Ultimately, the success of SDGs will be measured against the number of lives meaningfully transformed. As Ndivile Gugushe writes, that success will also be measured against the capacity of vulnerable communities to withstand climate shocks.

At the UN General Assembly (UNGA81), Africa is not asking the world to rescue it. As Mohamed Adow writes in this article, the continent is demanding conditions that will allow it to build economies, create jobs, and power industries using renewables.

Most of the remarks made at UNGA 81 have been pragmatic, some have been sensational, and others outright ironic. Here we look at those that have stood out so far.

This year’s edition of the assembly is a key political moment for climate diplomacy. It is the final edition for outgoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who will be eager to cement his legacy by pressing for climate action and defending multilateral cooperation.

At a meeting convened by Power Shift Africa in Nairobi this morning, participants from government agencies, energy think tanks, academia and civil society scrutinised the country’s “green electricity, expensive energy” paradox and tested the evidence and policy proposals underpinning an upcoming report on how Kenya can make its renewable energy potential both accessible and affordable.

For years, the 1.5°C threshold has been a red line for the planet. Now that threshold is about to be breached. Permanently. That could happen within the next few years, according to the United Nations.

The ‘Correct the Map’ campaign argues that for 450 years, the world has based its understanding of the globe ‘‘on a map that is wrong’’. One that misrepresents the true size of Africa. That could change soon after the UN voted recently to replace the Mercator map.

We know why millions of our people are food insecure. We know what we must do to end this indignity of hunger. We also have the resources to deliver food security and food sovereignty in Africa. We must act now.

A dramatic reduction in factory-gate prices of solar panels globally hasn’t produced an equally dramatic reduction in installation costs for African households.

Africa relies heavily on external financing because the scale of infrastructure investment needed for renewable energy by far exceeds the amount of long-term capital available within its own financial systems.

The Maputo Protocol challenged Africa to recognise women as equal rights holders. Today’s climate crisis challenges us to honour that vision by ensuring that every adaptation policy, investment and decision strengthens those rights rather than leaving them behind.

World nations that invest in renewable energy are far more resilient because the sun and wind cannot be blockaded, stockpiled or weaponised.

One of the decisions Parties attending SBI 7 must make is to operationalise and actualise target 22 of the KMGBF on ensuring inclusive participation in decision-making, access to justice, and rights-based approaches to conservation. 

The approval of US$369 million in new climate adaptation finance for developing countries by the board of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) signals a welcome shift towards building resilience in the world.  

Isolating finance strips adaptation negotiations of their substance and reduces the GGA to a hollow, process-driven exercise. Indicators alone cannot build resilience; they must be linked to real funding.

The World Bank recently announced the removal of its climate finance co-benefits targets, stating that it intends to shift from measuring inputs to measuring real-world outcomes. Read more on what this means for financing climate action.

If there’s something this World Cup has taught us, it’s that climate change is forcing a structural shift in how games are scheduled, played, hosted, and even enjoyed globally.

Enhancing the resilience of women is the first step to building the resilience of communities. When women are resilient, societies become more resilient. In Africa, that journey begins with land rights for women.  

During its 9th meeting in Manila, the Board for the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage recognised one fact; a long-term fundraising strategy is inevitable.  

If Europe, with its wealth, advanced infrastructure, and resources, is struggling to cope with extreme heat, what does that mean for Africa? Would the continent survive a full-scale heat wave?