MEDIA AND CIVIL SOCIETY BRIEFER ON THE KEY RESOLUTIONS OF THE 12th CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA (CCDA-XII)

Posted on: 2024-12-05 11:42:01

Key Messages

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) must push for the formulation and implementation of robust National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) by 2025 to enhance climate resilience and justice in Africa.

They should also lobby the government to ensure that their Nationally Determined Conditions (NDCs) prioritize adaptation and climate-resilient development and the scaling up of grants and concessional-based financing to support their implementation.

These were some of the key messages contained in the call for urgent action adopted at the end of the 12th Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-XII) held in Abidjan, Cote D’ivoire from August 30 – September 2, 2024. The Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE) was one of the CSOs represented at the Conference that brought together a diverse coalition of key stakeholders to confront the urgent challenges posed by climate change across the continent. Other Ugandan CSOs that participated in the Conference included the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) and the Dan Church Aid/Act Alliance. Also present was Uganda’s East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Member of Parliament, Hon. Jacqueline Amongin. Held alongside the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) special meeting ahead of COP29 in Baku, the CCDA-XII aimed to unite leaders, policymakers, experts, and advocates to explore innovative solutions, share best practices, and forge strategic partnerships that will accelerate Africa's transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient future.

While calling for the recognition of Africa’s special climate change needs and circumstances at COP29, the Conference urged the continent’s leaders to provide the much-needed strong political will and leadership to advocate for adequate, predictable, and accessible climate finance for the implementation of national climate strategies, which is not only a matter of climate justice but also a strategic imperative for sustainable development. “COP29 must make substantive progress on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) indicators including the development of indicators on means of implementation to support implement the thematic and dimensional targets of the goal. Africa requires investments in Climate Information Services, national and regional early warning and early action systems for better adaptation and disaster risk reduction strategies and calls on development partners for investment in this regard,” says the call for action.

The delegates also called on Africa to strengthen its data systems by investing in National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, prioritizing the development of robust climate data and early warning systems to inform adaptive measures in vulnerable regions of Africa. “Whereas developed countries have a responsibility to deliver on their financial commitments under the Convention and the Paris Agreement, African governments must enhance efforts to mobilize domestic resources to meet their evolving needs. This calls for a clear, quantified sub-goal on adaptation within the new collective quantified goal (NCQG), based on assessed needs and ensuring that the finance doesn’t exacerbate debt and is easily accessible to both governments and communities,” adds the call for action.

During the panel discussions held over the four days, selected panelists called for increased investments in adaptation to seize opportunities for job creation, green growth in the context of sustainable development, and poverty eradication. They also called for the exploration of carbon markets, green and blue bonds, blended finance, and climate risk insurance to serve the interests of Africa while contributing to the global climate goals. “Such mechanisms should be gender-sensitive, consider the unique challenges faced by women and marginalized groups in climate adaptation efforts,” they noted.

The delegates further urged African countries to work together with development partners to facilitate the improved finance flows to Africa in a manner that promotes country ownership and encourages Pan-Africa and south-south cooperation to scale up investments, share best practices, mobilize resources, and implement adaptation strategies. Other key messages were the need to facilitate Africa’s Parliamentarians to effectively participate in climate dialogue and discussions and the urgent alignment of the national strategies with the African Union Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy and Action Plan.

It is anticipated that these key messages will—among other resolutions—be used to inform the country CSO position statements for many African countries ahead of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan in November 2024.