Africa Climate Change and Climate Finance Conference 2023

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Africa is one of the regions most affected by climate change, despite contributing very little to global greenhouse gas emissions. The continent is experiencing increasing temperatures, droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events, which are affecting agriculture, water resources, and human health.  To address these challenges, many African countries have developed policies and strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Some of these policies include promoting renewable energy, implementing sustainable land use practices, and improving water management.

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In recent years, there have been several climate-related events and conferences held in Africa, including the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference in Marrakech, Morocco, the 2018 Africities Summit in Morocco, the 2019 Africa Climate Week in Accra, Ghana, the 2021 Africa Climate Week in Accra, Uganda and the Climate Chance Summit Africa in Dakar, Senegal, 2022. These events have brought together policymakers, experts, and stakeholders to discuss strategies and solutions for addressing climate change on the continent.

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In Africa for instance, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which are a key component of the Paris Agreement, were adopted in 2015 and aim to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C. NDCs are pledges made by countries under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and take other actions to address climate change.

Each country determines its own NDCs based on their national circumstances, capabilities, and priorities. These contributions may include targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing renewable energy use, improving energy efficiency, and implementing policies and measures to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

As of September 2021, all 54 African countries have submitted NDCs to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). These NDCs outline the commitments and targets that African countries have set to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and address the impacts of climate change.

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The specific targets and commitments in African NDCs vary by country, but many focus on increasing renewable energy use, improving energy efficiency, and promoting sustainable land use and forestry practices. Some countries have also set targets for increasing climate finance, both in terms of receiving funding and mobilizing domestic resources.

Despite these commitments, there are several challenges that African countries face in implementing their NDCs. These include:

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• Limited financial resources: Many African countries have limited financial resources to implement their NDCs, and rely heavily on international funding and support.

• Limited technical capacity: Some African countries have limited technical capacity to implement their NDCs, particularly in areas such as measuring and reporting greenhouse gas emissions.

• Limited data availability: Many African countries have limited data on greenhouse gas emissions, making it difficult to set accurate targets and track progress towards achieving them.

• Lack of political will: In some cases, there may be a lack of political will to implement NDCs, particularly in countries where there are other pressing economic or social priorities.

• Adverse impacts of climate change: Many African countries are already experiencing the adverse impacts of climate change, such as droughts, floods, and food insecurity. These impacts can make it difficult to implement NDCs, particularly in vulnerable communities.

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Richflood Climate Event

While African countries have made important commitments through their NDCs, several challenges need to be addressed to ensure their successful implementation. The importance of moving from commitments to actual implementation of the NDCs in African countries cannot be overemphasised, hence, Richflood acknowledges the challenges faced by African countries in implementing their NDCs and intends to host an event that will bring together stakeholders to help tackle these challenges to achieve the climate goals set out in the NDCs and to highlight the role of stakeholders from across the continent in working together to promote effective and sustainable climate action in Africa.

Theme: From Commitment to Action: Overcoming Challenges in Implementing African NDCs

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Objectives:

• Identify the financial and technical capacity limitations that African countries face in implementing their NDCs and explore strategies for addressing these challenges.

• Foster collaboration and partnerships between African countries, international organizations, and the private sector to mobilize resources and support for the implementation of African NDCs.

• Share best practices and experiences from African countries that have made progress in implementing their NDCs, particularly in areas such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable land use and forestry practices.

• Promote the development of accurate and reliable data on greenhouse gas emissions in African countries, and explore innovative methods for measuring and reporting emissions.

• Address the adverse impacts of climate change in vulnerable communities, particularly those that are most affected by droughts, floods, and food insecurity, and explore ways to incorporate climate resilience and adaptation measures into NDC implementation plans.

• Explore strategies for increasing climate finance for African countries, both in terms of receiving funding from international sources and mobilizing domestic resources.

• Showcase climate development projects that have been implemented in African countries, particularly those that align with the goals and targets of African NDCs.

• Mobilize political will and public support for the successful implementation of African NDCs, and explore ways to integrate climate action into national development plans and policies.