CSOs against backsliding by G20 countries on climate commitments

In light of the worrying signals that the G20 countries are sending about their commitment to climate ambition, civil society representatives say these countries are threatening to exacerbate the climate emergency and push the limits of dangerous warming beyond 1.5C degrees.

Language on climate change and the Paris Agreement of the G20 communiqué expected to come out of the leaders’ summit in Osaka, Japan this Friday, is looking weak and alarming.

Worryingly, it omits the phrases “global warming” and “decarbonisation” and limits to temperature rise.

Signals coming from the G20 countries are indicating that they will continue to support fossil fuel subsidies and overall expansion.

Civil society representatives, who spoke at a news conference at the Bonn climate talks, said that countries are going against the tide, people’s will and the science.

This will soon make these countries irrelevant and their policies incompatible with the reality on the ground and the requirements for a better future that leaves no one behind.

Countries are increasingly caving to fossil fuels interests and the agenda of rich countries backing them, which will lead to increasing and more intense climate impacts and loss and damage.
 

Some of the concerns are expressed below:

Catherine Abreu, Executive Director, CAN Canada, said:
“So far, 2019 has been characterized by two trends: people losing their homes and their lives at unimaginable rates thanks to the floods, fires and famines caused by climate chaos, and; governments beholden to fossil fuel interests teaming up to hijack multilateral events like the G20 with destructive anti-climate agendas that betray the people who depend on them. It is sickening. Governments of the world listen up: either we confront climate change with you or without you. Act now or become irrelevant.”

Kelly Trout, Senior Research Analyst, Oil Change International, said:
“The latest analysis shows G20 countries are still propping up coal to the tune of $64 billion a year, tripling support for coal plants since 2013. G20 host Japan is one of the worst offenders on coal, and now may be leading the G20 backward on climate commitments in Osaka.”

“Ten years ago, G20 leaders came out of their summit pledging to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. At this stage of climate emergency, every new subsidy that helps lock in fossil fuel pollution is not only inefficient but unconscionable.”

“It’s good to see a growing list of governments declaring climate emergencies. But in the real world, no rational person would pull a fire alarm with one hand and then fan the flames with the other. This is what G20 governments as long as they continue to support and fund the expansion of oil, gas and coal production and burning adding fuel to the fire of the climate crisis. The carbon mass shows we already have enough oil, gas and coal under development globally to push the world well above 1.5C degrees of warming.”

“So it’s time for governments to decide here in Bonn, at the G20 and at the UNSG Summit this September. Are they for the Paris Agreement goals or are they for the expansion of the fossil fuel industry. Those two things are no longer compatible. To limit global warming to 1.5°C, all new investment needs to be in renewable solutions not new sources of pollution.”

Nouhad Awwad, CAN Arab World Regional Coordinator, said:
“We need transparency in the process and civil society participation in national and regional policy-making and for the private sector to assume its responsibilities. Most importantly, we need progress on finance, which is lacking here. Finance is limited to humanitarian response and no funds are allocated to land rehabilitation, territorial losses and other issues to treat the massive human suffering from climate impacts. For the drought in Madagascar, only 20.7% of the needed amount was delivered and for the drought in Somalia only 21.7% of the needed amount was delivered.”

Sriram Madhusoodanan, Deputy Campaigns Director, Corporate Accountability, said:
“For decades, we’ve seen that the UN climate talks have failed to deliver the kind of action that people are demanding around the world. For years, time and again the influence and interference of the very corporations and industries that have fueled this crisis, that have blocked and undermined progress, is apparent within these walls. This is one of the greatest challenges we’re now facing as we work collectively to address the climate crisis that the same industries here with us are trying to ensure that everything remains business as usual. Fossil fuel corporations like Schell, Exxon and BP have been sending people to these talks themselves and through trade associations to lobby for weaker policy on climate for decades. Since 1995, there’s been more than 6,000 delegates including Schell and Exxon Mobil here at the talks.”

“We see that the US, Australia, New Zealand, Norway and the EU have repeatedly defended the involvement of the same polluting corporations that have known about and driven the climate crisis at these talks. This is completely absurd. It’s like trying to put out a fire by bringing in an arsonist. Unlike the past two years when countries stood unified and made the US stand on its own, this year we’re seeing Japan cave to the US and fossil fuel interests.”

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Growing at a slower pace, world population is expected to reach 9.7 billion in 2050

The world’s population is expected to increase by 2 billion persons in the next 30 years, from 7.7 billion currently to 9.7 billion in 2050, according to a new United Nations report.

