UNECA Clim Dev-Africa Preparatory conference for the United

UNECA Clim. Dev-Africa Preparatory conference for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) Climate change and development in Africa: Linking policy to practice Youba SOKONA African Climate Policy Centre (ACPC) Climate Change Meets Policy

UNECA Outline: • The climate change fact • Africa’s response and the development challenge • A new approach to climate change in Africa • The climate change opportunity • The Clim. Dev-Africa and the ACPC

UNECA • • • Any existing opportunities should be exploited to achieving goals Guinea's G'bessi Airport, Conakry Between 1999 and 2002 schools in Guinea had a modest pass rate of 30 -35% Since 2003 that has dropped to between 20 and 25% Source: BBC

UNECA Facts Despite economic growth during past 15 years: • Africa as a whole is lagging behind on each of the eight MDGs • Achieving the MDGs requires enduring efforts and adequate resources • The challenge is further compounded by adverse impacts and the grave long-term risk that climate change poses.

UNECA Observations • Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is evident from: – scientific findings – various observations • Mitigation measures are slow and sparse • Adaptation has started however • Further adaptation is now unavoidable – but without mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, it may be impossible to achieve meaningful adaptation where it is direly needed

Reasons for concern UNECA 2°C-Guardrail (Smith et al. 2009 PNAS)

Holistic approach and concerted and differentiated actions are required Per capita GHG emissions (concentrations) UNECA 550 PPMV Least Developed Countries Emerging Economies & EITs More adaptation Less mitigation Adaptation & mitigation Developed Countries More mitigation less adaptation Corridor of sustainable development & stabilization of GHGs 450 PPMV Training Institutional support Information support R&D support Collaborative R&D Technology Partnership & Networking $1200 $7000 Annual per capita Income Technology facilitation and Partnerships

African Scenarios – there is a lot of uncertainty Changes in surface water supply across Africa with Predicted Climate Change UNECA Will there be increases or decreases in available water? Small changes in temperature will see average river flows and water availability increase by 10 -40% in some regions, while in others there will be a decrease of 10 -30% Example: Blue Nile GCM downscaling Precipitation Potential ET Source: Maartin de Wit and Jacek Stankiewicz www. scienceexpress. org/2 March 2006/Page 1/10. 1126/science 1119929 Actual ET Runoff 10 models show likely decrease of runoff while 7 shows like increase of runoff

Africa is responding to climate change UNECA There have been many initiatives/action plans of what Africa needs to do: • African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) • Conference of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) and climate change negotiators • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and related instruments (UNFCCC) • NEPAD Environmental Action Plan • The Cancun Agreements • African Development Forum VII • Global Climate Observation System (GCOS) • AMCEN Comprehensive Framework for Climate Change • Africa-EU Climate Change Partnership Africa is acting on climate change: • Examples include: – CCAA, Africa. Adapt – African Adaptation Programme – The Clim. Dev-Africa Programme – Many other initiatives, institutions and responses Much more is required for Africa to address climate change and development: • That is why we are here at this symposium

UNECA The development challenge • It is widely recognized and accepted that in Africa, climate change will hamper the ability of Africa to adequately address: – rapid onset-disaster events – Widening energy access – water availability – food security – public health – migration • Adaptation to climate change is a matter of survival for most Africans

UNECA Recently Africa’s growth has been widespread… 11

. . and it needs energy to keep growing. . UNECA 560 million sub-Saharan Africans lack access to electricity

UNECA But • The quality of growth matters • Moving towards low carbon and resilient pathway is paramount – For increasing demand for services and meeting unmet demand – Avoid lock-into carbon intensive options – Integrate mitigation in SD policies • In some ways, Africa in an advantageous position – starting from a low base and has the resources

Mainstreaming is necessary but … UNECA it may lead to an overload 14

UNECA A new approach is required… • That starts with development priorities, following this approach, we can: – aim to meet development and poverty eradication objectives – use strategies that aim for climate safe and climate friendly development • That can explore wide range of already existing development initiatives that are climate resilient and friendly: – there exist a diversity of local actions, national policies that have delivered positive development and climate outcomes – we can explore such options at various levels – we can scale them up coupling with international initiatives to enhance their impacts • This approach is “development first” that will stimulate concrete actions, mainstreaming, strong and inclusive climate actions and cooperation at global, regional and local levels

Turning adversity into opportunity Physical scarcity: Not enough water. UNECA Economic Scarcity: Not infrastructure to make water available to people We can manage both scarcities Africa: • Renewable water resources estimated at about 5, 400 billion m 3/yr of which 15% (810 million m 3/yr) is groundwater • Low level of withdrawals of water for agriculture, water supply and 6 -9/11/2007 energy: 3. 8% of total annual WR Hydropower Outlook fro Africa (BMZ, EUDEV. de, 2007)

