People’s March in Belém
ELA delegates join thousands in the streets of Belém, calling for urgent, people-centred climate action at COP30.
Earlier this month, Earthlife Africa Johannesburg (ELA) sent a grassroots delegation to #COP30 in #Brazil, representing communities on the climate frontline. The team immediately joined key events, discussions, and climate justice actions upon arrival.
Delegation Group Photo
South African grassroots leaders representing coal, coastal, urban, and industrial communities stand united at COP30.
Community Voices at the Forefront
Each delegate carried urgent climate and environmental stories from home:
- Phenius Nkatshuka (Jeffery’s Bay, Eastern Cape) highlighted the plight of small-scale fishers and coastal families.
- Andile Mlambo (Johannesburg, Gauteng) raised concerns about severe air pollution and ongoing energy insecurity in urban areas.
- Margaret Mokoka (Lephalale, Limpopo) highlighted coal-affected communities facing water scarcity, land degradation, shrinking jobs, and deadly air.
- Lindi Nzwana (Vaal, Gauteng) focused on chronic industrial pollution and the need for community-led clean energy.
Their diverse experiences underscored that South Africa’s climate reality is not uniform – coastal, inland, and industrial regions face different but equally urgent threats.
Grassroots Storytelling Event
Phenius Nkatshuka shares coastal community experiences of storms and displacement during a storytelling dialogue.
Calls for a People-Led Transition
While in Belem, the delegation advocated for:
- A fast-tracked, people-led Just Transition
- Amplified grassroots representation
- Socially owned renewable energy
- Immediate and equitable climate finance
Global Solidarity Moment
Activists from across the Global South join forces to demand a just transition free from exploitation.
On the Ground in Brazil
According to Earthlife Africa’s Senior Programme Officer Thabo Sibeko, the delegation joined the People’s March hours after landing, where thousands demanded urgent global action. He says, “African participants emphasised the need for the rapid rollout of climate finance and compensation for extractive-driven harms. This includes grant-based, unconditional Loss and Damage funding. Furthermore, we reject nuclear energy as a false solution for Africa.”
Sibeko says that many of the delegates expressed frustration at the slow progress of the Loss and Damage Fund and the continued lack of commitment from major emitters.
Anti–False Solutions Action
Community activists challenge nuclear expansion and other “false solutions” marketed to African nations.
Keeping Africa’s Realities on the Agenda
Across the week, the delegation followed critical sessions on nuclear energy, gender justice, and climate finance, ensuring African community perspectives remained central. Their presence reinforced a vital message: climate decisions must reflect the lived realities of those most affected.
Earthlife Africa will continue pushing for a fair, people-centred transition long after COP30.
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