At a solemn event at COP29, Greenpeace Africa presented physical evidence of the suffering and loss of our communities caused by climate devastation across the continent, showcasing remnants from three major disasters that struck Africa in 2024.
Fred Njehu, Pan-African Political Strategist at Greenpeace Africa, displayed a mud-stained doll recovered from the Tongaat tornado in South Africa, which claimed at least ten lives in June.
“This doll represents more than a child’s lost toy. It symbolises the innocence shattered by climate chaos, one of thousands of lives upended when an EF3 tornado with winds up to 266 km/h tore through KwaZulu-Natal Province. At least 10 people died, and thousands of homes were affected. The loss and damage from extreme weather events is now a perennial threat across the continent.” stated Njehu.
Dr. Lamfu Yengong, forest campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, presented a water-damaged bedsheet from the devastating flash floods in Cameroon.
“This bedsheet tells the story of 160,000 affected people, 8,000 destroyed homes and countless displaced families. The floods that ravaged northern Cameroon left more than 100 schools closed and communities in ruins,” Yengong stated.
Other Greenpeace campaigners also presented remnants from other parts of the global south like Indonesia, where Cyclone Seroja caused devastating floods that claimed over 100 lives, and Banaba in Kiribati, which faces an existential threat from rising sea levels- evidence of an escalating climate and increasing severity of climate-related disasters in the Global South despite contributing the least to global emissions.
On the final week of COP29, Greenpeace Africa continues to call for an ambitious Loss and Damage fund as well as a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) that truly reflects Africa’s climate finance needs.
“The NCQG must deliver at least $1 trillion annually by 2030, including dedicated funding for climate-resilient infrastructure and early warning systems. This must be supported by a Climate Damages Tax on fossil fuel companies who have profited from planetary destruction, ” added Fred.
“The time for delay is over. Every moment of inaction costs lives and deepens the climate injustice faced by Africa. Those most responsible for the climate crisis must pay for the loss and damage they have caused.” Dr. Yengong said.