UNECA Better exploring opportunity We need to: • revisit our development objectives and strategies from a new perspective • renew its focus and urgency on sustainability We need to address at the same time: • climate resilient and low carbon future • local, national, regional and global concerns • immediate needs while investing in long term obligations by: – the imperative of building bridges between development and environment more systematically – widening decision making process at various levels

UNECA The policy challenge • Development pathways influence climate change and climate change could have significant impacts on development and underdevelopment as they can be mutually reinforcing. • Tackling global climate change is an inherently complex problem requiring robust inter-related policies at international, regional, national and local levels. • Holistic approach, concerted and differentiated mitigation as well as adaptation actions are absolute prerequisites. Climate change Business as usual Development and underdevelopment Climate change Climate adaptation and mitigation Development • climate resilient • low carbon • resource efficient • sustainable A future with • energy access • water availability • food security • employment • opportunity

UNECA Finance challenge From the Copenhagen Accord and Cancun Agreements… Fast start finance Long term finance Cancun agreements LULUCF & REDD + ? US$30 Billion 2010 -2012 Adaptation and NAPAs Technology development and transfer US$100 Billion per year from 2020 ? ? ? Capacity building • At the global level significant resources are likely to be available, but we need to make sure, at the negotiations stage, that these resources benefit Africans at local and national levels

Challenge for coherent national framework UNECA Linking international, national and local levels of climate adaptation and mitigation LULUCF & REDD + Climate finance Fast start / Long Term Finance • Multilateral • Bilateral • Private • • • Adaptation and NAPAs Technology development and transfer Capacity building National Framework Dialogue Agreement Action Communities Institutions and grass roots groups Information and knowledge • Indigenous knowledge • Institutional knowledge • Research Action, participation and employment We can use climate change agreements and negotiations as an opportunity to support our development efforts With effective coordination, institutions and policies, nations and communities can benefit from international climate change agreements To access climate finance, or participate in climate related mechanisms and initiatives requires effective institutions that can coordinate, as well as measure, report and verify climate related activities – In effect good governance is required to benefit from climate change negotiations and any climate agreements

Any difficult journey requires innovation UNECA

UNECA Clim. Dev-Africa Programme The ACPC is: • 1 of 3 inputs to the Programme • Secretariat to the Programme ACPC’s inputs are in the form of: • Knowledge gen. & sharing • Advocacy & consensus building • Tech. coop. & capacity dev. Technical Advisory Panel Stakeholder forums Meetings of the Chief Executives of the AUC, UNECA and Af. DB Clim. Dev Programme Steering Committee (CDSC) (AUC, UNECA, Af. DB and others) African Climate Policy Centre Clim. Dev-Africa Special Fund (UNECA - ACPC) (Af. DB - CDSF) Climate Change and Desertification Unit (AUC - CCDU) e. g. Climate Change and Dev. Conf. & other forums/platforms Regional / sub-regional level National level RECs/SROs, Regional/Sub-Regional Climate Institutions, RBOs, Research Institutions NMHSs, Sectoral Actors (public sector, private sector, civil society)

UNECA The ACPC Climate and Development Policy Community Practice Community Research Community • Knowledge generation and sharing • Advocacy and consensus building • Technical coop’n and capacity dev. • Frameworks, strategies, plans • Case studies and examples • Research and partnerships ACPC Climate finance and economics Climate resilient development Low carbon development Climate science, data and information

UNECA Activities to date ACPC Work Programme Knowledge generation, sharing and networking Advocacy and consensus building Advisory services and technical cooperation Secretariat service for Clim. Dev-Africa Climate Change and Development in Africa Conference (CCDA) ü The ACPC Work Programme has been presented by the ACPC in many forums ü The contents of the Work Programme have been widely consulted with stakeholders ü The activities under the Work Programme are demand led

UNECA Activities to date ACPC Work Programme Knowledge generation, sharing and networking Advocacy and consensus building Advisory services and technical cooperation Secretariat service for Clim. Dev-Africa Climate Change and Development in Africa Conference (CCDA) Climate science, data, information and service delivery üHigh Level Expert Consultation for gaps and needs analysis ü 5 issue papers under development üThese papers will be presented to the CCDA Conference Climate resilience development and adaptation üHigh Level Expert Consultation on water and agriculture sectors, consultations with RECs and others üWest Africa Trans-boundary Aquifer Management Project ü 6 issue papers under development, feeding into CCDA üStarted work NEPAD, The Gambia, UNDP Ethiopia, etc Low carbon development and energy in Africa üHigh Level Expert Consultation for gaps and needs analysis ü 14 issue papers under development üStarted low carbon development scenarios project üFraming paper on energy access and poverty üInvolved in review of investment plan for SREP with UNDP Climate finance and economics üProduced a discussion paper on climate finance for Africa üUndertaking research on fast start finance to support AMCEN üWorking with TERI on carbon finance and policy compendium üWorking with ACCE carbon credit and finance instruments for Africa üWorking with SRO-North African on financing instrument for renewable energy

