Ethiopia Demands Deeper Emissions Cuts Ahead of Hosting COP32

(MENAFN) Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali pressed the world’s biggest emitters on Wednesday to commit to steeper emissions cuts, and vowed that his country will put early intervention and faster climate financing at the center of next year’s UN climate summit in Addis Ababa.

“The more we spend coping with climate damage, the less we have to invest in schools, health care and opportunity for our young people,” Abiy told world leaders at the COP31 summit in Türkiye’s southern resort city of Antalya.

He cited Ethiopia’s own record on emissions, pointing to a ban on imports of gasoline- and diesel-powered cars as part of a shift to electric vehicles.

“Ethiopia is doing its part. We have banned imports of petrol and diesel cars as we switch to EVs,” he said.

Addis Ababa rolled out the restrictions in 2024, making Ethiopia one of the first countries to take such a step, in a bid to cut its reliance on imported fuel and encourage electric transportation.

“Those with the greatest responsibility and the means to act must lead with deeper cuts this decade,” Abiy said.

The appeal comes from a nation on the front line of climate stress. Droughts in Ethiopia have grown in size, frequency and impact since the 1970s, and the country has also endured repeated flooding. Widespread poverty, fast population growth and heavy reliance on rain-fed farming have deepened its exposure to climate shocks.

Looking toward COP32, which Ethiopia will host in 2027, Abiy said his government would prioritize early action to shield vulnerable communities from climate-related disasters.

Ethiopia won the right to stage the conference over a competing bid from Nigeria, following a decision announced at last year’s COP30 summit in Belem, Brazil. The gathering is set for Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital and home to the African Union’s headquarters.

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