Bridging climate and trade policy: Africa’s road from ACS2 to COP30 and MC14

Date 12 November 2025 Time (GMT +00)12:00 13:30

Description

COP30, taking place from 10-21 November 2025 in Belém, Brazil, will be a critical moment for advancing global climate action. This conference is expected to bring forward new and ambitious proposals designed to address persistent multilateral challenges, including cooperation mechanisms between trade and climate policy frameworks. Key issues on the agenda include the creation of new forums to tackle issues at the crux of the trade-climate nexus, such as carbon pricing, Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAMs) and interoperable regulatory frameworks. For African economies, the challenge is ensuring that these new trade-related climate measures support, rather than undermine, regional integration and green industrialisation efforts.

In September, the Second African Climate Summit (ACS2) held in Addis Ababa reaffirmed the continent’s commitment to ambitious climate action rooted in African realities and developmental priorities. ACS2’s outcomes emphasise a just transition, climate finance, adaptation, and resilient economic growth – key priorities that will influence Africa’s positioning at COP30 and beyond.

While COP30 sets the stage for international climate governance, the 14th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference (MC14), scheduled for March 2026 in Yaoundé, Cameroon, represents the next major milestone on the multilateral trade calendar. The outcomes of COP30 will undoubtedly influence the discussions and priorities at MC14, especially regarding trade reforms that align with climate objectives.

This webinar will therefore serve as an essential platform to:

Provide a timely briefing on COP30’s agenda, analyse the expected outcomes and their implications for the upcoming WTO MC14, building on ACS2 outcomes.
Explore African regional priorities emerging from ACS2 and articulate how they directly link to key negotiating decisions at COP30.
Highlight African perspectives on trade reform, climate policy integration and economic sustainability.
Explore how African countries and stakeholders can strategically position themselves in both forums to advance sustainable development goals, specifically focusing on green energy, supply chain resilience, and achieving industrial diversification.
Define actionable policy recommendations for policymakers and negotiators to integrate climate imperatives within the WTO reform process leading up to MC14.
Discuss the complementarities and tensions between climate and trade agendas in multilateral negotiations.

*NOTE: More speakers to be announced soon.