The World Population Prospects 2019: Highlights, which is published by the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, provides a comprehensive overview of global demographic patterns and prospects. The study concluded that the world’s population could reach its peak around the end of the current century, at a level of nearly 11 billion.

The report also confirmed that the world’s population is growing older due to increasing life expectancy and falling fertility levels, and that the number of countries experiencing a reduction in population size is growing. The resulting changes in the size, composition and distribution of the world’s population have important consequences for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the globally agreed targets for improving economic prosperity and social well-being while protecting the environment.

The world’s population continues to increase, but growth rates vary greatly across regions

The new population projections indicate that nine countries will make up more than half the projected growth of the global population between now and 2050: India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, the United Republic of Tanzania, Indonesia, Egypt and the United States of America (in descending order of the expected increase). Around 2027, India is projected to overtake China as the world’s most populous country.

The population of sub-Saharan Africa is projected to double by 2050 (99% increase). Regions that may experience lower rates of population growth between 2019 and 2050 include Oceania excluding Australia/New Zealand (56%), Northern Africa and Western Asia (46%), Australia/New Zealand (28%), Central and Southern Asia (25%), Latin America and the Caribbean (18%), Eastern and South-Eastern Asia (3%), and Europe and Northern America (2%).

The global fertility rate, which fell from 3.2 births per woman in 1990 to 2.5 in 2019, is projected to decline further to 2.2 in 2050. In 2019, fertility remains above 2.1 births per woman, on average, over a lifetime in sub-Saharan Africa (4.6), Oceania excluding Australia/New Zealand (3.4), Northern Africa and Western Asia (2.9), and Central and Southern Asia (2.4). (A fertility level of 2.1 births per woman is needed to ensure replacement of generations and avoid population decline over the long run in the absence of immigration.)

Mr. Liu Zhenmin, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, said the report offers a roadmap indicating where to target action and interventions. “Many of the fastest growing populations are in the poorest countries, where population growth brings additional challenges in the effort to eradicate poverty, achieve greater equality, combat hunger and malnutrition and strengthen the coverage and quality of health and education systems to ensure that no one is left behind.”

Growth of the working-age population is creating opportunities for economic growth

In most of sub-Saharan Africa, and in parts of Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean, recent reductions in fertility have caused the population at working ages (25-64 years) to grow faster than at other ages, creating an opportunity for accelerated economic growth thanks to a favourable population age distribution. To benefit from this “demographic dividend”, governments should invest in education and health, especially for young people, and create conditions conducive to sustained economic growth.

People in the poorest countries still live 7 years less than the global average

Life expectancy at birth for the world, which increased from 64.2 years in 1990 to 72.6 years in 2019, is expected to increase further to 77.1 years in 2050. While considerable progress has been made in closing the longevity differential between countries, large gaps remain.  In 2019, life expectancy at birth in the least developed countries lags 7.4 years behind the global average, due largely to persistently high levels of child and maternal mortality, as well as violence, conflict and the continuing impact of the HIV epidemic.

The world’s population is growing older, with the age group of 65 and over growing the fastest

By 2050, one in six people in the world will be over age 65 (16%), up from one in 11 in 2019 (9%). Regions where the share of the population aged 65 years or over is projected to double between 2019 and 2050 include Northern Africa and Western Asia, Central and Southern Asia, Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. By 2050, one in four persons living in Europe and Northern America could be aged 65 or over. In 2018, for the first time in history, persons aged 65 or above outnumbered children under five years of age globally. The number of persons aged 80 years or over is projected to triple, from 143 million in 2019 to 426 million in 2050.

Falling proportion of working-age population is putting pressure on social protection systems

The potential support ratio, which compares numbers of persons at working ages to those over age 65, is falling around the world. In Japan this ratio is 1.8, the lowest in the world. An additional 29 countries, mostly in Europe and the Caribbean, already have potential support ratios below three. By 2050, 48 countries, mostly in Europe, Northern America, and Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, are expected to have potential support ratios below two. These low values underscore the potential impact of population ageing on the labour market and economic performance, as well as the fiscal pressures that many countries will face in the coming decades as they seek to build and maintain public systems of health care, pensions and social protection for older persons.

A growing number of countries are experiencing a reduction in population size

Since 2010, 27 countries or areas have experienced a reduction of one per cent or more in the size of their populations. This drop is caused by sustained low levels of fertility. The impact of low fertility on population size is reinforced in some locations by high rates of emigration. Between 2019 and 2050, populations are projected to decrease by one per cent or more in 55 countries or areas, of which 26 may see a reduction of at least ten per cent. In China, for example, the population is projected to decrease by 31.4 million, or around 2.2 per cent, between 2019 and 2050.

