African Leaders Seek Climate Leadership After US Paris Agreement Pullback

African leaders at the second African Climate Summit in Ethiopia emphasized the continent's role as a global model for addressing the climate crisis through green investments, especially following the United States' withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement. They called for the design of a new global climate economy centered on Africa's potential in carbon capture, renewable energy, critical minerals, and sustainable food production, with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed proposing an African climate innovation initiative to deliver 1,000 solutions by 2030. Despite the continent's vulnerability to climate change and minimal contribution to emissions, Africa continues to receive only about 1% to 4% of global climate financing, prompting demands for climate finance that is fair, significant, and predictable. African negotiators and climate justice groups stressed the need for continent-led scientific approaches and increased funding, arguing that climate finance is a right and critical for trust-building. The summit highlighted concerns over weakening multilateral climate cooperation and called for Africa to transition from a passive recipient of climate policies to an active architect of solutions reflecting local ecological and economic realities. Overall, the leaders seek to leverage Africa’s unique ecological and scientific strengths to industrialize sustainably and lead global climate innovation.