Download Climate Change: African Perspectives for a post

Climate Change: African
Perspectives for a post-2012
Agreement
ECA Presentation to the Committee of Experts
27 March 2008
Addis Ababa
Outline of the presentation
Introduction
Climate change and sustainable development
in Africa
Facing up to the climate change challenge:
Global response and implications for Africa
Facing up to the climate change challenge in
Africa: Regional responses
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Introduction
 There is compelling evidence that climate change is
a serious sustainable development challenge -- not
only an environmental issue
 Climate change is caused by anthropogenic
Greenhouse Gas (GHGs) emissions
 Energy production and use, land use change,
especially deforestation are main sources of GHGs
in Africa
 Climate change impacts will affect all countries
 Developing countries and the poor will bear
disproportionately high negative impacts
 Consequently, climate change may undermine the
ability of developing countries to achieve MDGs
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Climate Change and Sustainable
Development in Africa
 Africa contributes only about 3.8% of total GHGs
 Yet African countries are among the most vulnerable
to climate change, because of many factors:
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High poverty levels
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Poor economic and social infrastructure
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
Conflicts
Heavy reliance on climate-sensitive sectors (e.g. rainfed agriculture, fisheries, forests, tourism, etc.)
Existing stresses on health and well being (e.g.,
HIV/AIDS, illiteracy)
Low adaptive capacity (limited human, institutional,
technological and financial capacities)
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Climate change and Sustainable
Development in Africa
 Africa is already witnessing impacts of Climate
change, which will worsen with time, if decisive
actions are not taken now:
 Constrained agricultural production and increasing food
insecurity
 Increasing water stress and related water conflicts
 Increasing energy constraints, further impeding
industrial development
 Expanding range and prevalence of vector-borne
diseases (malaria, cholera, yellow fever, rift valley fever)
 Rising sea level impacting livelihoods in coastal areas
 Loss of biodiversity, forests and other natural habitats
 Increased risks of conflicts arising from climate-induced
population migrations
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Facing up to the Climate Change Challenge:
Global Response
 A framework for continued global action shaped by the
Bali UNFCC COP 13/Kyoto Protocol MOP 3 outcomes:
 Decision adopted to operationalise the Adaptation Fund
for developing countries (Board Secretariat at GEF, WB
as trustee)
 Capacity Building: submissions invited on monitoring
and evaluation of capacity building at the national level
by 15 August 2008
 Parties requested to continue to assist developing
countries, particularly LDCs and SIDS, to attract CDM
projects in Africa
 Technology Transfer: Regional training workshops and
meetings on technologies for adaptation to be organized
 Urgent need to take further meaningful action to reduce
emissions from deforestation in developing countries
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Facing up to the Climate Change Challenge:
Global Response
 Bali Roadmap: a two-year process of multilateral
negotiation to finalize a post-2012 global agreement
(regime) on climate change by December 2009
 Review of the Protocol scheduled from 2008
 Negotiations to be articulated around:
 Mitigation
 Adaptation
 Technology development and transfer
 Financing
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Global Response to the Climate Change
Challenge: Implications for Africa
 Africa’s preparation to ensure that the concerns of
the region are well articulated and reflected in post2012 negotiations and decisions
 Main issues of Concern for Africa relate to:
 Modalities for the review of the Protocol (comprehensive
revision vs. review of specific issues)
 The developmental agenda of the Convention and Protocol
 Funding and capacity building
 Need for increased participation in flexible mechanisms (e.g.
carbon trade and CDM)
 Technology development and transfer
 Fulfilment of commitments under the Protocol by the
developed countries
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Global Response to the Climate Change
Challenge: Implications for Africa
 Need for an effective regional preparatory
process for the negotiations of post-2012 regime,
which:
Effectively engages all African countries signatory
to the Protocol, the RECs and other stakeholders
Should effectively guide and prepare African
countries for the review of the Protocol
Should ensure well-articulated African consensus
positions on post-2012 issues
Should strengthen Africa’s negotiating position in
all post-2012 issues following the 2008 review
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Facing up to the Climate Change Challenge
in Africa: Regional Responses
 Explicit commitment at the highest political level to
tackle climate change:
 Decisions and declaration of the Eighth Ordinary Session
of the African Union held in January 2007
 Resolution of Fortieth session of the ECA Conference of
African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic
Development
 Two-track Challenges:
 Regional preparations
negotiations
for
the
post-2012
regime
 Mainstreaming climate change into the core development
agenda
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Facing up to the Climate Change Challenge
in Africa: Regional Responses
 Follow up through the AUC-ECA-AfDB partnership
initiative of the Climate and Development in Africa
(ClimDev Africa) programme to address gaps in:
Core
development
frameworks
policies,
strategies
and
Climate risk management practices in priority
climate sensitive sectors
Climate information services for stakeholders
Climate observations and data
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Facing up to the Climate Change Challenge
in Africa: Regional Responses
 Follow up through ECA’s commitment and initiative
to establish an African Climate Policy Centre
(ACPC):
For adequate delivery on the Policy component of
the ClimDev Africa programme
To assist, through the AUC and RECs, Africa’s
preparation and participation to the post-2012
regime negotiations
To support efforts of member States in
mainstreaming climate change concerns into their
development policies and frameworks
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Facing up to the Climate Change Challenge
in Africa: Regional Responses
 APCP: A regional capacity hub to generate and
administer an adequate base of knowledge to address
climate change challenge for sustainable development
 APCP will focus on climate-related:
 Policy research and analysis
 Consensus building at the regional level
 Capacity strengthening, technical advice and assistance
 Communication and outreach
 Knowledge management and peer learning (Launching of
Knowledge sharing COP on 31 March 2008)
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Facing up to the Climate Change Challenge
in Africa: Regional Responses
 African Climate Policy Centre (ACPC) building on
strong partnerships with:
 African regional and sub-regional climate institutions
(ACMAD, ICPAC, OSS, etc.), research institutions and
universities
 South-south cooperation with the Energy and Resources
Institute (TERI) of India
 UNEP (special collaboration on CC economics)
 Relevant specialized UN agencies and international
institutions
 ACPC: a Centre that needs your endorsement and
partners’ support for immediate operationalisation
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Thank you
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