Copyrights© 2004 AU 2007 Annual Meetings of the AfDB and

Copyrights© 2004 AU

2007 Annual Meetings of the AfDB andADF Boards of Governors

CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT:SUPPORT ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION

EFFORTS IN AFRICA

December 11, 2008African Union Commission

EFFORTS IN AFRICA

Shanghai, China


The context of Climate Change In recent years, the African

continent has beenincreasingly affected bynatural and climate-relateddisasters such as drought,floods, tropical cyclones,wild fires and locustinvasions affecting oursocio-economic


socio-economicdevelopment.

In response, AfricanMinisters responsible forEnvironment and Disasterstherefore developed andadopted a Disaster RiskReduction Strategy and anImplementation Plan in2004 and 2005 respectivelyto address the climaterelated disasters.


The context of Climate Change Causes of climate change are many. However, science

informs us that emission of green house gases, such asCarbon Dioxide, emanating from various human andindustrial activities, is responsible for the increase in global

warming.

Some radiation isabsorbed by GreenSome radiation


absorbed by GreenHouse Gases warming

the earth’ssurface.

Some radiationreflected

Radiationpasses

through theatmosphere


Principal Greenhouse Gases Carbon dioxide accumulation from:

deforestation.

Africa losses about 500,000 hectares of forestannually from exploitation and forest fires.

Therefore loss of carbon fixation capacity.



Principal Greenhouse Gases (cont’d)

Other carbon - based gases

contributed by industrial activities and vehicles etc.



Why support Africa?

Africa is potentially themost vulnerable continentto the effects of ClimateChange.

Poverty is closely linkedto the negative impacts ofClimate Change.

Low adaptation and


Low adaptation andmitigation capacities.

Weak economic, socialand institutionalframeworks.

Weak climate informationsystems.

Risk of loss of lives andproperty and regionalsecurity.


Signs of Climate Change in Africa Rainfall Trend

– Negative trend of rainfall.

– Frequent drought

– Africa experienced almost 1000 mm reduction in averagerainfall in the past 80 years. This is a phenomenon that isattributed to climate variability and change.

December 11, 2008African Union CommissionYears


Signs of Climate Change in Africa(cont’d) Declining Glaciers of Mount Kilimanjaro (-98% since

1912). The consequences are:

– Declining flows for those rivers that take their sources from themountain and

– Loss of tourist revenue for Government and the local communities.


T h u r s d a y , J a n u a r y 1 1 ,2 0 0 7

6

Glaciers projected to disappear by 2020 ifcurrent trend continues.


Signs of Climate Change in Africa(cont’d) Dying Lake Chad:

– Lake Chad reduced in size by more than 90% between 1963 and2001


Copyrights© 2004 AUSigns of Climate Change in Africa(cont’d)

Declining Water Resource– Over 14 African countries facing

water stress.

– Niger, Senegal and Volta riversexperienced decrease in averagedischarge of 40 to 60%.

Low reservoir levels reducepotential for:


potential for:– Agriculture, energy and

fisheries.

Copyrights© 2004 AUImpacts of Climate Change inAfrica Declining Water Resource

leading to: Production loss in agriculture,

energy and manufacturing


Migration

Increase in conflicts

Insecurity


Impacts of Climate Change in Africa (cont’d)

Crop failure and Livestock loss due to: Increased frequency and intensity of drought.

Loss of grazing.

This has negative consequences for sustainable livelihood anddevelopment.


Copyrights© 2004 AUImpacts of Climate Change in Africa(cont’d)

Loss of habitat and biodiversity

Damaged ecosystems- Marine and coastal environment are also affected by

sea-level and temperature rises.



Lost of Lives /Properties

Impacts of Climate Change in Africa(cont’d)

Roads damaged due to Floods- In 1998 Tanzania lost billions of shillings

worth of infrastructure to floods


Land slides


Increased cost inhealth services – Malariaand River Valley Fevertreatments.



