During the African Climate Summit 2 (ACS2) in Addis Ababa from the 8^th to 10^th of September, young African climate activists met with the Danish Embassy to share their perspectives on climate justice in Africa. The summit brought together heads of state, civil society, researchers, and representatives from the private sector to discuss Africa’s role in the global climate effort. This year’s theme was: “Accelerating Global Climate Solutions: Financing Africa’s Green and Resilient Development.”

The activists were a part of the African Climate Caravan, which advocated for climate justice and especially more and better climate financing. A recent analysis of climate financing in East Africa shows an annual shortfall of $40.1 billion—equivalent to 96% of the funding needed to meet the countries’ national climate action plans. This analysis highlights the urgent need for increased climate financing.

Oxfam supports the Climate Caravan project, which aims to build alliances among local communities, grassroots organizations, civil society groups, and other cross-cutting movements to pressure local, national, and regional leaders to raise their climate ambitions and push for a just transition. The Climate Caravan was represented by 10 young climate activists from Benin, Cameroon, Kenya, Southern Africa, Mali, and Uganda. The activists met with Sebastian Lukas Bych, representative of the Danish Embassy in Ethiopia. There, they presented their expectations for ACS2 and COP30, focusing particularly on climate financing—specifically funding for climate adaptation, loss and damage compensation, and a just energy transition. Their demands also emphasized that such financing should be grant-based rather than loan-based, and that the transition must be socially just and inclusive, as it otherwise risks reproducing existing inequalities.

The young climate activists also presented key demands directly to Denmark and the Danish people. They called for political support in their fight for climate justice and climate financing, as well as moral and institutional backing—asking Denmark to continue standing behind African youth in global forums such as ACS2 and COP30, to ensure their voices move from the margins to the center of negotiations. Additionally, they requested exchanges between Danish and African youth to share technological knowledge and financial support for youth-led initiatives in climate adaptation, resilience, and innovation.

All parties expressed a mutual desire to meet again in the future and follow up, and Oxfam appreciates that the Danish Embassy prioritized meeting with the young climate activists despite a busy schedule.