Climate Chance Africa 2025 Summit

On October 27 and 28 2025, Cotonou will host the Climate Chance Africa 2025 Summit at the Palais des Congrès on the theme: “Renewable Energies, Adaptation, Bioodiversity: Challenges and Perspectives”. In a context of growing climate emergency, pressure on energy access, and the urgent need to accelerate a sustainable transition, this summit will spotlight African solutions for a just, inclusive, and locally relevant energy transition. Over two days, discussions will revolve around three key pillars of climate and biodiversity action: urban adaptation (resilience of cities and territories), mitigation (renewable energies) and biodiversity (ecological corridors, nature-based solutions).

The Summit will bring together non-state actors, local governments, NGOs, businesses, researchers, youth, and citizen networks to highlight best practices, strengthen local capacities, and voice a shared position ahead of COP30 in Belém.

Located at the strategic crossroads between coastal and Sahelian zones, Cotonou exemplifies the intertwined challenges of urban development, climate impact adaptation, and sustainable resource management. The Summit will serve as a strategic platform for dialogue, action, and commitment towards a more resilient, united, and sustainable Africa.

The Cotonou 2025 Summit will be the 6th edition of the Climate Chance Africa Summits, the largest and most representative gatherings of non-state climate actors on the African continent, following: Agadir (2017), Abidjan (2018), Accra (2019), Dakar (2022), and Yaoundé (2023)

The objectives of the meeting

• Showcase best practices in climate and biodiversity action, based on a call for contributions launched ahead of the summit, with a strong emphasis on the event’s three key themes.
• Strengthen the capacity of stakeholders to take effective action.
• Engage in collective discussions on how to accelerate the energy transition and adapt to the impacts of climate change in Africa, aiming to enhance resilience across all sectors.
• Address the mobilisation of funding linked to the Summit’s themes.
• Make visible ongoing initiatives and pilot projects in the region, such as the port and the climate house…

4 Deliverables

The event will result in the production of four deliverables, to be promoted throughout 2025 and 2026 at major milestones of the international agenda, focusing on the following areas:

• Cotonou Roadmap, modeled on the Yaoundé 2023 Roundmap for sustainable habitats, dedicated this time to renewable energy in Africa, with the presentation and international promotion of climate actions carried out by Benin and the City of Cotonou.

• Creation of an Alliance of West and Central African Coastal Cities, in connection with the Alliance of Coastal Cities launched in Nice during UNOC 3.

• Strengthening the African dimension of the Francophone Alliance of Cities for Climate.

• Establishment of a West African network working on elephant conservation, within the framework of the International Coalition for Biodiversity Corridors in Africa.