The Society for Planet and Prosperity (SPP), a leading African think tank, has called for urgent reforms to Africa’s climate pledges to unlock sustainable growth and attract critical investment.
The SPP is a leading African think tank dedicated to advancing sustainable development through climate policy, research, and stakeholder engagement.
The organisation disclosed this in a new scoping paper titled “On the Road to COP30 and Beyond: Developing an Effective NDCs-LT-LEDS to Guide Africa’s Sustainable Development.”
This was contained in a statement signed by SPP’s Communication Officer, Mr Ugochukwu Uzuegbu, and made available to Reporters on Monday in Lagos state, Southwest Nigeria.
The report, among other issues, examined the continent-wide state of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategies (LT-LEDS).
It also assessed ambition levels, governance readiness, net-zero commitments, and implementation frameworks.
Drawing insights from Nigeria, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, the paper found that while African nations had made commendable commitments, implementation remained weak due to severe financing shortfalls.
SPP warned that without aligning NDCs, LT-LEDS, and national plans, Africa could miss the 1.5°C target and lose the chance to drive sustainable development.
The report quoted Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, President of SPP, as saying: “Africa’s climate pledges risk remaining paper promises unless NDCs and LT-LEDS are reworked into bankable, investment-ready pipelines.”
“This paper aims to lighthouse the path to sustainable development.
The paper highlighted key barriers such as weak governance, poor alignment with national plans, lack of bankable sectoral targets, and limited technical and financial capacity.
To overcome these challenges, SPP proposed a practical framework for strengthening NDCs and LT-LEDS around five key pillars: robust governance structures; alignment with development plans and LT-LEDS; concise sectoral targets; inclusive stakeholder engagement; and people-centred communication.
According to the report, COP30 in Brazil offers Africa a vital chance to turn climate pledges into investment-ready roadmaps for decarbonisation and growth.