Migration has become a major component of population change in some countries

Between 2010 and 2020, fourteen countries or areas will see a net inflow of more than one million migrants, while ten countries will see a net outflow of similar magnitude. Some of the largest migratory outflows are driven by the demand for migrant workers (Bangladesh, Nepal and the Philippines) or by violence, insecurity and armed conflict (Myanmar, Syria and Venezuela). Belarus, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, Serbia and Ukraine will experience a net inflow of migrants over the decade, helping to offset population losses caused by an excess of deaths over births.

“These data constitute a critical piece of the evidence base needed for monitoring global progress toward achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030”, says John Wilmoth, Director of the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. “More than one third of the indicators approved for use as part of the global monitoring of the SDGs rely on data from World Population Prospects,” he added.

About the report

The World Population Prospects 2019: Highlights presents the main results of the 26^th round of the UN’s global population estimates and projections. The report includes updated population estimates from 1950 to the present for 235 countries or areas, based on detailed analyses of all available information about the relevant historical demographic trends. The latest assessment uses the results of 1,690 national population censuses conducted between 1950 and 2018, as well as information from vital registration systems and from 2,700 nationally representative sample surveys. The 2019 revision also presents population projections from the present until 2100, depicting a range of possible or plausible outcomes at the global, regional and country levels.

UN enlists chefs to lead in campaign for sustainable food to tackle climate change

Chefs from around the world will help the United Nations kick-off a new campaign today – Sustainable Gastronomy Day – that aims to engage people in the global effort to tackle climate change through healthy and sustainable food choices.
 
Leading chefs will spearhead the challenge and provide inspiration by presenting their own creations which will be featured on the United Nations’ platforms to create a global wave of culinary creativity as people share their favorite recipes and photos.

The UN’s ActNow campaign aims to generate momentum towards the Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit on 23 September 2019, where leaders from governments, business and civil society will demonstrate large-scale plans to significantly reduce emissions and build climate resilience and adaptation.

“It is clear that since 2015, progress has been made across a number of the Sustainable Development Goals.  The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change have inspired an impressive early response from Governments, the private sector, local authorities, civil society, the scientific community and many more.  But it is also clear that we must move much further and much faster to achieve our Goals by 2030’” said UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed. “We can achieve the SDGs by 2030.  We can win the race against climate change.  But individuals have a big role to play, and through the ActNow Campaign, we aim to bring all people into the collective effort to limit climate change and build a sustainable world.”

Joining the campaign is the Copenhagen-based non-profit MAD, founded by Chef René Redzepi of world-renowned restaurant noma, working to transform our food system by giving chefs and restaurateurs the skills, community, time and space to create real and sustainable change. Alongside MAD, will be the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the SDG2 Advocacy Hub, and Kitchen Connection, which are working to engage chefs in the sustainable food movement.

With agriculture contributing to about one-fifth of global emissions, largely through food waste and meat consumption, the UN’s ActNow campaign will showcase the efforts and recipes of renowned chefs who are cooking with ingredients that can help reduce greenhouse gases and damage to the environment.

Food consumption is impacting the climate in many ways. The destruction of rainforests to create land for agriculture, along with growing demand for meat, are major contributors to increasing greenhouse gases. And one-third of the food that is produced in the world each year – approximately 1.3 billion tonnes at an economic cost of $940 billion to farmers, companies, and consumers – is lost or wasted, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. Wasted food is responsible for roughly 8 per cent of global emissions – if food waste were a country, it would have the third largest emissions in the world.  

As more and more chefs and other food suppliers are focusing on local and organic produce and shifting away from meat-heavy meals and fast food, the UN’s ActNow campaign aims to inspire even more people to enjoy sustainable, climate-conscious and delicious food.

Melina Shannon-DiPietro, Executive Director of MAD, says: “At MAD, and in speaking with chefs from around the globe, I’m reminded over and over again that the restaurant world is driven by a sense of creativity, care, and hospitality. Their commitment to the environment is driven by that same values, and the UN’s ActNow campaign gives our restaurant community the opportunity to share their best practices and most creative discoveries with one another and the public.”

“All ingredients are blessings from nature – vegetables, fruits, seafood – these are all affected by climate change,” said Chef Katsuhiro Nakamura, FAO National Goodwill Ambassador for Japan. “That is a huge loss for us. We have to preserve nature. Disgracing nature ties in with climate change, and ultimately, affects what we eat.”

