Civil society groups from some African and Arab countries have launched a COP27 Coalition initiative, which calls for a global mass mobilisation of people to address the root cause of the climate crisis and other injustices.

The groups, which include Power Shift Africa, Climate Action Network International, StopEACOP Coalition, Africa Coal Network (ACN), 350.org, Association des Femmes Peules Autochtones du Tchad and Friends of the Earth Africa, have invited other groups from around the world to join them in demanding an end to climate challenges and other injustices, and in getting an urgent response from governments and leaders.

They are also calling on citizens to join in a decentralised Global Day of Action on November 12 during the COP climate change conference. The groups want to “bring movements together to build real power for systems change”.

In particular, the COP27 Coalition demands a “reset” of the multilateral system to address the scale of the challenge, as part of a wider agenda to address climate change.

The groups are calling for efforts to decolonise economies and reframe implementation models of development away from Northern models of economic growth, which have proven to be a failure, and to effect an equitable phase-out of fossil fuels.

The groups believe rich countries need to repay climate debts, by drastically reducing their emissions and providing poorer nations the scale of financial support needed to address climate change.

The groups are also advocating for organisations to stop sharing false solutions for African countries, many of which are driven by corporations who see the climate crisis as a way of profiteering.

They believe that to achieve peace and justice, massive global solidarity needs to be built, especially with those most vulnerable at the forefront of consideration.

“The United Nations climate talks are dominated by rich countries and corporations, and will need a major overhaul to address the scale of the climate crisis and injustices in the current system.

“We recognise that climate negotiations are an important focus for climate campaigners, but not the only way. And so they are calling on groups around the world to use the COP as a moment to build local solidarity and action and build power for real change,” Power Shift director Mohamed Adow states.

He adds that, for too long, Africa has been controlled by outside interests, and, instead, Africans can use COP27 Coalition as a space to take back control of the future.

StopEACOP Coalition coordinator Omar Elmawi says the upcoming COP27 conference in Egypt is a time for Africa to rise and for a community-led renewable energy revolution to come about, with real climate reparations for all Africans, who did little to nothing to cause climate change.

CAN coordinator Lorraine Chiponda says in the face of an overwhelming climate crisis, Africa sits at a critical tipping point: if it continues business as usual as the pawn of external and elite interests, the continent risks being shackled by old fashioned thinking and outdated technology.  “We will become the last resort for the dirty energy systems of the past.”

“If, however, we embrace the leadership of African communities, and put their wellbeing at the centre of our priorities, African countries have an opportunity to fight the climate crisis by embracing its abundance of clean, cheap, renewable energy,” she explains.  

Chiponda adds that Africa needs leaders with a vision and boldness to reject the neo-colonialism of the fossil fuel industry. “We need leaders to invest in communities to make the leap past the fossil fuels that are causing suffering to our people, and towards a future powered by clean, green power from the wind and sun. 

“Africa is blessed with an abundance of this energy, but we need governments and business to help us harness it if we're going to reach our true potential."