National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has called for taxing polluters to finance climate action across Africa, urging the continent to move beyond international declarations and develop domestic mechanisms for environmental restoration and adaptation. Speaking during a visit by the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) delegation to Nairobi’s Parliament Buildings, Wetang’ula emphasized that Africa must prioritize strengthening laws, institutions, and financing frameworks as extreme weather and agricultural disruptions intensify. “We need to commit and punish climate polluters. We are on our own,” he stated, proposing taxes on mineral and natural resource extraction to fund climate mitigation, adaptation, and community protection. The proposal aligns with growing concerns over the $310 billion to $365 billion annual funding gap for climate adaptation in developing countries, far exceeding the $26 billion in international public finance available in 2023, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Wetang’ula advocated for an African Climate Change Fund to reduce reliance on unpredictable external financing, while PAP Committee on Agriculture Vice-Chairperson Euphreme Outata stressed the need for legislation to translate climate commitments into action. Outata, who highlighted the PAP’s examination of a Model Law on Climate Change, called for revenues from mineral extraction to be ring-fenced for climate interventions, ensuring vulnerable communities benefit. “Africa is paying a heavy price for climate change. We need proper taxation of those extracting our minerals,” he said. The PAP Model Law, designed for African Union member states, provides a framework for climate governance, finance, resilience, and public participation, aiming to address challenges like displacement, carbon markets, and environmental justice.
Wetang’ula cited changing weather patterns in rural Kenya, where communities face unpredictable planting seasons and vanishing water sources, contrasting with traditional knowledge once used to forecast climate conditions. He noted Kenya’s role as host to the UNEP as an opportunity to lead regional environmental initiatives, including tree-planting and river rehabilitation. “We created the Pan-African Parliament to save Africans. There are certain things we can do as Africans before going to the international arena to make our case,” he said, reiterating the need for Africa to balance global climate finance demands with domestic capacity-building. The PAP delegation endorsed proposals for continental climate-financing mechanisms, including resource-based taxation, as part of broader efforts to address the continent’s escalating climate vulnerabilities.
The call for polluter taxation and institutional reforms underscores Africa’s urgent need to address the mismatch between climate adaptation needs and available resources. With extreme weather events increasingly threatening food security, water access, and livelihoods, experts argue that domestic financing mechanisms and regional cooperation are critical to achieving climate resilience. Wetang’ula’s advocacy reflects a growing push for African leaders to take ownership of climate solutions while leveraging international support, ensuring that the continent’s natural wealth contributes to sustainable development rather than exacerbating environmental crises.