Hundreds of volunteers from Greenpeace Africa formed a giant human banner in the shape of the African continent and displayed a printed message Tax the Super-rich for People and Planet to demand urgent tax reform at UN Tax Convention negotiations.

The gathering welcomed negotiations in Nairobi at the UN Tax Convention (UNTC) that called for action to deliver much needed additional public finance for climate mitigation, nature protection and sustainable development by making billionaires and oil and gas corporations pay their fair share in taxes.

Nina Stros, policy expert for Greenpeace International and head of the Greenpeace delegation, said the current global tax system is outdated and unjust, allowing the super-rich and polluting oil and gas corporations to profit while avoiding paying their fair share and fuelling the climate crisis through their excessive emissions. “This has to change,” he cautioned.

“Governments must deliver strong commitments with clear mechanisms to tax polluting billionaires and corporations. These changes will benefit the majority of the world’s countries, from the least developed economies to those with high socioeconomic indicators in the Global North. Instead of pursuing a race to the bottom with continuous lowering of corporate tax rates, it is time governments unite to usher in new global tax rules that will finally hold these super-rich individuals and polluting corporations to account,” said Nina.

The UNTC’s third round of negotiations (INC-3) in Nairobi, from 10-19 November 2025, coincides with COP30 in Belém, Brazil, where countries are debating how to bridge the 1.5°C ambition gap, ending forest destruction and who picks up the tab for international climate finance.

Tangible plans are urgently needed to deliver on the COP29 finance commitments for developed countries to mobilise at least $300 billion per year by 2035 and to scale up to at least $1.3 trillion in public finance in line with needs.

The UNTC provides a critical opportunity to unlock the public finance that is required, through increasing taxes on the super-rich and increasing profit taxes on polluting oil and gas corporations.

Fair Share Global Political Lead for Greenpeace Africa Fred Njehu said: “The world is not a billionaire’s playground for them to get richer at the expense of our health, security and democracy. Governments must act now to stop the super-rich from stashing billions in tax havens and put an end to polluting corporations paying too little tax, depriving people of vital public finances. It’s time to implement global taxes on billionaires and the profits of oil and gas corporations – and direct these funds to sustainable development, public services and tackling the climate and ecological crisis.”

Programme Director for Greenpeace Africa Murtala Touray observed: “The tax negotiations in Nairobi come at a pivotal moment to fix a global economic system so that it serves all nations and not just a few rich countries. The Africa Group initiated this process to forge a new, legally binding UN tax convention that addresses systemic inequalities in global finance and governance. These injustices are preventing many countries of the Global South from raising revenues that could support better public services, climate mitigation and adaptation and nature protection. Africa is calling for a clear path to tax justice – a commitment to sustainable development rooted in fair taxation of corporations and high-net-worth individuals. Because tax justice isn’t charity, it’s a fundamental right and the essence of our sovereignty.”

It is estimated that countries lose $492 billion annually because multinational corporations and the ultra-wealthy use tax havens to underpay tax. Profit shifting in extractive industries (oil, gas and mining) leads to governments reportedly losing at least $44 billion per year in tax revenues.

Oxfam estimates that permanent polluter profits tax on oil and gas corporations could raise up to $400 billion in its first year.

Reported profits from just five international oil and gas giants over the past decade reached almost $800 billion and half of the world’s CO2 emissions reportedly come from just 36 fossil fuel firms.

A tax of up to five per cent on multimillionaires and billionaires could generate $1.7 trillion a year, according to Oxfam.

Greenpeace’s demands for negotiators at INC-3 include effective taxation of High-Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs), introduction and progressive implementation of higher rates for billionaires with revenues earmarked for sustainable development and investment in public services as well as direct climate and nature investments.

The organisation is also calling for progressive environmental taxation, which will secure a commitment for international cooperation to deliver progressive environmental taxation in line with the polluter pays principle and Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC), covering both polluting corporations and HNWIs, to unlock more public finance for climate action and sustainable development.

Greenpeace is also calling for polluter tax on fossil fuel company profits, taxing of the global profits of multinational oil, coal and gas and other polluting companies and directing the revenues to multilateral climate funds, so the communities that are most vulnerable and least responsible for climate damages get the support they deserve.

A Greenpeace delegation participated in the first two consecutive rounds of global tax talks in August in New York (INC-1 & 2), and is present at INC-3 in Nairobi, Kenya.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Joseph Ng’ang’a