Climate change is affecting some of the essential ingredients used in the main meal of the day, said Italian celebrity chef Carlo Cracco. "My work with IFAD and farmers in Cambodia and Morocco shows that these family farmers need to adapt to climate change impacts now, and that working with IFAD adaptation to climate change can actually increase food security and income."

In addition to the chefs, the ActNow campaign is inviting people around the world to make their individual contribution to sustainable food consumption. The challenge is to cook up dishes that are not only delicious but also good for the planet and good for us – reducing meat and emphasizing diverse vegetarian ingredients instead.

New York-based Chef Grace Ramirez said, “Confronting the climate crisis can feel overwhelming, but the ActNow food challenge offers a simple place to start -- your plate. With a few green hacks and tips on how to cook and entertain more sustainably, we can all make decisions that have less harmful effects on the environment.”

ActNow is the United Nations’ global call to individual action on climate change. The campaign is a critical part of the UN’s coordinated effort to raise awareness, ambition, and action for climate change and accelerate implementation of the Paris Agreement.

The campaign began at the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in December 2018, when Sir David Attenborough launched the ActNow.bot. Taking advantage of technical innovation, the campaign harnesses advances in Artificial Intelligence to spur behavior change. The ActNow.bot recommends everyday actions to reduce our carbon footprints – like traveling more sustainably, saving energy or eating less meat.

Why climate change means a rethink of coffee and cocoa production systems

New research by an international group of scientists, from Inland Norway University, Bioversity International, Wageningen University and World Agroforestry, examines whether incorporating suitable trees into crop systems or replacing coffee with cocoa could help the thousands of families in Mesoamerica meet future climate conditions.

Global demand for coffee and cocoa is on the rise. Yet across the equatorial belt where these two crops are produced, the future is not looking bright. Climate change in the tropics is pushing coffee and cocoa closer to the limits of physiological tolerance and constraining the places where they can grow in the future.

A new study examines future climate scenarios in Mesoamerica and how they could affect the distribution of these crops from Panama to Central Mexico.

Coffee production, especially of the Arabica coffee, will likely decrease as global warming and extreme weather events reduce the geographical areas where it grows best, and increase susceptibility to pest and disease outbreaks – coffee leaf rust affected 70% of the coffee farms in Central America in 2017.

Cocoa may have a more positive future. The study concludes that half of the current coffee plantations that are vulnerable to global warming in the future could be replaced by cocoa.

“This opens a window of opportunity for climate change adaptation” highlights Kauê de Sousa, Research Fellow and leading author of the study. “The interest of smallholder farmers in cocoa is growing, driven by the vulnerability of coffee in the changing climate. Now we have to build capacity among smallholders to adapt their crop systems successfully” continues de Sousa.  

Both crops are mostly grown under agroforestry management – where trees are incorporated into farming systems.

“Coffee and cocoa are both traditionally grown under tree shade in order to reduce heat stress and conserve soil, but the shade trees are typically ignored in most future climate change studies”, says Roeland Kindt, Senior Ecologist at World Agroforestry.

The agroforestry approach also brings additional ecosystem services, which make the production system more resilient, for example, by conserving water and providing habitats for birds and insects which can act as natural pest predators.

“Agroforestry systems are clear examples of how positive interactions between plants can ameliorate harsh growing conditions and facilitate agricultural productivity. Our study explores which tree species may be more successful in future coffee and cocoa plantations to create more benign microclimates” says Milena Holmgren, expert on ecosystem resilience to climate variability, at Wageningen University.

When the researchers examined the top ten trees currently present in coffee and cocoa agroforestry systems, worryingly they identified that they are the ones most vulnerable to climate change.

The authors found that the distribution range of almost 80% of tree species in coffee areas and 62% on cocoa areas will drastically shrink.

These include tree species that are important for fruit (e.g. mango, guava and avocado) and timber (e.g. cedar), as well as an estimated 56% loss of nitrogen-fixing trees (e.g. poró and guama), which have the ability to enhance soil productivity and conservation. “Despite the concerning decrease in tree suitability, our study provides alternatives for coffee and cocoa agroforestry under the climate emergency faced by farmers today”, adds Kauê de Sousa.

Transforming agroforestry systems by changing tree species composition remains the best bet to adapt most of the coffee and cocoa farms across Mesoamerica, the study recommends. This would involve urgent changes to land use planning, incorporating diversified tree species and including underutilised species into redesigned agroforestry systems. The seed sector also needs to step up by offering farmers seeds and seedlings of the most suitable tree species for each climatic zone. The farmers also need to get on board.

