Ethiopia: Hosting P4g Helps Ethiopia to Demonstrate Climate Change Mitigation Efforts, Seek Partners for Local Initiatives

The United Nations approved the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the environment, and ensure that by 2030, all people live in peace and prosperity.

The SDGs consist of 17 interconnected goals. They acknowledge that actions taken in one area have an impact on outcomes in others, and that development must strike a balance between social, economic, and environmental sustainability. As a result, countries have agreed to prioritize progress for those who are far behind. The SDGs aim to eliminate poverty, hunger, AIDS, and discrimination against women and girls. Furthermore, all members of society must contribute their creativity, know-how, technology, and financial resources to fulfill the SDGs in every situation.

Keeping these realities in mind, world leaders launched the Partnership for Green Growth and Global Goals 2030 (P4G) projects. It is a new initiative that began in 2018 with the goal of becoming the world’s foremost forum for forging tangible public-private partnerships at scale to deliver on the SDGs and the Paris Climate Agreement.

It also brings together business, government, and civil society organizations to form creative public-private partnerships to push solutions for SDGs 2, 6, 7, 11, and 12. P4G supports and accelerates innovative public-private partnerships in emerging and developing countries.

According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development, the SDGs provide a variety of goals and objectives to be achieved by 2030. As a result, the P4G has prioritized and worked on SDGs 2, 6, 7, 11, and 12 since 2018.

To be more precise, SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) seeks to eradicate hunger, increase nutrition and food security, and advance sustainable agriculture. Ensuring universal access to and sustainable management of water and sanitation is the main objective of SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). Furthermore, SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) aspires to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable, while SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) intends to guarantee universal access to modern, affordable, and dependable energy services. Sustainable patterns of consumption and production are the goal of SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

As a result, the P4G defines the initiative’s intended outcomes and conducts an annual call for partnership proposals, selecting those who will receive start-up financing of up to USD 100,000 and scale-up money of up to USD 1 million.

The P4G’s partners include the governments of Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea, and Vietnam, as well as organizations such as C40 Cities, Global Green Growth Institute, IFC, UN Global Compact, World Economic Forum, and the World Resources Institute.

The P4G Summit for 2025, with the theme “Sustainable and People-centered Green Transition,” took place in Hanoi, Vietnam, from April 16-17, 2025. Vietnam hosted the fourth Partnership for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit, which brought together significant players from industry and civil society as well as global leaders and experts.

Over 1,000 representatives from more than 40 countries and international organizations attended the two-day summit, including Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun, and UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed.

As a member and central partner, the critical question is: What has Ethiopia done to accomplish the SDGs, particularly the P4G objectives? Another inquiry could be: What does Ethiopia propose to do next to meet its P4G goals?

According to Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the country has remarkable achievements in mitigating the impacts of climate change in his address at the P4G Summit held in Hanoi, Vietnam. He added that the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement’s ambitions necessitate a new approach to global partnership. “Now more than ever, climate action must be matched with tangible, targeted support for countries most vulnerable to the harsh effects of climate change.”

In fact, Ethiopia has been striving to mitigate climate change through the Green Legacy Initiative, as well as to maintain food security through the use of Yelemat Turfat and other measures. He said: “Today, we are confronted with a critical choice to pursue a path of practical and inclusive action that addresses the needs of the most vulnerable and those who are overly enduring the devastating consequences of climate change.”

Furthermore, Ethiopia, in accordance with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union Agenda 2063, has set an ambitious goal of achieving net-zero emissions and developing a climate-resilient economy. As a result, this vision has been converted into real policy measures incorporated into the country’s national development plan, as well as additional operationalized policies and projects.

He gave the example of the green legacy effort, which has resulted in the planting of 40 billion seedlings since 2019. As the world’s largest afforestation program, it mobilizes around 20 million residents each year across the country.

This, in turn, increases forest cover while also improving food and nutrition security through increasing fruit plants, restoring degraded landscapes, and promoting soil and water conservation. Furthermore, “We are making considerable efforts to grow and diversify our renewable energy portfolio. Ethiopia currently gets 98% of its energy from hydropower, wind, and solar,” he highlighted.

Prime Minister Abiy emphasized that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) represents Ethiopia’s commitment to sustainable development by providing social, economic, and environmental advantages both nationally and regionally.