The ongoing Bonn Climate Conference (16–26 June 2025) comes at a pivotal moment for Africa. Building on the outcomes of COP29, African negotiators are once again making a strong case for climate justice yet many of the continent’s most pressing priorities remain unresolved. At last year’s Bonn meeting in 2024, Africa emerged with a unified message but limited tangible outcomes. Key areas such as the $1.3 trillion climate finance goal, the full operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund (LDF), and meaningful reforms to the global financial architecture saw minimal progress.
Although COP29 brought some positive developments such as the formal launch of the Loss and Damage Fund and initial movement on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement (carbon market rules), significant shortfalls remain, especially in meeting the finance target. As the region most disproportionately affected by climate change, Africa is relying on the 2025 Bonn Conference as a vital platform to push its priorities ahead of COP30.
Climate Finance and Financial System Reform
Africa continues to demand scaled up and more equitable climate finance. Countries across the continent are committed to a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) of at least $1.3 trillion annually by 2030. Importantly, these funds must be accessible as grants—not loans—and be directed towards mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage response.
Currently, less than 10% of global climate finance reaches the grassroots due to local communities lack the institutional capacity, financial tools, and knowledge networks necessary to secure adaptation finance. Strengthening financial mechanisms to deliver funds effectively to vulnerable communities is crucial. African negotiators are also seeking measurable progress on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), with a demand that at least 50% of all climate finance flows be directed towards adaptation initiatives.
NDC Implementation and Climate Ambition
African countries continue to update and revise their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reflect more ambitious climate targets and sectoral priorities. However, the ability to implement these commitments is heavily dependent on predictable, grant-based climate finance and strengthened institutional capacity. Many African NDCs are conditional on international support especially in areas such as energy access, adaptation, and nature-based solutions.
At Bonn 2025, African negotiators are expected to push for mechanisms that strengthen support for NDC implementation, including clearer financing pathways, capacity-building for climate governance, and technology transfer. Enhanced NDC implementation also underpins broader goals on just transitions, food systems, and community-level resilience.
Clarifying the Loss and Damage Fund
The Loss and Damage Fund, operationalised at COP29, still requires detailed clarification. This includes clear eligibility criteria, transparent disbursement processes, and robust replenishment mechanisms. For Africa, which is already grappling with severe climate impacts, ensuring that this fund delivers meaningful and timely support is critical.
Accelerating Africa’s Inclusive Energy Transition
Africa continues to advocate for a fair and inclusive energy transition. Recognising the continent’s development imperatives, the African Union has identified gas as a viable transitional energy source. Central to these efforts is the continent’s push towards scaling up clean energy access and aligning with initiatives such as Mission 300, which aims to connect 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa to electricity through renewable energy by 2030.by 2030, thereby advancing energy security, green industrialisation, and climate resilience across Africa.
Climate-Resilient Agriculture and Food Security
Given that agriculture accounts for over 35% of Africa’s GDP and supports the livelihoods of more than 500 million people, climate-resilient agriculture is non-negotiable. The continent continues to face climate-induced food insecurity, especially in the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, and parts of East and Southern Africa. Droughts and floods have devastated harvests and disrupted livelihoods. Bonn 2025 must prioritise climate-smart agriculture, agroecological practices, and increased investment in food system resilience.
Why Bonn 2025 Is a Critical Moment
Bonn serves as the key technical platform for shaping decisions ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil. This makes Bonn 2025 a crucial opportunity to advance Africa’s agenda on climate finance, adaptation, the Loss and Damage Fund, just energy systems, food security, and debt justice. To maintain momentum and secure meaningful progress at COP30, Africa must ensure Bonn delivers not only political visibility, but concrete steps towards climate equity.
Author: Kennedy Simango
Research Analyst
