African CSOs Call for Urgent Action on Climate finance

By Catherine Muema On Nov 25, 2024

By Shadrack Nyakoe

The African Coalition of Communities Responsive to Climate Change (ACCRCC) acknowledges the final pact emerging from COP29 in Baku as a step forward in addressing global climate challenges.

However, we urge world leaders and stakeholders to do more in ensuring that climate finance directly addresses the growing mental health impacts of the climate crisis, which are ravaging vulnerable communities in Africa.

“As a coalition, we join the rest of the continent and developing nations to reject the draft deal that proposes developed nations take the lead in providing a mere USD250 billion in annual climate finance by 2035. All economic experts have demonstrated here that Africa needs USD1.3 trillion a year to tackle the climate crisis that it never caused,” said Dr Rosalid Nkirote,

Executive Advisor at the African Coalition of Communities Responsive to Climate change.

The final agreement from COP29 falls short in channeling adequate resources toward combating the cascading impacts of climate-induced stressors, including those affecting mental health.

African communities, already grappling with displacement, food insecurity, and economic instability due to climate shocks, now face an escalating mental health crisis that threatens their resilience and well-being.

Climate Finance Must Prioritize Mental Health
While we commend the incremental progress on the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for Climate Finance, we remain deeply concerned that funds remain inadequate and inaccessible to communities bearing the brunt of climate impacts.

Mental health is a critical yet overlooked dimension of climate adaptation, and we call for targeted interventions to address trauma, anxiety, and stress linked to climate-induced events such as droughts, floods, and wildfires.

Amplifying Africa’s Needs
As part of Africa’s climate justice movement, ACCRCC aligns with the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) and the G77+China in calling for predictable, accessible, and grant-based climate finance.

Beyond addressing mitigation and loss and damage, these funds must also tackle the psychosocial and mental health challenges that climate change imposes on our people.

Actions Needed Post-COP29
ACCRCC urges for dedicated Climate Finance for Mental Health which will establish funding mechanisms to support community-based mental health programs aimed at reducing the psychological toll of climate stressors.

Further, the Coalition wants inclusion of Mental Health in Climate Adaptation Plans leading to integration into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and prioritize its inclusion in the Global Goal on Adaptation framework.

They called for continuous engagement of local communities, indigenous groups, and mental health practitioners in designing culturally appropriate interventions that build resilience.

Time to Act
While we recognize COP29’s progress, we cannot ignore its gaps. As the climate crisis intensifies, African communities need urgent support to not only rebuild their economies and ecosystems but also to address the mental health crises exacerbated by climate change.

ACCRCC stands ready to collaborate with governments, donors, and stakeholders to ensure climate finance reflects the lived realities of the communities on the frontline of this crisis.