Ethiopia’s Decade of Climate Leadership — From the Green Legacy Initiative to COP 32 — Signals a New Era of Ecological Sovereignty for the Greater South
With COP 30 in Belém, deep within the Amazon, now concluded, it’s essential to recognize that this COP was not solely about the Amazon; it was held in the Amazon. As negotiations wrap up, the global focus shifts beyond Belém to the next chapter: COP 32 in Africa.
The confirmation that Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, will host COP 32 in 2027, along with the formal introduction of Gedion Timotiwos as the COP 32 President-Designate, marks a pivotal moment for African climate diplomacy and the broader aspirations of the Greater South.
Over the years, the COP process has revealed cracks in credibility and inclusiveness, with decisions often influenced more by power imbalances than by urgent planetary needs. Many in the Greater South have grown disillusioned with unfulfilled commitments, fragmented financing, and a system that struggles to align justice with ambition. Ethiopia’s presidency presents an opportunity to mend these fractures — to restore trust, rebalance voices, and reinvigorate a shared purpose in multilateral climate governance.
For the first time in years, the global climate negotiation table seems ready to prioritize Africa’s needs — from adaptation and resilience to just transitions and ecological sovereignty.
Ethiopia’s role as host is not merely ceremonial; it is a significant opportunity for the continent and the South to assert leadership, promote Ecologically-Driven Development (EDD), and reshape global climate governance in favor of justice, equity, and collective sovereignty.
Ethiopia’s Proven Climate Leadership
Before earning the opportunity to host COP 32, Ethiopia had already established itself as one of the most proactive and credible voices in the Greater South.
- Hosted the Second African Climate Summit (ACS-2) in September 2025, aligning Africa’s vision for green industrialization and climate resilience.
- Chaired the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group under the UNFCCC, representing 46 vulnerable nations.
- Hosted and chaired AMCEN (the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment) for two years and remains a Bureau member of UNEA, the world’s leading environmental body.
- Pioneered the Climate-Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) strategy — integrating adaptation, mitigation, and green growth — long before such frameworks gained global traction.
- Submitted both its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategies (LT-LEDS)ahead of COP 27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, becoming the first African nation to do so.
- Anchored global finance discourse in 2015 by hosting the adoption of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA) — a UN framework that laid the groundwork for financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
This continuity — from the AAAA on financing to COP 32 on implementation — highlights Ethiopia’s unwavering commitment to transforming global pledges into actionable change.
The Green Legacy Initiative: Nature in Action
Launched by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2019, the Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) is among the world’s most ambitious reforestation and ecosystem restoration efforts.
In just five years, Ethiopia has planted over 32 billion seedlings, restoring degraded landscapes, recharging watersheds, and strengthening rural livelihoods.
The GLI serves as a living model of nature-based solutions (NbS) — linking reforestation, soil and water conservation, and agroecology to climate adaptation and mitigation.
It illustrates that Africa’s solutions are already in motion, grounded in community participation and indigenous ecological wisdom.
Why Hosting Matters
- Symbolic and Diplomatic Milestone — The African Group of Negotiators (AGN) unanimously supported Ethiopia’s bid over Nigeria, and the decision has now been formally endorsed. Following COP 27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Addis Ababa’s selection reaffirms that Africa’s leadership in global climate diplomacy is not just episodic but enduring, showcasing the continent as not merely vulnerable but also visionary.
- Agenda-Setting Power — As the host, Ethiopia will assume the COP Presidency, granting significant influence over the agenda and outcomes (Indian Express). This allows the Global South to elevate core priorities, including adaptation finance, loss and damage, just transitions, and ecological sovereignty.
- Platform for the Greater South and EDD — The timing coincides with calls for Ecologically Driven Development, which integrates climate, environment, economy, and social justice. COP 32 provides a collective platform for Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific to present a united voice.
- Domestic and Continental Leverage — The event will accelerate green industrialization, investment, and diplomatic visibility, strengthening institutions such as the African Union, OSC, and regional financial mechanisms.
Strategic Opportunities for the Greater South
- Advance Loss & Damage and Climate Finance — Advocate for predictable, accessible financing tailored to the realities of the Global South.
- Elevate South-South Partnerships — Transform Addis Ababa into a hub for renewable energy, green manufacturing, and technology transfer.
- Embed Ecological Sovereignty — Institutionalize resource justice and decolonized climate narratives in COP outcomes.
- Institutionalize the EDD Agenda — Launch regional investment hubs, sovereign green funds, and biodiversity-industrial initiatives grounded in Africa’s natural wealth.
- Create a Lasting Legacy — Establish a Pan-African Climate Innovation Centre to connect research, policy, and implementation.
Risks and Strategies to Navigate
Risks: Resource strain, greenwashing, and elite capture may occur if local voices are excluded.
Strategies: Ensure inclusivity, embed accountability, and translate dialogue into action — from carbon markets to community resilience initiatives.
Turning Momentum into a Movement
As a climate change negotiator and advisor actively involved in EDD frameworks, I view Ethiopia’s presidency as a pivot point for the Global South to reclaim its narrative and future.
Key actions:
- Develop a Greater South COP 32 Roadmap — Align governments and civil society across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific.
- Integrate EDD into COP 32 Strategy — Weave ecological integrity, social justice, and sovereign development into negotiations.
- Create a South Solidarity Pavilion — Highlight innovations in renewable energy, regenerative agriculture, and community resilience.
- Establish an African Climate Sovereignty Fund — Based in Addis Ababa, this fund will finance Southern-led innovation and adaptation.
Ethiopia’s hosting of COP 32 is not just a logistical achievement; it embodies a statement of principle and purpose. Built on a decade of home-grown climate action, from the CRGE and Green Legacy Initiative to the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and AMCEN leadership, and now bolstered by the appointment of Gedion Timotiwos as COP 32 President-Designate, it signals that Africa is ready to lead.
If leveraged strategically, Addis Ababa 2027 can bridge the financial vision of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda with the climate ambition of COP 32, marking a turning point where the Global South transitions from pledges to sustained action — moving from vulnerability to sovereign resilience and context-specific responses.
Getahun Garedew Wodaje (PhD) is an environmentalist and policy expert currently serving as the Director of the Office of Climate Action and Resilience Enhancement at the Organisation of Southern Cooperation. He previously held positions as Ethiopia’s State Minister of Education and Director General of the Environmental Protection Authority.
