Scaling Up Climate Finance In Africa: Empowering Youth For A Green Transition And Climate Resilience

INTRODUCTION

Africa contributes less than 4% of global emissions yet faces some of the harshest climate impacts. Meeting its climate goals requires USD 277 billion annually, but only a fraction of this funding reaches the continent—and even less supports youth. In Kenya, the financing gap remains wide, with young people excluded from climate finance despite being the majority and key drivers of innovation.

GET THE WHOLE BRIEF

You can get the whole brief by clicking the link below

https://drive.google.com/file/d/137cGWCseuOdOogF1mVnkOkIrmrCPOIG9/view?usp=drive_link

Africa’s Climate Finance Gap

Africa is at the frontline of the climate crisis. Despite contributing less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the continent faces some of the most severe consequences—droughts, floods, food insecurity, and economic instability. To meet its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by 2030, Africa needs an estimated USD 277 billion annually, yet current inflows remain drastically below target. Alarmingly, only 3% of global climate finance reaches Africa, and even less is accessible to youth.

Kenya’s Urgent Needs

In Kenya, the financing challenge is particularly acute. The country requires USD 62 billion by 2030 to implement its climate commitments, with 87% expected from international sources. However, in 2020 Kenya received only USD 1.3 billion, far short of its needs. Adaptation projects remain underfunded, accounting for just 27% of inflows. Youth innovators and local initiatives also face barriers to accessing funds, including complex application procedures and limited financial support.

Youth: The Missing Link in Climate Finance

With youth making up over 70% of Africa’s population, their exclusion from climate finance frameworks is both a missed opportunity and a structural weakness. Young people are not only vulnerable to climate impacts but also key drivers of innovation, entrepreneurship, and community-led solutions. Yet most climate finance structures overlook youth as direct beneficiaries or decision-makers.

Barriers to Access

The policy brief identifies several systemic challenges:

  • Overreliance on debt-based instruments, which exacerbate fiscal stress.

  • Imbalanced flows, with mitigation prioritized over adaptation.

  • Donor-driven projects with limited local ownership.

  • Weak monitoring, accountability, and transparency systems.

  • Gender and social inclusion gaps that sideline young women and marginalized groups.

Pathways for Reform

The brief proposes a reimagined climate finance architecture that places youth at the center. Recommendations include:

  • Establishing youth-focused climate finance windows in global and national funds.

  • Simplifying access and providing technical support for youth-led projects.

  • Strengthening County Climate Change Funds (CCCFs) for equitable, localized access.

  • Leveraging innovative financing tools, including debt-for-climate swaps, blended finance, and green bonds.

  • Embedding climate finance into youth employment and innovation strategies.

  • Ensuring transparency and accountability through open-access platforms and citizen monitoring.

A Call to Action

Climate finance must move beyond rhetoric to structural reform. For Africa, and Kenya in particular, this means recognizing young people as equal partners in climate action. With the right financing, enabling policies, and support systems, youth can deliver scalable innovations, generate green jobs, and power inclusive, climate-resilient economies.

The upcoming Financing for Development (FfD4) Conference is a pivotal moment for global stakeholders to commit to scaling up investments, reforming climate finance mechanisms, and advancing youth-led climate action. The time to act is now.