CLIMATE JUSTICE AFRICA MAGAZINE ATCOP 30 IN BELÉM, BRAZIL
By Raymond Enoch
Climate Justice Africa Magazine has returned from COP 30 in Belém with renewed conviction and a deeper sense of urgency. Being in the Brazilian Amazon — a region that symbolizes both the fragility of our planet and the courage of communities defending it — reminded us why climate justice must remain at the heart of global climate action.
At COP 30, we witnessed several defining moments. We stood in the plenary hall as global leaders reaffirmed that the Paris Agreement is delivering progress, yet still far from the pace required. We listened as small island states shared emotional testimonies of loss and damage. We joined African negotiators calling for fair financing mechanisms that reflect the realities of our continent. Throughout the week, the Youth Pavilion, the Indigenous Peoples’ Pavilion, and the Africa Climate Hub were vibrant reminders that solutions are already emerging from the grassroots.
For Africa, this COP was not just another gathering; it was a statement of presence. From young innovators showcasing climate-smart agriculture, to women-led enterprises demonstrating the power of community adaptation, to experts pushing for a reformed global financial architecture, Africa showed resilience, creativity, and leadership. Climate Justice Africa Magazine was proud to document these stories, amplify these voices, and ensure that Africa’s lived experiences were reflected on the global stage.
But COP 30 also revealed a glaring truth: climate commitments will remain insufficient without genuine collaboration. The conversations on climate finance readiness, food security, green borders, energy transition, and nature-based solutions must now translate into well-funded, well-planned, people-centred programmes across Africa.
As an organization, we call on governments, development partners, private-sector leaders, and civil society to work closely with African communities — not in parallel, but in partnership. We need alliances that shift resources to where they are most needed, elevate local knowledge, support climate journalism, and protect the rights of those on the frontline of climate impacts.
Climate Justice Africa Magazine remains committed to helping bridge this gap. We will continue to provide a platform where science, policy, storytelling, and lived experience meet. We will keep strengthening the narrative that Africa is not waiting to be saved; Africa is ready to lead — but leadership thrives when it is supported.
As we return from COP 30, we carry forward the voices we heard, the lessons we gathered, and the collective hope shared across pavilions. The work ahead is immense, but together — governments, institutions, journalists, youth, women, Indigenous groups, and the private sector — we can accelerate climate action and secure a just, equitable future for all.
