CCI supports Africa Climate Summit call for global carbon tax

A global system for coordinated carbon taxation can provide the much-needed resources for African countries to transition away from fossil fuels and adapt to the damaging effects of climate change.

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CCI supports Africa Climate Summit call for global carbon tax

SEPT. 7, 2023 — Citizens’ Climate International enthusiastically supports a call from the Africa Climate Summit for a global carbon taxation regime that could be part of the agenda at the COP28 climate conference in Dubai this fall.

“In addition to being the most effective tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, a global system for coordinated carbon taxation can also provide the much-needed resources for African countries to transition away from fossil fuels and adapt to the damaging effects of climate change,” said David Michael Terungwa, coordinator of CCI in Africa.

While in Nairobi, Terungwa led a training of climate advocates on building political will for climate action through lobbying, preparing Citizens Climate International volunteers in Kenya to lobby the Kenyan government to put a price on carbon.

The Summit, which wrapped up Wednesday in Nairobi, Kenya, proposed the global carbon tax in a declaration signed by heads of state attending the Summit. In the “Call to action” section of the declaration, the signatories said they: 

“Urge world leaders to rally behind the proposal for a global carbon taxation regime including a carbon tax on fossil fuel trade, maritime transport and aviation, that may also be augmented by a global financial transaction tax (FTT)) to provide dedicated, affordable, and accessible finance for climate-positive investments at scale, and ring-fencing of these resources and decision-making from undue influence from geopolitical and national interests.” 

The declaration also calls for transformational reforms in international financing to relieve the debt burden that inhibits economic development in many countries. In particular, it calls for “debt pause clauses” for countries recovering from catastrophic natural disasters that are becoming more frequent with climate change.

“Debt often becomes a hole that many countries cannot climb out of,” said Terungwa. “When disaster strikes, limited resources are better spent to help people put their lives back together.”

CONTACT: Steve Valk, steve@citizensclimate.org; 404-769-7461.

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Resources

• African Climate Summit issues unanimous call for world leaders to support global tax on fossil fuels

• Africa Climate Summit links ‘unfair’ debt burden with calls to make continent’s green assets pay off

• Paris finance summit: Meaningful progress for relief to emerging economies, but more needed

• Paris principles to accelerate cooperative climate resilience

• IMF staff propose international carbon price floor

• Non-market approaches as critical drivers of climate ambition