President Cyril Ramaphosa
South Africa aims to prioritise Africa’s needs during its presidency of the G20, with a primary focus on addressing climate change to foster global economic growth and sustainable development.
At a media briefing on Tuesday to mark the assumption of the year-long role, President Cyril Ramaphosa noted that the climate crisis was worsening. “We all seek to avert the worst effects of climate change and to preserve our planet for future generations. The G20 provides us with a platform to pursue these collective goals.”
The World Meteorological Organisation has said that Africa bears an increasingly heavy burden because of climate change and disproportionately high costs for essential adaptation.
On average, African countries are losing 2% to 5% of GDP and many are diverting up to 9% of their budgets towards responding to climate extremes.
By 2030, it is estimated that up to 118 million extremely poor people living on less than $1.90 a day (R34.35) will be exposed to drought, floods and extreme heat in Africa, if adequate response measures are not put in place.
“The increasing rate of climate-induced natural disasters is affecting countries around the world, with a devastating impact on those countries that cannot afford the costs of recovery and rebuilding,” Ramaphosa said.
“We will elevate this issue to leader level, calling for the global community, including international financial institutions, development banks and the private sector, to scale up post-disaster reconstruction.”
To further the continent’s commitment to achieving the United Nations sustainable development goals by 2030, Ramaphosa said the G20 under South Africa’s presidency would mobilise finance for a just energy transition, given that together the G20 members account for about 85% of global GDP and 75% of international trade.
“We will seek to secure agreement on increasing the quality and quantity of climate finance flows to developing countries,” he said.
“This would include strengthening multilateral development banks, enhancing and streamlining support for country platforms such as the Just Energy Transition Partnership and more effectively leveraging private capital.”
At this year’s G20 summit in Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva urged the leaders of major economies to accelerate their national climate targets, calling on them to reach net zero climate emissions five to 10 years ahead of schedule.
“There is no time to lose,” Da Silva said, noting that 2024 is probably the warmest year on record, with flooding and drought becoming more frequent and intense.
On Tuesday, Ramaphosa said South Africa’s G20 presidency will also focus on addressing key challenges facing Africa, including high debt levels and financing for the just energy transition and would advocate for the strategic use of critical minerals.
“We must take action to ensure debt sustainability for low-income countries,” he said.
“A key obstacle to inclusive growth in developing economies, including many in Africa, is an unsustainable level of debt which limits their ability to invest in infrastructure, healthcare, education and other development needs.”
The president said this was an opportunity to place the needs of Africa and the rest of the Global South more firmly on the international development agenda.