“Farmers need to rethink current agroforestry species composition and use a portfolio that is suitable in the future climate. This is a challenging task, because it takes a long time for farmers to see their investments bearing fruit,” explains Kauê de Sousa. “We identified that this potential may rely on currently underutilized tree species, such as June plum, sapodilla and breadnut; species that are currently present in coffee and cocoa systems, but in low densities, as they are mainly remnants of previous farm vegetation rather than being actively planted and managed by farmers.”

Jenny Ordoñez, Senior Author concludes: “This study is a very useful first step to improve the design of agroforestry systems as it shows a window of opportunities to maintain diversified agroforestry systems using underutilized species or novel combinations of species. It also opens new areas of research to promote the use of underutilized species which will maintain their suitability under climate change.”

World's poorest demand accelerated action on climate change

Countries must accelerate action on climate change now, before it's too late, says new Bhutanese leader.

Emissions must be cut faster, and poor countries must be supported in addressing climate change, said Sonam P. Wangdi, the new Chair of the Least Developed Countries Group in UN climate change negotiations.

The Least Developed Countries Group is made up of the 47 poorest countries, which disproportionately suffer from the ever-increasing impacts of climate change, despite contributing the least to global warming.

Representing almost one billion people throughout Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Caribbean, the group negotiates as a bloc in UN climate negotiations to secure fair and ambitious action on climate change.

Time is running out and the science is undeniable. Unless drastic action is taken now, the world will heat up well beyond 1.5°C, affecting hundreds of millions of people.

"Already at just 1°C of warming we are seeing the devastating impacts of climate change; lives and livelihoods are being lost. There is only so much suffering we can take," said Mr Wangdi, speaking at the 50th session of UN climate change negotiations in Bonn.

From 17 - 27 June 2019, the United Nations climate change negotiations are convening in Bonn, Germany. The talks provide a key opportunity for countries to coordinate global efforts to tackle climate change.

"We suffer the impacts of climate change first and the worst, although barely contributing to its cause," said Bhutanese leader.

"We need to see those responsible accelerate action on climate change and scale up finance provided to the poor and vulnerable so that we can adapt, address the loss and damage climate change continues to cause, and develop without depending on dirty fossil fuels."

"Why should children have to miss school to tell us that we need to urgently address this climate crisis? We know this is an emergency; now is the time for action."

"Although we didn't create this problem, the Least Developed Countries have stepped up to be part of the solution."

"But we expect other countries with much greater capabilities and responsibilities, particularly developed countries, to take more leadership in responding to climate change."

The members of the Least Developed Countries Group include Mozambique and Malawi which were hit this year by unprecedented cyclones that killed more than 600 people and affected 2.6 million more. Around the same time, another member country, Nepal, was hit by its first tornado in recorded history.

African civil society reflects on Bonn Climate Change Negotiations

African governments and civil society are joining the UN Climate Change Conference (SB50) in Bonn, Germany, amidst very disturbing memories of recent impacts of extreme weather events on the continent, especially in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

The African continent is under extreme pressure more than ever due to these extreme events.

Africa Civil Society, under the umbrella of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), has called for urgent climate action and support to addressing such extreme events.

In Katowice last year, there was a call for a comprehensive and balanced Paris Agreement Work Programme to be delivered that upholds equity, justice and act as an anchor in the Paris Agreement’s implementation.

But this ambition is yet to be realized.

In a press statement signed by Mithika Mwenda, the Executive Director of PACJA, African CSOs have outline expectations from the Bonn climate talks:

Loss and Damage

We call for the commitment in the implementation of the Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage and need a predictable a financing approach for Loss and Damage in Africa. Africa continues to suffer enormous economic losses in billions of dollars as a result of climate change impacts, coupled with un-costed social losses, due to climate induced displacement of persons thus triggering conflicts. In Mozambique, 3 million people are affected, with estimated USD 1.4 billion in total damage, and USD 1.4 billion in losses. The recovery and reconstruction is estimated to be 2.9 billion USD. In Malawi, the president has declared a state of national disaster due to devastating floods, where more than the lives of 870,000 people are affected. A post-disaster assessment done by World Bank and UNDP indicate around USD 222 million is needed for the recovery. In addition, in Zimbabwe El Nino induced drought has affected 5.3 million and 234 million is required to avert hunger. It is worrying to keep hearing the answer for loss and damage as insurance, this might be possible in developed countries but NOT in developing countries especially in Africa, this is a far-fetched dream.

