Climatic issues and development

1. Climatic issues and development Prudent carbon development and opportunities for Africa Emmanuel Seck Ouagadougou, Oct. 10

2. Contents • CONTEXT • PRUDENT AND CARBON RESILIENT DEVELOPMENT • OPPORTUNITIES FOR AFRICA • CONCLUSION

3. Context • A large number of crises feeding off each other: energy, finance, economics, food, climate. • Collapse of international climate negotiations: lack of political will and of historical and financial responsibility • Limits to decentralisation: • Transfer of powers (management of land and natural resources, etc.) • Basic infrastructures • Lack of national climate policies. And even of national development policies which might mitigate vulnerability to CC

4. In search of a new paradigm… • The model of the industrialised countries is unsustainable: finite energy resources and saturation of atmosphere. • From now on it becomes impossible to think of climate change and development separately. • But how can they be reconciled? • Planning today: documents aplenty, duplicates, lacunae, contradictions ……………………………………………………………………………………… • Carbon prudence: a strategic economic choice for states at risk because of energy • Adaptation as a tool to combat poverty The fight against CC: a lever to escape from poverty

5. In search of a development tool which… • Can be quickly implemented; • Meets local development objectives as regards food security, • Incorporates strategies which are CC resilient, carbon prudent and low energy consumers in development strategies • Is based on what already exists: strategies, objectives, documentation already developed • Is inspired by local successes • Is based on local organisation since this is best placed to identify needs and to understand demands • Decentralises implementation (factors in the decentralisation process) • Is incorporated in a national strategy and a multilateral framework ……………………………………….. the PDSCR Le Plan de Développement Sobre en Carbone et Résilient aux impacts du CC [the Prudent Carbon Development CC Resilient Plan]

6. A cohesive approach based on “integrated” experiences/projects Why? • To leverage the experiences of the NGOs and to facilitate the dissemination of best practices • To show that successful projects exist which incorporate development issues, resilience and energy prudent issues • To take advantage of the micro level as a start point for the integrated approach Because… • Projects are very useful communication tools: illustrated, people-based, etc. • Projects are tools which influence the strategic choices of territorial groupings • The project operators are the most likely people to identify the hindrances and opportunities associated with this approach

7. Opportunities for Africa • To incorporate the basic infrastructures into a sustainable, low carbon model • To use successful experiences/projects as a basis • - Sustainable land management and local economic development • Community management of forest carbon stores • - Promotion of better stoves to combat deforestation • Ecotourism to combat poverty and protect biodiversity • Promotion of alternative energy (biofuels, etc.) • Construction of anti-salt ditches • Hydro-agricultural planning, retention ponds How can we develop and implement a climate and development approach locally and nationally?

8. Local level: laboratory of innovative ideas and implementation level of the PDSCR L’ECHELON LOCAL Functions: • To identify weaknesses, needs and demands within communities • Development planning • Implementation of the PDSCR • Ensuring the participation of all communities • Ensuring that climate goals are factored into the development actions Conditions for success • Diagnosis of weaknesses and opportunities for the zone associated with CC • Sector-based initiatives/strategies must be consistent • Stakeholders to be kept fully informed • Agreement/discussion forums • Investment framework to mobilise resources

9. National level harmonising and facilitating the implementation of the PDSCR • Functions • A single vision of the climate and development for the whole region • Funding framework • Political strategy • Conditions for success • Structure and consolidate economic elements to render political strategies operational • Develop a financial tool facilitating joint funding and mobilising fresh resources • Optimise access to and the channelling and allocation of international finance • Involve civil society • Buttress inter-ministry coordination • Reinforce institutional powers • Ensure that local initiatives have political traction

10. Conclusion • A number of local initiatives in Africa and elsewhere show that policies designed to combat climate change are inseparable from development policies. • The powers of local and community authorities must be upgraded, since it is they who can identify their needs, their opportunities and their weaknesses with a view to becoming more resilient. • Matters associated with climate change must be incorporated into development strategies • The PDSCR must be promoted, since it can guarantee a better use of scarce resources and avoid duplication by demonstrating convergence between carbon prudence, adaptation to climate change and the fight against poverty.

11. enda