Africa's top climate negotiator says 'no reverse gear' on commitments

The world has no choice but to press on with climate commitments despite the United States pulling out of a key international accord, given the threats posed by global warming and the progress already made, the chair of the Africa group of negotiators said.

President Donald Trump's administration pulled out of the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change for the second time earlier this year and also withdrew from clean energy partnerships it had signed with countries like South Africa.

Despite that, Ali Mohamed, who is also Kenya's special envoy for climate, told Reuters, "There is no reverse gear on this matter of climate change," as the world gears up for the next round of global climate talks, COP30, in Brazil in November.

"The rest of the world will definitely have to ensure that our overall commitments as a global community are maintained, that we don't backslide."

The private sector has already made significant investments that have made clean energy cheaper compared with non-renewable sources, Mohamed said, making it imperative for economies to stay on the path of adaptation and mitigation.

"Politics aside, I think the private sector is doing its bit," he said. "The costs for renewable energy are plummeting and it is going to beat the cost of others."

With the impact of climate change hitting developed and developing world countries alike, climate change sceptics would eventually be forced to shift their stance, Mohamed said.

"When the problems do come - the heat waves, the fires, the floods, the sea level rises - they are affecting all of us in the same way," he said.

"Science will prevail, and there will be some reconsideration at the right time, hopefully."

Africa will continue working to secure its priorities in the area of climate finance, leaning on countries like France, which is still partnering with the continent on climate issues, he said.

The continent wants to secure adequate financing to develop its renewable energy sources and provide jobs for its youthful population while pushing for a fairer international financial system to reduce its debt burden, he said.

African environment ministers will meet in Nairobi in July to agree on a common position ahead of COP30, with a focus on ensuring financial commitments from richer countries are fulfilled.

"I cannot say that we are going to change (negotiating strategy), because the challenges and the priorities to address those challenges haven't changed, despite the politics of the world having significantly changed," he said.

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