Climate Finance

We expect climate finance to continue to be a critical issue of negotiations. We expect a clear roadmap for fulfilment of climate finance commitment of USD 100 billion per year by 2020 should be agreed, the commitment should include towards an ambitious Green Climate Fund (GCF) replenishment. Parties should also agree to discuss a new post-2025 quantified climate finance goal from the floor of USD 100 billion. Unless there is a direct and explicit linkage between Article 9.5 and 9.7 and Article 13, much of this exercise will be a cosmetic display without any meaningful assessment of support provided. As the African Civil Society, we believe that the accounting modalities to be used by developed country Parties on financial resources provided and mobilized through public interventions via the transparency framework must reflect the information provided in the biennial indicative communication of support.

Adaptation

Adaptation is a core element of the Paris Agreement, there is a need to have clear outcome that allows for operationalization of Adaptation component of the agreement, that allows for enhancing flows of support to adaptation actions of developing countries. There is a need for a clear outcome that will enable the operationalization of the adaptation communication with clear and consistent information that will enable assessment of overall progress towards the achievement of the global goal for adaptation.

Mitigation

We should reach clear options on issues pertaining scope of NDC’s mitigation, further action on information on clarity and understanding without leading to diluting the clear flexibility and differentiation in the NDCs between developed and developing countries as per article 4.3 with clear outcomes with developed countries to take the lead on mitigation actions, and developing countries using the enhanced means of implementation to raise their ambition.

Agriculture

Agriculture is a key economic driver in Africa. We welcome the progress achieved to date by adoption of decision 4/CP.23 on the Konrovia Joint Work Programme (KJWA) representing a major step forward in the negotiations on agriculture under the UNFCCC. Its implementation will require joint efforts from both subsidiary bodies, as well as from constituted bodies under the Convention and other relevant stakeholders. We recognise the importance of the Koronivia joint work on agriculture to provide recommendations on building the resilience of agricultural and food production systems, and sustainable and predictable access to adequate means of implementation, in particular technology transfer and financing that is predictable and adequate.

Capacity Building

We emphasise that there is need to build long-term capacity among developing countries which includes strengthening capacity of climate change institutions; capacity building should at all times be focused on the needs of countries and driven by countries. Further, capacity building should adopt a multi-stakeholder approach, including all stakeholders and supportive legislation to facilitate this. We call for provision of support to the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT), setting aside of additional resources and meeting of existing voluntary contributions pledges. We further call for provision of financial resources to support country driven capacity building initiatives.

Gender

We note the importance of gender considerations in policies that supports activities on adaptation, mitigation, finance, technology development and transfer, including capacity building, and we acknowledge the progress made in implementing decisions on gender under the Convention. We call for Parties to increase their efforts in ensuring that women are represented in all aspects of the Convention process, and gender mainstreaming is achieved in all processes, and activities of the Convention.

Fresh Energy to push Negotiations

We are calling on parties here in Bonn, Germany to fresh energy and push the negotiations towards concrete outcomes that will address this grave concern to Africa. The world is watching our ambition in implementation of the Paris Agreement as it will determine whether we are serious in addressing the climate change problem or it’s a mere rhetoric.

C40 Cities’ Financing Sustainable African Cities Forum explores potential in tackling climate change

Africa’s leading city officials will for the first time connect with investors at C40 Cities’ industry-leading sustainability Forum in Johannesburg on 12^th June. 

The event aims to highlight the huge investment opportunity in Africa, paving the way for a more sustainable future.

Speaker highlights include Val Smith, Managing Director and Global Head, Corporate Sustainability, Citi; Executive Mayor Herman Mashaba, City of Johannesburg; Mayor Sowah, City of Accra.

C40 Cities’ Financing Sustainable African Cities Forum will provide a high-profile platform for city mayors and senior officials from across Africa to connect with investors, including Rand Merchant Bank and AfD, international stakeholders and not-for-profit organisations.

James Alexander, City Finance Programme Director, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, said, “as a key player in driving urban sustainability projects across the globe, we are proud to be facilitating the conversation around sustainable city financing in Africa for the first time. We are committed to driving environmentally sound solutions and facilitating global partnerships throughout the region and beyond. African cities offer viable investment opportunities and we hope to demonstrate this through the Forum, enabling investors to recognise the potential that awaits here.”

The Forum is hosted by C40 Cities’ Financing Sustainable Cities Initiative (FSCI), which is supported by the Citi Foundation. The Forum will showcase the potential of Africa’s city-level projects and the opportunities available for an investment community that is increasingly seeking out sustainable urban solutions in the region. It will help to facilitate new investment in these solutions, empowering African cities to take the lead in changing the trajectory of the fight against climate change.

