Africa-Press – Namibia. Namibia has called on developed countries to take the lead in global emission reductions by adhering to the common responsibility of States principle.
This is captured in the report of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) and related meetings to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by the National Council Standing Committee on Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, released recently.
“Namibia advocates for more ambitious global targets, calling on countries, particularly developed ones, to submit stronger and more robust nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to ensure that global temperature rise remains below 1.5°C,” it states.
In the same report, the country underscores the importance of technology transfer and capacity building to support its transition to a green economy.
The committee seeks to accelerate the transfer of climate technologies, and enhance collaboration with stakeholders.
It also involves ensuring that capacity-building initiatives are effectively coordinated.
Namibia called for the mobilisation of financial resources for these initiatives and for developed countries to fulfil their obligations under the Paris Agreement to provide both technology and financial assistance.
At the conference, countries agreed to a climate finance goal of at least US$300 billion per year from the developed world by 2035.
This is followed by a target of US$1.3 trillion annually by the same year.
However, Namibia raised concerns about the underperformance of financial commitments made by developed countries.
This is in reference to the shortfall in the US$100 billion per year target to support developing nations’ mitigation and adaptation efforts.
In the report, Namibia called for a more robust financial mechanism that ensures adequate and predictable funding, with a particular emphasis on increasing grant-based support.
The country urges the international community to accelerate efforts to achieve net-zero emissions and support developing nations’ transition to a low-carbon economy.
Last week, this publication reported Namibia’s carbon neutrality strategy as set out by the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy.
The country’s ambition by 2030 is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 91%.
The ministry highlighted that by accelerating the phase-out of HCFCs [hydrochlorofluorocarbons] while integrating climate-smart and energy-efficient alternatives, Namibia is not just eliminating harmful substances, but it is also setting a global example for sustainable cooling solutions that support both economic growth and environmental resilience.
Moreover, the country emphasises that the UNFCCC’s global adaptation for countries must be treated with the same level of priority as mitigation, with climate finance split evenly between the two pillars.
It urged that proceeds from carbon markets under the Paris Agreement be allocated to the Adaptation Fund, enabling developing countries to build resilience against the impacts of climate change.
“There is a need for a comprehensive strategy to address loss and damage caused by climate change. With increasing climate-related disasters across the African continent, Namibia advocates for the operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund and calls for new, additional financial resources based on the polluter-pay principle,” the report highlights.
The committee recommended the implementation of sustainable ecosystem management practices, combating deforestation, preserving biodiversity and addressing pollution.
Additionally, the Ministry of Finance is recommended to develop a framework that encourages innovative financing, specifically aimed at engaging the private sector in climate change mitigation and adaptation programmes.
The ministry is also urged to foster a conducive legal environment for private sector investments in sustainable initiatives to enhance national efforts in addressing climate change.
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