On November 10, 2026, the African civil society organisations coalesced under the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance have called for a just, orderly and equitable global transition away from fossil fuels as conversations about the roadmap for transitioning away from Fossil fuels take shape at COP31.
The call was echoed during the High-level Dialogue on the COP30 Presidency Roadmap for transitioning away from Fossil fuels at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye.
Speaking during the dialogue, Dr Mithika Mwenda, Executive Director of Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, who represented the African climate justice perspective, reiterated that the success of the global transition should not be measured uniquely by the reduction or the retirement of fossil fuel infrastructure, but also by its contribution to energy access, economic transformation and sustainable development.
The roadmap on transitioning away from fossil fuels was established at COP31 held in Belém, Brazil last year with the central principle that a just, orderly and equitable transition must stimulate development, expand access to affordable modern energy, protect workers and communities, and reflect different national development circumstances. Countries do not need to follow identical pathways to move toward the same climate objective.
It is at that juncture that the president of the Republic of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, at the leaders’ summit at COP30 said that “the world needs a clear roadmap to end its dependence on fossil fuels.”
Speaking in Antalya, Dr Mithika Mwenda emphasised that developed countries should take the lead in reducing fossil-fuel dependency, given their historical responsibilities for greenhouse gas emissions and greater financial and technological capabilities.
The roadmap should recognise that Africa’s energy transition must support broader structural economic transformation and must address the structural constraints that prevent African countries from pushing an ambitious and development-compatible energy transition, said Dr Mithika Mwenda.
Connecting to the main theme of the meeting, Antonio Gutteres, the UN Secretary-General, reiterated the need for a global transition away from fossil fuels, driven by economic, security and climate imperatives.
He stressed that the world must accelerate its transition from fossil fuels to clean energy to achieve climate goals limiting global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius), build more secure economies and reduce vulnerability to price shocks. He insisted that the fossil fuels transition is no longer optional but a critical necessity.
Simon Stiell, the Secretary General of the UNFCCC, shared hope that the COP30 presidency for transitioning away from fossil fuels will help to identify barriers and areas requiring enhanced international cooperation, which would position it as “a vital tool to accelerate the delivery of clean energy goals and building on past climate initiatives”
He added that “A country that lacks grids needs different support than one whose economy depends heavily on oil and gas revenues. Developed countries, development banks and other partners must coordinate finance, technology and capacity building around those priorities,” stressed António Guterres, UN Secretary-General.
As the 30th Conference of Parties (COP31) continues, and the COP30 Presidency keeps going, for further advancement of the two roadmaps established in Belém, African CSOs are calling for stronger national ownership, meaningful participation of communities, workers and civil society organisations and practical mechanisms to measure progress, including the delivery of international support and tangible development outcomes.