In February 2025, I had the immense honor of joining other African experts at the Pre-SB62 AGNES Strategy Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya. This timely convening was held to prepare Africa’s technical positions ahead of the UNFCCC SB62 negotiations. I participated in the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) segment, where we explored strategies for enhancing resilience across key sectors like ecosystems, infrastructure, and livelihoods.
As an urban climate researcher, the opportunity to sit alongside negotiators, policymakers, and experts was both exciting and empowering. For many women like me, spaces like these have historically been out of reach. Yet here I was, part of the conversation, contributing, learning, and being inspired by the commitment to elevate African voices in global climate policy processes.
Insights on Adaptation Policy and the Role of Women in Climate Leadership
The Global Goal on Adaptation is one of the cornerstones of the Paris Agreement. It focuses on helping countries, especially those most vulnerable, adapt effectively to climate impacts. During our sessions, we unpacked critical issues such as ecosystem-based adaptation, climate-resilient infrastructure, data and monitoring systems, and inclusive adaptation planning.
What resonated deeply with me was the clear recognition that adaptation must be locally informed and gender responsive. Women are not just passive recipients of climate impacts; they are active agents of change. As researchers, farmers, entrepreneurs, and caregivers, African women are already adapting in their own ways. Our challenge is to ensure that this knowledge and leadership is reflected in formal adaptation frameworks, both nationally and internationally.
This experience helped me better understand how to connect academic research with practical negotiation outcomes, and how evidence can directly influence the decisions that shape our continent’s future.
Gratitude to AGNES and Partners for Supporting Women in Climate Leadership
I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to AGNES, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Climate Investment Fund (CIF), who supported my participation in this strategy meeting. Your investment went far beyond logistics, you amplified in my voice, enhanced my growth, and empowered my place in the African climate leadership ecosystem. I returned from this meeting more confident, better informed, and more motivated to drive change in my field.
By opening doors for women like me, you are transforming climate governance, making it more inclusive, representative, and impactful.
Scaling-up Opportunities for Women in Climate Leadership Across Africa
I was one of the lucky few who participated in this program, however, there are countless capable African women with ideas, energy, and expertise who simply need a chance to bring it to reality. By creating more opportunities, through mentorship, funding, training, and deliberate inclusion, we build a more resilient Africa.
As we head toward SB62 and COP30, I carry the lessons, networks, and purpose gained from this experience, hoping to see more women standing out in climate decision-making spaces.
– Dr. Eman Ahmad, Urban Climate Researcher