Preparatory conference for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20)

1. Climate Change Meets Policy ClimDev-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)

2. Outline 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 ClimDev-Africa and the ACPC

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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

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

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

8. African Scenarios – there is a lot of uncertainty 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% Source: Maartin de Wit and Jacek Stankiewicz www.scienceexpress.org/2March2006/Page1/10.1126/science1119929 Changes in surface water supply across Africa with Predicted Climate Change Will there be increases or decreases in available water? Example: Blue Nile GCM downscaling Runoff Precipitation Potential ET Actual ET 10 models show likely decrease of runoff while 7 shows like increase of runoff

9. Africa is responding to climate change 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, AfricaAdapt • African Adaptation Programme • The ClimDev-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

10. 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

11. Recently Africa’s growth has been widespread… 11

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

13. 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

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

15. 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

16. Turning adversity into opportunity • Physical scarcity: Not enough water. • 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 m3/yr of which 15% (810 million m3/yr) is groundwater • Low level of withdrawals of water for agriculture, water supply and energy: 3.8% of total annual WR Hydropower Outlook fro Africa (BMZ, EUDEV.de, 2007) 6-9/11/2007

17. 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

18. The policy challenge Climate change • 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. Business as usual Development and underdevelopment • Holistic approach, concerted and differentiated mitigation as well as adaptation actions are absolute prerequisites. Climate change Climateadaptation and mitigation • Development • climate resilient • low carbon • resource efficient • sustainable • A future with • energy access • water availability • food security • employment • opportunity

19. Finance challenge From the Copenhagen Accord and Cancun Agreements… • 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 Fast start finance Long term finance Cancun agreements LULUCF & REDD + ? Adaptation and NAPAs US$100 Billion per year from 2020 US$30 Billion 2010-2012 ? Technology development and transfer ? ? Capacity building

20. Challenge for coherent national framework Linking international, national and local levels of climate adaptation and mitigation National Framework • 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 LULUCF & REDD + Communities Institutions and grass roots groups Dialogue Agreement Action Adaptation and NAPAs • Climate finance • Fast start / Long Term Finance • Multilateral • Bilateral • Private • Information and knowledge • Indigenous knowledge • Institutional knowledge • Research Technology development and transfer Action, participation and employment Capacity building

21. Any difficult journey requires innovation

22. ClimDev-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. Meetings of the Chief Executives of the AUC, UNECA and AfDB ClimDevProgrammeSteering Committee (CDSC) (AUC, UNECA, AfDB and others) Technical Advisory Panel ClimDev-Africa Special Fund (AfDB - CDSF) African Climate Policy Centre (UNECA - ACPC) Climate Change and Desertification Unit (AUC - CCDU) Stakeholder forums e.g. Climate Change and Dev. Conf. & other forums/platforms Regional / sub-regional level RECs/SROs, Regional/Sub-Regional Climate Institutions, RBOs, Research Institutions National level NMHSs, Sectoral Actors (public sector, private sector, civil society)

23. The ACPC Climate and Dev. 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

24. Activities to date • The ACPC Work Programme has been presented by the ACPC in many forums • The contents of the Work Programme have been widely consulted with stakeholders • The activities under the Work Programme are demand led

25. Activities to date • Climate science, data, information and service delivery • High Level Expert Consultation for gaps and needs analysis • 5 issue papers under development • These papers will be presented to the CCDA Conference • Climate resilience development and adaptation • High Level Expert Consultation on water and agriculture sectors, consultations with RECs and others • West Africa Trans-boundary Aquifer Management Project • 6 issue papers under development, feeding into CCDA • Started work NEPAD, The Gambia, UNDP Ethiopia, etc • Low carbon development and energy in Africa • High Level Expert Consultation for gaps and needs analysis • 14 issue papers under development • Started low carbon development scenarios project • Framing paper on energy access and poverty • Involved in review of investment plan for SREP with UNDP • Climate finance and economics • Produced a discussion paper on climate finance for Africa • Undertaking research on fast start finance to support AMCEN • Working with TERI on carbon finance and policy compendium • Working with ACCE carbon credit and finance instruments for Africa • Working with SRO-North African on financing instrument for renewable energy

26. Supporting climate change negotiators • Identifying knowledge needs • Preparation of papers to better inform their negotiation positions • Seconded senior experts to service meetings of African negotiators • CoP17, Africa Pavilion and Africa Day • Concept notes prepared • Supporting organisation and resource mobilisation • Chairing technical sub-committee and supporting communications sub-committee • Communications • Website launched • First newsletter published • News bulletins, briefing notes and interviews organised Activities to date

27. Activities to date • Servicing African Union and regional bodies • Review of African Climate Change Strategy • Backstopping as requested e.g. Ministerial meetings • Initiating sub-regional and national projects • Requests received from The Gambia, Djibouti and Ethiopia • Started transboundary aquifer management project with GWP in West Africa • Started Capacity building for climate change adaptation SRO-NA • Kicked off FIRM project – covering Kenya, Rwanda, Mali, Zambia, and The Gambia • Initiated Infrastructure and climate change with SRO-EA • Supporting a climate change action plan with CA (CEEAC) • NAMAs and MRV • Supporting ECOWAS strengthen capacity of member states • Investigating collaboration with various partners on MRV methods for Africa • Supporting climate data and information initiatives across Africa • e.g. Geoshare, GGIM, ACMAD, AMESD and MESA • Partnerships established • Partnerships are at various levels of development and formalisation

28. Activities to date • Servicing ClimDev-Africa Joint Secretariat Working Group (AUC, UNECA and AfDB), eg: • Preparation and servicing the meetings • Provision of background information such as the ACPC work programme • Prepared, hosted and serviced the ClimDevProgramme Steering Committee (CDSC): • Prepared and hosted meeting • Provided relevant documents such as • An Africa Day concept note • A CCDA-1 concept note • A revised TOR for the CDSC • A ClimDev-Africa Work Plan • Reviewed the draft ClimDev Special Fund Operations and Procedures Manual: • Provided comments on the draft • Reviewed a second draft • Met with an AfDB representative and discussed key points from the manual

29. Activities to date • Organised and hosted the first Climate change and development in Africa Conference (CCDA-1) • Outputs and outcomes include: • Outcome Statement of the First Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-I) • Report of the CCDA-1 Conference • Papers and reports in support of the CCDA-1 and Africa Pavilion • Africa Pavilion (COP17) promotion has resulted in the engagement of African stakeholders • These outputs and outcomes are, amongst other things, informing the 2012 work plan for the ClimDev Africa Programme

30. Upcoming milestones • December 31st • the first full calendar year of operation of the ACPC Milestones • The CCDA-1 will bring together ClimDev-Africa stakeholders from the areas of: • policy • practice • research • The CCDA-1, Africa Pavilion and Africa Day are platforms for: • knowledge generation, sharing and networking • advocacy and consensus building • advisory services and technical cooperation • The 31st of December is a time to reflect on: • recruitment and the capacity of the Centre • progress on the work programme • the state of the ClimDev-Africa Programme • The CCDA-1, Africa Pavilion and Africa Day will set the ClimDev-Africa and ACPC agenda for 2012 2011 2012 • November 28-December 9 • 17th Conference of Parties (COP17) and the 7th Session of the Meeting of the Parties (CMP7) to the Kyoto Protocol (KP), including: • Africa Pavilion • Africa Day

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