022. Provided that existing commitments are kept, Glasgow is a positive signal for future discussions. The awareness in the public and in large parts of the political elite for the need to do much more for climate change had become very clear. Nonetheless, all of the interlocutors made it clear that much more effort is needed to cope with the challenge of climate change, the key political task of the 21st Century.

"We cannot continue to start preperations for a COP in August. The results of COP26 created a momentum that encourages us to work even harderand start preparations for COP27 right away."
- Sixbert Mwanga