The COP-29 comes on the heels of COP-28's first strides of loss and damage fund enactment, and the institutional progressivism in addressing climate change funding gaps apparent in the Global South. It also comes at a time of uncertainty regarding the commitment of the EU and the US to their climate commitment goals, with the rise of conservatism in the West. This notwithstanding, the past few years have seen a significant increase in climate-related action, with climate discourse at the very heart of federal budgets. A review of America's budget proposition for 2025 shows a vote for an increase in energy funding, especially about clean energy and research related to this, including increasing research efforts for past nuclear waste cleaning efforts. This is a clear testament of how governments the world over, play a crucial role in the execution of climate policies. However, too often governments and their policies can change based on the prevailing political environment and the opinions of those in power. This shows that over-emphasis on governments as the core drivers of change may fall short of the realization of real progress. In retrospect, the institutional mechanisms play a more significant role in advocacy for climate justice and play a core role in leading the world towards its desired goal. Because of this, aware of the failings of the governments in meeting their Nationally Determined Contributions towards the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C target, the position of Waka Africa on this COP-29 addresses private institutions and multilateral private actors to propel the realization of this year’s goals: loss and damage, equitable climate finance, adaptation, and resilience.
Self-organization for progress seems to be taking shape with action from among the people being on the rise. For instance, this year Waka Africa with Delta Rising Foundation, a Californian/Stanford Leadership affiliated organization, sought to bring the message of a more environmentally conscious approach to the people. Thus, with the leadership of Sarah Deemer, the Community Biodiversity Carbon Network was born, and a new vision of Indigenous and local communities stewardship of carbon finance projects that promote biodiversity was born (cbcnworld.com). We pride ourselves in being among the founding team, together with Delta Rising, to envision a world where community leadership and indigenous wisdom become a defining factor in the development of carbon credit projects. Given this, the wisdom and voices of the world's marginalized people is being fronted, and presented, with a range of projects where local communities are the lead-heads in this conception. To this end, there is a rise of a beautiful network of well-informed people and parties championing climate resilience and adaptation at the grassroots. There are a variety of communities at the front lines that set a new vision born of the conscious action of indigenous people.
For example, among the Community Biodiversity Carbon Network (CBCN) is Paul Lekapana a core leader who brings with him the experience of working with Hunter-Gatherers Forum – Kenya, communities, and Indigenous leadership in the conception of carbon credit markets. We believe if more finances go toward indigenous-led projects such as HUGAFO-K, Hunter-Gatherers should receive more funding for their leadership on biodiversity. A top-down approach is essential for the growth of biodiversity. Consortium-based approaches such as this offered by CBCN provide a great avenue for redirecting climate finance resources while paying attention to communities, people, land resources justice, and biodiversity. For climate finance to be used as a tool for sustainable development for communities, they must use an approach that brings all – chief among these regenerative stewards. This gives credence to the need to consider a holistic model, such as the CBCN which considers ecosystems not as climate capitals but for what they are living and active biosystems where there are abundant clean water resources, Indigenous flora and fauna, and where livable practices such as agroforestry and agro-pastoralism are attained. For we know too well the perils of enclosure conservancy, especially to the earth stewards which has led to disillusionment with the tragedy of enclosure becoming too common a story to boot.
We are aware of how governance of these resources can be attained, with better stewardship of climate adaptation and climate resilience. And then, we need technology that is connected with the traction of the projects at the grassroots, which makes projects run by our organization such as Waka Gram viable in bridging the gap between big corps and small communities. There is first-hand evidence of innovations for progress through a multi-stakeholder approach bridging the existing gaps - herein, parties such as BCI's concept of tracking projects on Blockchain viable. Indeed, the landmark work of McOlaka with ABYA, and that of Shamba Records are good examples of the transformative power of blockchain technology in increasing transparency and credibility in climate projects. When widely adapted, these actions restore trust to projects, and even yield radical programs that can be adapted in Africa’s and Global South’s carbon markets contracts with the North – such as carbon contracts. Besides, blockchain can serve to unlock potential within areas previously ignored.
We also establish that funding programs that help non-profits and other projects probono to bridge the gap between their ambitions and their technology. For instance, this year, we benefited from our early warning systems capabilities by a partnership with Geo-Bit AI a progressive organization based in Singapore that is helping to share their LIDAR and Geospatial technologies with us. Indeed these are climate-smart technologies that can advance solutions such as early warning systems to predict climate change and prepare communities against climate distress, including excess floods and prolonged droughts. In cue, Tech To The Rescue (techtotherescue.org) has come to intervention of non-profits, helping them to embrace technological tools ushering a new age of innovative organizational technologies for change. Internally, Waka Africa has developed Waka Power Lab which promotes synthesis of technology, and works together with other organizations to develop solutions for more urgent problems plaguing the planet while adapting the idea of a innovation lab. We also note the brilliant initiatives geared at these interactivities are not new but are part of the collective actions as set by the United Nationals Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN). This attests to collective responsibility at the highest diplomatic organs, and indeed attest to United Nation Environmental Program (UNEP)’s stewardship towards the goals.
As regards collective empowerment, it is essential to leave no one, behind, and in pursuit of one goal, we must think of all. Thus, this day calls for multi-stakeholder diplomacy and an approach towards the fulfillment of the most ambitious climate goals. Resilience and adaptation are to be realized for the benefit of the communities; there is no better way to achieve this than to embrace grassroots partnerships for change. Even so, institutions that are well connected to the people should receive better funding to sustain their work. There is also urgency to fund climate research action…as institutions in Africa at the leadership of adaptation such as the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA where the works of Dr. Dries Roobroeck, together with Plant Village, are doing significant work on soil regeneration using rock dust enriched biochar serves not only helps to attain soil regeneration but also plays a crucial role in promoting long term carbon sequestration. These models indeed help to unlock carbon finance while providing incomes to farmers which eradicates the long-standing complexity of post-harvest losses. This model is illustrative of how partnerships can yield significant yields in increasing the overall climate finance benefits while fostering adaptation and resilience.
It is apparent that in empowering one, the rest are empowered too, and this calls for reviews of the existing contracts for partnerships. In most diplomatic meetings, it occurs that the idea of integration has to be refined with the government taking center stage while this in itself is crucial for accountability inclusion of the NGOs, private sector companies, and multinationals and all actors must for the benefit of the rest become agents of this model. Because of this, climate parties and climate clubs for special purposes ought to be better financed based on their histories and key performance indicators within the frames of grassroots impact. Thus, in this COP-29 multi-stakeholder networks and partnerships will go a long way in bridging the gap in climate finance administration.
By Meshack Nzioka
Founder, Waka Africa
For correspondence email: meshack@wakaafrica.org