SADC Region Left Underwhelmed by COP29 Climate Finance Agreement

By Shingirai Vambe

The 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP29, concluded with a landmark agreement on climate finance, but the deal has left many developing countries, including those in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, underwhelmed.

After intense negotiations, nearly 200 countries agreed to a nonbinding commitment that wealthy nations would aim to provide at least $300 billion annually by 2035 to support poorer nations in their fight against climate change. However, many delegates from developing countries were quick to criticize the agreement, arguing that it falls short of their needs.

The SADC region, which includes countries such as South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, is particularly vulnerable to climate change. Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and increased frequency of extreme weather events are already having devastating impacts on the region’s agriculture, water resources, and human settlements.

Despite these challenges, the SADC region has been actively engaged in global climate negotiations, advocating for increased support and financing to help them adapt to the impacts of climate change. However, the COP29 agreement has left many in the region feeling disappointed and frustrated.

One of the main concerns is that the agreement does not require specific pledges from wealthy countries, leaving it unclear how the $300 billion target will be met. Furthermore, the deal falls short of the $1.3 trillion that poorer nations say they will need every year by 2035 to effectively address the impacts of climate change.

In addition to the climate finance agreement, COP29 also saw progress on other key issues, including the launch of a new decade of action on gender and climate change. The conference recognized the important role that women play in addressing climate change and agreed to extend the Enhanced Lima Work Programme on Gender for 10 years.

The SADC region has also been actively engaged in initiatives to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in the context of climate change. For example, the SADC Secretariat has launched a number of initiatives aimed at supporting women’s participation in climate change decision-making and promoting their access to climate finance.

Despite the progress made at COP29, much work remains to be done to address the scale and urgency of the climate crisis. The SADC region will continue to play an active role in global climate negotiations, advocating for increased support and financing to help them adapt to the impacts of climate change and transition to a more sustainable and resilient future.