Session 2.1 Environment Initiative of NEPAD

1. Session 2.1 Environment Initiative of NEPAD Workshop on Environment Statistics and Accounts 7 – 11 March 2011 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

2. Outline of Presentation • I. Introduction • II. Priority sectors of NEPAD • III. Environment Initiative of NEPAD • IV. Challenges that affect the environment • V. Organization of the Environment Initiative • VI. Environmental conventions • VII. Environment Indicators of NEPAD / AEO-2

3. I. Introduction • The objective of NEPAD is to arrest the current high level of poverty in the continent and put Africa back firmly on the world’s development agenda and on the path to irreversible and sustainable development. • NEPAD has been conceived by African Heads of State as a development framework with emphasis on partnership. It is based on the realization that Africa has offered and continues to offer much to the world and humanity, and the rest of the world owes it a duty to respond to its present situation. • NEPAD is about uniting the continent as an economic and trading bloc and increasing its competitiveness, and it is about changing the current global market and financial structure.

4. II. Priority sectors of NEPAD • NEPAD has identified eight priority sectors: • Infrastructure (ICTs, Energy, Transport, Water and Sanitation) • Human Resource Development • Agriculture • Culture • Science and Technology • Mobilizing Resources • Market Access • The Environment

5. III. Environment Initiative of NEPAD • The Environment Initiative is one of the core priority initiatives of NEPAD • The objective of the environment initiative – a coherent action plan and strategies – is to address the region’s environmental challenges while at the same time combating poverty and promoting socio-economic development • The environment initiative was prepared under the leadership of AMCEN, in cooperation with the NEPAD secretariat, the African Union, and with support from UNEP and GEF.

6. III. Environment Initiative of NEPAD (cont’d) • During the initiative preparation eight thematic workshops were organized. The workshops were on: • Desertification; Invasive species; Poverty and environment; Forests; Wetlands; Health and environment; Marine and coastal environment and freshwater resources; and Climate change. • The Environment initiative was endorsed by AMCEN and adopted by the African Union meeting. • The environment initiative will be implemented in harmony with the other components of NEPAD.

7. III. Environment Initiative of NEPAD (cont’d) • The initiative builds upon the problems of pollution, forests and plant genetic resources, fresh water, capacity building and technology transfer. • The NEPAD environment initiative which is organized in clusters of programmatic and project activities is planned to be implemented over a period of ten years. • It is developed through wide consultative process • The private sector has role to play • Consultative meeting was held with civil society groups

8. III. Environment Initiative of NEPAD (cont’d) The preparation process took into consideration: • The relation between environment and culture & traditional knowledge • The development of the human and institutional capacity of countries • Requirement of adequate financial resources to be mobilized by countries • Additional international financial resources that will be required • Peace and security

9. IV. Challenges that affect the environment Some of the challenges of Africa that affect the environment are indicated to be: • Rapid population growth • Rising levels of poverty • Inappropriate development practices • Impacts of drought and other natural disasters • Diseases • Ineffective development policies • Unfavourable terms of trade • Debt burden • Unsustainable exploitation of natural resources

10. V. Structure of the Environment Initiative The Environment initiative is organized under six programmatic areas (PA) and three cross-cutting issues, namely: • PA1 - Combating Land Degradation, Drought and Desertification • PA2 - Conserving Africa’s Wetlands • PA3 - Prevention, Control and Management of Invasive Alien Species • PA4 - Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine, Coastal and Freshwater Resources • PA5 – Combating Climate Change in Africa • PA6 – Trans-boundary Conservation or Management of Natural Resources • Cross-cutting issues • Health and environment • Transfer of environmentally sound technologies • Assessment of early warning on natural disasters

11. VI. Environmental conventions Regional • London Convention for the Protection of Wild Animals, Birds and Fish in Africa (1900) • African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (1968) • Protocol on Protected Areas and Wild Flora and Fauna in Easter Africa Region (1985) • Convention for Cooperation in the Protection and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of West and Central African Region • Convention on Establishing a Permanent inter-state drought control committee for the Sahel • Bamako convention on the ban of the import into Africa and the control of trans-boundary movement and management of hazardous wastes within Africa • Lusaka agreement on cooperative enforcement operations directed at illegal trade in wild fauna and flora

12. VI. Environmental conventions (cont’d) • International environmental conventions and programmes that most African countries ratified • Convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal (Basel Convention) • Stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutants • Convention on the prior informed consent procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade (Rotterdam Convention) • Ramsar convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat • Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)) • Convention on the conservation of migratory species of wild animals

13. VI. Environmental conventions (cont’d) • Convention concerning the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage • The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification • The Convention on Biological Diversity • The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change • The main achievement of the conventions is the formulation of sub-regional and national actions on environment issues. • The conventions’ implementation was hampered by inadequate financial and human resources and institution capacities

14. VII. Environment Indicators of NEPAD / AEO-2 The indicators are under Themes-Issues-Indicator-Data Matrix (May, 2005) There are 13 thematic areas, namely • 1. Socio-economic issues • 2. Air (Atmosphere) • 3. Land • 4. Forests and woodlands • 5. Freshwater • 6. Conservation, sustainable use, coastal and freshwater resources • 7. Wetlands • 8. Coastal and marine • 9. Biodiversity • 10. Human settlements • 11. Human health and environment • 12. Energy • 13. Natural disasters and environmental performance

15. VII. Environment Indicators of NEPAD / AEO-2 (cont’d) 46 priority issues were identified • Air quality • Assessment of main factors of significant impacts on the present wetlands • Biodiversity • Burden of ill health • Causes of natural disasters • Climate change • Climate variability • Coastal and marine pollution • Coastal erosion / sedimentation • Energy consumption • Energy production

16. VII. Environment Indicators of NEPAD / AEO-2 (cont’d) • Established protected areas • Forest change (loss / degradation) • Forest resources management • Human development • Impact of invasion on ecosystem • Land quality (degradation) • Land tenure / ownership • Land use (appropriate and sustainable farming systems) • Land use (settlements) • Loss of habitat • Loss of species • Marine biodiversity

17. VII. Environment Indicators of NEPAD / AEO-2 (cont’d) • Mortality • Over fishing • Pesticide use and management • Population with access to freshwater resources • Prediction • Preventing and controlling invasive alien species • Protected areas • Rangeland carrying capacity • River damming • Sanitation • Strategies to conserve wetlands • Threats and impacts of alien invasive species • Urbanization

18. VII. Environment Indicators of NEPAD / AEO-2 (cont’d) • Urbanization of coastal zones • Waste management • Water accessibility • Water availability • Water borne diseases • Water management issues • Water quality • Water quantity • Water usage • Wetlands degradation Indicators: 154 indicators were selected to be compiled by countries

19. Thank you