UNECA Activities to date ACPC Work Programme Knowledge generation, sharing and networking Advocacy and consensus building Advisory services and technical cooperation Secretariat service for Clim. Dev-Africa Climate Change and Development in Africa Conference (CCDA) Supporting climate change negotiators ü Identifying knowledge needs ü Preparation of papers to better inform their negotiation positions ü Seconded senior experts to service meetings of African negotiators Co. P 17, Africa Pavilion and Africa Day ü Concept notes prepared ü Supporting organisation and resource mobilisation ü Chairing technical sub-committee and supporting communications subcommittee Communications ü Website launched ü First newsletter published ü News bulletins, briefing notes and interviews organised

UNECA Activities to date Servicing African Union and regional bodies ACPC Work Programme Knowledge generation, sharing and networking Advocacy and consensus building Advisory services and technical cooperation Secretariat service for Clim. Dev-Africa Climate Change and Development in Africa Conference (CCDA) üReview of African Climate Change Strategy üBackstopping as requested e. g. Ministerial meetings Initiating sub-regional and national projects üRequests received from The Gambia, Djibouti and Ethiopia üStarted transboundary aquifer management project with GWP in West Africa üStarted Capacity building for climate change adaptation SRO-NA üKicked off FIRM project – covering Kenya, Rwanda, Mali, Zambia, and The Gambia üInitiated Infrastructure and climate change with SRO-EA üSupporting a climate change action plan with CA (CEEAC) NAMAs and MRV üSupporting ECOWAS strengthen capacity of member states üInvestigating collaboration with various partners on MRV methods for Africa Supporting climate data and information initiatives across Africa üe. g. Geoshare, GGIM, ACMAD, AMESD and MESA Partnerships established üPartnerships are at various levels of development and formalisation

UNECA Activities to date ACPC Work Programme Knowledge generation, sharing and networking Advocacy and consensus building Advisory services and technical cooperation Secretariat service for Clim. Dev-Africa Climate Change and Development in Africa Conference (CCDA) Servicing Clim. Dev-Africa Joint Secretariat Working Group (AUC, UNECA and Af. DB), eg: üPreparation and servicing the meetings üProvision of background information such as the ACPC work programme Prepared, hosted and serviced the Clim. Dev Programme Steering Committee (CDSC): üPrepared and hosted meeting üProvided relevant documents such as Ø An Africa Day concept note Ø A CCDA-1 concept note Ø A revised TOR for the CDSC Ø A Clim. Dev-Africa Work Plan Reviewed the draft Clim. Dev Special Fund Operations and Procedures Manual: üProvided comments on the draft üReviewed a second draft üMet with an Af. DB representative and discussed key points from the manual

UNECA Activities to date ACPC Work Programme Knowledge generation, sharing and networking Advocacy and consensus building Advisory services and technical cooperation Secretariat service for Clim. Dev-Africa Climate Change and Development in Africa Conference (CCDA) Organised and hosted the first Climate change and development in Africa Conference (CCDA 1) Outputs and outcomes include: üOutcome Statement of the First Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-I) üReport of the CCDA-1 Conference üPapers and reports in support of the CCDA-1 and Africa Pavilion üAfrica Pavilion (COP 17) promotion has resulted in the engagement of African stakeholders üThese outputs and outcomes are, amongst other things, informing the 2012 work plan for the Clim. Dev Africa Programme

UNECA Upcoming milestones Milestones December 31 st üthe first full calendar year of operation of the ACPC 2011 November 28 -December 9 ü 17 th Conference of Parties (COP 17) and the 7 th Session of the Meeting of the Parties (CMP 7) to the Kyoto Protocol (KP), including: ü Africa Pavilion ü Africa Day • The CCDA-1 will bring together Clim. Dev. Africa stakeholders from the areas of: – policy – practice – research • The CCDA-1, Africa Pavilion and Africa Day are platforms for: 2012 – knowledge generation, sharing and networking – advocacy and consensus building – advisory services and technical cooperation • The 31 st of December is a time to reflect on: – recruitment and the capacity of the Centre – progress on the work programme – the state of the Clim. Dev-Africa Programme • The CCDA-1, Africa Pavilion and Africa Day will set the Clim. Dev-Africa and ACPC agenda for 2012

UNECA United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Thank you Youba Sokona YSokona@uneca. org Climate Change Meets Policy