Cotonou, Benin – The economic capital of Benin is set to welcome climate and biodiversity stakeholders for the 6th edition of the Climate Chance Africa Summit on October 27–28, 2025.
Themed “Renewable Energy, Adaptation, and Biodiversity: Challenges and Perspectives,” the summit aims to amplify Africa’s voice in global climate discussions ahead of COP30, scheduled for November in Belém, Brazil.
The event is jointly organized by Cotonou City Hall and the Climate Chance Association, under the high patronage of Living Environment Minister José Didier Tonato, Decentralization Minister Raphaël Akotègnon, and Cotonou’s Mayor Luc Atrokpo.
Key Focus Areas
For two days, participants — including local authorities, NGOs, researchers, businesses, and citizen networks — will deliberate on three critical priorities:
- Boosting renewable energy to cut emissions and diversify energy sources.
- Strengthening adaptation strategies to make cities and communities more resilient to climate change.
- Protecting biodiversity through ecological corridors and nature-based solutions.
The summit is expected to produce a “Cotonou Roadmap” for renewable energy, expanding on the sustainable housing model successfully adopted in Yaoundé in 2023. Leaders will also work toward forming an alliance of Gulf of Guinea coastal cities to tackle shared environmental threats, continuing the momentum from the UN Ocean Conference in Nice.
Strategic Timing Before COP30
A major objective is to strengthen the Francophone Alliance of Cities for Climate and create a West African biodiversity network, ensuring African-led solutions gain prominence in international negotiations.
This gathering comes just weeks after the African Climate Summit (ACS2) held in Addis Ababa, where over 45 heads of state signed the Addis Ababa Declaration urging a faster energy transition, better use of Africa’s mineral wealth, and stronger protection of forests and ecosystems.
Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie stressed the urgency:
“We must accelerate the development of renewable energy to make electricity accessible and position Africa as a green industrial hub.”
Africa: Low Emissions, High Vulnerability
Despite contributing just 2–4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Africa suffers some of the harshest climate impacts — from prolonged droughts and devastating floods to reduced agricultural yields and food insecurity.
The World Meteorological Organization warns there is a 70% chance that global temperatures will exceed +1.5°C by 2029, a tipping point with severe consequences for the continent.
With over 600 million Africans still lacking electricity, the summit will call for massive investment in green, inclusive growth to unlock the continent’s vast solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal potential.
Cotonou — a coastal city grappling with erosion and rapid urbanization — is determined to lead by example, positioning itself as a hub for climate action and proving that Africa intends to be a key player, not just a spectator, in the fight against climate change.