Topics include financial tools for climate adaptation in cities, aligning inclusivity with sustainability and partnerships to develop clean transportation and energy, culminating in wrap-up sessions for cities to discuss new ideas for sustainable change, share expertise and decide next steps in their journey to tackle climate change.

Safeguarding the future of global cities has never been more important, with over half the world’s population now living in urban areas. The knowledge, technologies and ambition exist to make cities more resilient and accelerate urban sustainability projects across the globe. Furthermore, city leaders share this ambition and are committed to making this much-needed change happen for the wellbeing of residents and future generations.

For effective urban sustainable solutions to materialise, however, they need solid financial foundations. Through its various events, the FSCI connects city leaders with investors to bridge the gap between idea and implementation in the urban sustainability landscape.

Accra Action Agenda to drive Climate Action born by EU-UNEP Africa LEDS Project

Africa is a negligible emitter of greenhouse gasses, yet the continent stands out as the most vulnerable region of the globe to climate change, with the primary driver of vulnerability being the prevailing low levels of socioeconomic development.

Years gone by, the rains used to be predictable and it was easy for local communities and farmers to plan with the seasons. But times have changed; livelihoods are now being impacted by the reality of climate change.

The implementation EU-UNEP Africa Low Emissions Development Strategies (Africa LEDS) Project has demonstrated through ground actions and investment support tools, that strategic implementation of Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs) priorities, aligned to key socioeconomic sectors, can maximise both climate and priority socioeconomic benefits simultaneously.

The EU-UNEP Africa LEDS Project, funded by the European Union Commission, supported seven partner countries to establish structures at policy and operational levels, to inform NDCs implementation investment decisions, shifting focus from traditional approaches that focus on climate benefits alone.

Lessons from Partner Countries

The partner countries at a peer-learning and closeout meeting in Accra, Ghana, showcased project interventions towards “Unlocking Socioeconomic Opportunities Through Low Emissions Development Actions”.

Cameroon showed that greening the entire cassava value chain using nature-based approaches of agro-forestry at the farm level, clean energy for processing andICT for linkage to markets – as opposed to physical movements and hawking in search of buyers which expends more energy hence emissions – can create multiple income opportunities as envisioned in the country’s vision 2035 and drive NDCs implementation.

In Cote d’Ivoire, practical demonstration of converting agricultural waste in rice fields into biofertilizer and fuel briquettes proved that communities can shift from high emitting conventional approaches to more sustainable approaches and unlock socioeconomic co-benefits in line with their vision 2020.

Waste-to-briquettes tests in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) demonstrated that the country can save up to 5000ha of natural forest if the paradigm of waste to briquettes is scaled up and replicated nationally.

Kenya made significant progress in modelling clean cooking solutions – from the modelling results a possible saving of 2.9 million tons of charcoal could be achieved in 2030. Translating this into cost, the nation will save 165billiobn Kenyan shillings by 2030.

The impacts that have been identified in Zambia’s modelling activities include the creation of jobs, contribution to the earnings, GDP and output for the communities.

The Mozambique work proved that a policy upscaling investment in the combination of agroforestry with solar powered irrigation would maximize all important parameters of climate action and development in the country.

Ghana provided very novel lessons from their modelling actions, demonstrating that the NDC priorities in domestic energy, forestry, agriculture and land-use could be maximised for both climate and socioeconomic benefit through a trajectory of clean cookstoves fired by renewable wood.

Fivefold Strategic Drive for Africa’s NDCs and Low Emissions

The EU-UNEP Africa LEDS Project has culminated in a fivefold outcome and lessons to drive Africa’s NDCs and low emissions:

First, from agriculture and energy which are the core sectors accounting for up to 70% of NDC commitments, to other productive sectors like waste, forestry and infrastructure. This work showed that maximization of benefits is only achievable through amalgamating actions across complimentary sectors for synergy, as opposed to business as usual approaches of conducting actions in sectorial silos.

Second, this work provided a mechanism for accountability for what countries are doing with their unconditional NDCs – proving that as a matter of fact, they could potentially do much more than their set target in their first round NDCs with minor adjustments to factor in amalgamation. Cameroon and Ghana provided typical cases. In the case of Ghana, combining clean cookstoves over which a policy is already in place, with renewable forestry would sequester 85% more carbon and provide cross cutting socioeconomic benefits of more jobs, more income savings and reduced deaths from indoor pollution. In Cameroon they proved that combining agriculture, energy, ICT and transport will sequester carbon eight times more effectively and create 5million more jobs. Mozambique also in their report showed that combining solar powered irrigation with agro-forestry would sequester 70% more carbon and record 2 times higher in investment returns.

