Youth Climate Collective Responds to the Addis Ababa Declaration
While we acknowledge the progressive vision of the Addis Ababa Declaration, we issue a critical pause and demand immediate, actionable commitments on finance, justice, and youth inclusion to bridge the gap between its promise and the transformative action Africa requires.
15th September 2025
A Statement from the Youth Climate Collective and Surge Africa on the African Leaders Addis Ababa Declaration at the Africa Climate Summit 2
The Youth Climate Collective and Surge Africa acknowledge the adoption of the African Leaders Addis Ababa Declaration. We recognize the continued effort to present a unified African position that champions climate justice, finance reform, and a green development pathway. The Declaration’s ambition on renewable energy, the emphasis on Africa’s mineral sovereignty, and the reaffirmation of core UNFCCC principles are steps in the right direction and align with key priorities we have long advocated for.
However, while we acknowledge this progress, it does not constitute a full endorsement. The Declaration speaks of the future but falls short of committing to the transformative, immediate, and actionable solutions that this emergency requires and that African youth have boldly championed.
Our assessment is therefore one of critical pause, and we issue the following demands:
1. On Finance: The Declaration’s "calls for" are insufficient. We demand an immediate, non-negotiable shift from debt-creating loans to grants-based finance, in line with the obligations of developed countries under Article 9 of the Paris Agreement. Specifically, we demand that the African Union Commission, by COP30, establishes a definitive and publicly accessible plan to operationalize the Africa Climate Change Fund. This must include direct access to funding for youth-led organizations, dedicated streams for loss and damage, and accountable mechanisms to hold historical polluters responsible.
2. On Justice: A green transition must not repeat the injustices of the past. We demand that all commitments on "green minerals" and "value addition" be legally bound to protocols that guarantee community benefit-sharing, ecological protection, and the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) of indigenous peoples and local communities.
3. On Implementation: Strategies without implementation are meaningless. In line with the AU Youth Charter and the Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) principles under the UNFCCC, we demand the immediate creation of formal, funded youth advisory bodies. These bodies would complement existing AU structures by providing direct oversight and input into the Africa Climate Facility (ACF) and the execution of the Common African Position. Furthermore, we call for a mandatory quota for youth representatives within all official African COP delegations.
4. On Our Future: Our future is non-negotiable. We demand that the principles of this Declaration are translated into fierce, unyielding diplomacy at COP30. We expect African negotiators to secure real wins: delivered finance, justice-based partnerships, and guaranteed youth inclusion.
Our open letter to African Finance Ministers was a blueprint. The Addis Ababa Declaration provides a draft sketch. We will bridge the gap through relentless advocacy, holding our leaders to the demands outlined above and working to strengthen these frameworks for a livable future.