KEY POINTS
- Adjoa traveled 10,000km to COP29 with her one-year-old son.
- She demands $5 trillion in climate finance for vulnerable communities.
- Climate justice at COP29 focuses on transparency and equitable solutions.
A Ghanaian mother, Adjoa, embarked on a remarkable 10,000km journey with her one-year-old son, Leroy Kesse-Sam, to attend the COP29 climate talks in Azerbaijan. Her mission: to demand climate justice for vulnerable communities affected by the global climate crisis.
Adjoa’s journey symbolizes the urgent need for action from wealthier nations to address climate change and its disproportionate effects on the Global South. Leroy, who recently celebrated his first birthday, is believed to be the youngest participant in the history of the UN climate summit.
A mother’s plea for climate justice
According to a report by Ghana Web, Adjoa stressed the stakes for future generations, particularly for children like her son. “My son’s future is at stake because of the impacts of climate change,” she said passionately.
She is advocating for wealthier nations to deliver the trillions of dollars needed to help poorer countries adapt to and recover from climate disasters. “Young ones like my son Leroy need climate justice now,” she added.
Adjoa’s advocacy also extends to ensuring her son’s voice is part of the conversation. “When I worked in schools, I taught children to sing, ‘reduce, refuse, recycle.’ Now, when I sing it to Leroy, he calms down. His voice needs to be heard in this climate finance agenda,” she explained.
The call for climate finance
Adjoa’s journey aligns with global calls for $5 trillion in climate finance, a figure backed by groups like the Climate Action Network. These funds are essential to supporting vulnerable nations in adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change.
In Ghana, the climate crisis has exacerbated poverty, with many families unable to afford basic needs. Adjoa highlighted how stakeholders must act to provide financial support for affected communities.
“The stakeholders have to provide finances so these children can benefit,” she said, emphasizing the human cost of inaction.
COP29: A platform for global action
Adjoa’s journey resonates with the themes of COP29, held from November 11 to 22, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. The event has drawn over 65,000 delegates, making it one of the largest COP gatherings to date.
Since COP24 in 2018, when the Katowice Climate Package was introduced to implement the Paris Agreement, climate justice has remained central to global discussions. Principles of transparency, accountability, and support for vulnerable nations underpin these efforts, mirroring the values driving Adjoa’s advocacy.
Adjoa’s determination to speak up for her son and others like him shines a spotlight on the pressing need for equitable climate solutions. Her journey is a powerful reminder of the human stories at the heart of the climate crisis and the urgent need for action from global leaders.