Third, this work showed that NDCs can create opportunities for the youth and that their skills, talents and ongoing work can be leveraged as drivers of NDCs. This will be through the logic of amalgamation to maximise both climate & socioeconomic benefits by bringing in sectors that youth gravitate to, so they can be enablers of this maximization through enterprise actions. For example, Cameroon proved that ICT, a sector close to youth can through digital marketing, be leveraged to drive both climate smart and clean energy NDCs. The amalgamation of clean energy to power cassava processing in Cameroon brought in youth through ICT, to enable over 500 women link their cassava products to markets. By this, more revenue were earned to drive incomes for not only the women and youth but also finance upscaling of both climate smart farming of cassava & clean energy – which are NDC priorities of Cameroon.

Fourth, the work showed that driving amalgamation will call for a harmonization of policy implementation between environment and the other product ministries like energy, agriculture forestry, transport, ICT and waste, where economic actions are undertaken. This work showed that such coherence in policy could be achieved by establishing policy taskforces to be convening mechanisms for such collaborative work across ministries.

Fifth, this work showed that the importance of intra-Africa south-south cooperation could not be overstressed. Through work done in just 7 countries, a logic for driving second round NDC commitments as well as driving substantial implementation that unlocks economy-wide benefits was realized for the entire continent and adopted in a declaration to be shared across Africa. The upcoming AMCEN in South Africa will provide a forum for continentalization of this logic through the declaration as it is set to be presented before ministers for their notation. This will constitutes the framework for optimal NDCs implementation across Africa, where investments are channeled to where both socioeconomic and climate benefits are maximised.

Opportunities to Replicate Strategies and Models

Other countries, like Nigeria, Benin and Togo and Uganda are already taking lessons from the seven project partner countries to leverage on their NDCs.

“One of the key lessons learnt here is the synergy among State agencies for the government to have a holistic approach to tacking climate change. I have also learnt the need for political buy in by all the leadership in the country and also the need to prioritize strategic sectors that can accelerate both climate and socio-economic priorities,” said Dr. Yerima Peter Tarfa, UNFCCC Focal Point and Director of the Department of Climate Change at Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Environment.

According to Togolese youth climate actor, Tsedse Mensa Kwami, the meeting offers opportunities to learn from the models and strategies developed from the EU-UNEPAfrica LEDS Project to replicate in Togo and other countries, especially in engaging the youthinenterprises that drives climate action and create wealth.

“The youth in Africa really need to be informed to be able to engage themselves in the climate action and low emissions development enterprises to unlock income opportunities and drive climate action solution as was showcased by Cameroon and other countries,” he said.

“What I have seen and learnt here is that low emission development is the gateway to Africa’s transformation and this echoes what we are doing in Uganda especially with the Buganda Kingdom Cassava Agro-industrialisation initiative. What the Africa LEDS project has taught me is that the work we are doing in bringing together our cassava farmers needs to be added value using clean energy and connect them to markets using ICT. This will reduce cost with processing as well as create more youth income earning opportunities for the country,” said Mr. Patrick Luganda, Uganda Climate Action and Low Emissions Development Expert.

The Accra Action Agenda on Africa LEDS

Participants attending the Africa LEDS experience sharing meeting in Accra, came out with a Declaration: The Accra Action Agenda on Low Emissions Development Strategies (LEDS) For Africa – https://africaleds.org/index.php/about-africa-leds/project-reports/item/85-the-accra-action-agenda-on-low-emissions-development-strategies-leds-for-africa

They urged governments in Africa to create an enabling environment for low emissions development strategies uptake in Africa, leveraging on strategic implementation of ambitious NDC commitments.

Among the actions is the request for governments and regional institutions, state and non-state actors, to leverage on low emissions development strategies as a business and enterprise opportunity through tapping into strategic NDCs implementation as demonstrated in the Africa LEDS project.

It also calls upon the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) at its next session to take note of the low emissions development strategies project outputs and outcomes with intent for policy influence towards continental wide uptake.

UNEP has also been requested to leverage on its existing inclusive framework initiatives on low emissions development to drive implementation of these results towards realising implementation of ambitious NDCs across Africa.

Dr. Richard Munang, UN Environment Africa Regional Climate Change Coordinator, is confident the EU-UNEP Africa LEDS Project will drive an optimal path to NDCs implementation across the continent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_VH02A34T0&t=211s

The UN Environment provided technical backstopping to the EU-UNEP Africa LEDS Project, in guiding implementation at both strategic and operational level together with its technical partners, The Brew-Hammond Energy Centre of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).