Public safety jeopardizedby severe storms


Climate Variability and change have had,and continue to have, grave negativeimpacts on the economies of many Africacountries. For example, drought costs: Zimbabwe and Zambia about 8 - 9% of GDP in 1992.

Nigeria and Niger about 4-6% of GDP in 1984 and



Nigeria and Niger about 4-6% of GDP in 1984 and

Kenya about 16 percent of GDP in 1998-2000

On the other hand, Floods costs: Mozambique about 12% of GDP in Year 2000, and

Kenya about 11% of GDP in 1997-98


At National Level – e.g. Ratification of the UNFCCC, UNCCD and CBD by all MS.

Climate Insurance scheme e.g. in Ethiopia

Afforestation, forest and range management and protectedareas programmes, and establishment of Green Belts bymany Member States e.g. Algeria, Burkina Faso, Senegal,

Africa’s Response to Climate Change


many Member States e.g. Algeria, Burkina Faso, Senegal,Nigeria, Mauritania, Niger and Kenya.

Incorporation of climate change in water resourcesmanagement e.g. Tanzania.

Coastal erosion control e.g Beach nourishment in TheGambia.

Development of early warning systems and national policyframework for response to flood management e.g. Ethiopiaand Mozambique.


At Continental level – Current AUC Climate Change related Programmes:

Development of an Action Plan for the Implementation ofthe Green for the Sahara Initiative.

Establishment of Continental Observatory System for theAfrican Monitoring of the Environment for Sustainable

Africa’s Response to Climate Change (cont’d)


African Monitoring of the Environment for SustainableDevelopment (AMESD).

Implementation modalities for the Continental Strategyand Policy on Disaster Risk Reduction.

Strengthening Early Warning System on Food Security.

Implementation of Guidelines for Transboundary WaterManagement.


At Continental level – Climate Change was the sub-theme of 2007 January Summit

where there was a Declaration and Decision which called onAfrica’s cooperation partners: To support Member States and Regional Economic

Communities to effectively integrate adaptation and mitigationmeasures into their development plans and to implement them.

Requested AUC, UNECA, AfDB to develop and implement the

Africa’s Response to Climate Change


Requested AUC, UNECA, AfDB to develop and implement thePlan on Climate Change and Development in Africa and reporton progress biennially.

The 40th Session of the Conference of African Ministers ofFinance, Planning and Economic Development convened inAddis Ababa from 2 – 3 April 2007 adopted a resolution onClimate Change which amongst other things called for: Providing full support to the implementation of Climate

Information for Development (ClimDev) Africa Programme andto integrate climate change into economy planning andmanagement at Member States’ level.


Challenges Africa facesMitigation and Adaptation

Acquisition and adaptation of relevant modern technologies tolocal conditions.

Building sufficient capacity for applying Science andTechnology in surveillance, monitoring and rapid responsesystems.

Integrating Climate Change (CC) into development.


Integrating Climate Change (CC) into development.

Building sufficient capacity for mitigation and adaptation.

Ensure coordination, harmonization and enforcement ofenvironmental protection policies, laws and procedures at alllevels.

Insufficient Budget for CC activities.

Getting the industrialized countries to reduce emission .


Challenges Africa faces (Cont’d)Accessing Funding Mechanisms for Low CarbonProjects

Lack of adequate negotiation skills.

Inadequate skills in developing bankable proposals.

Lack of capital for investment.

Limited indigenous African accredited consortia.


Limited indigenous African accredited consortia.

High cost of hiring Western Consultants for certification /approval for Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM).

Lack of clarity and understanding surrounding CleanDevelopment Mechanisms (CDM) rules and procedures.

Complex and time-consuming procedures for obtainingadministrative approvals for CDM projects.

High transaction costs that constitute a barrier toparticipation in the CDM. Reduce time for administrativehurdles for approvals of CDM projects.


Africa’s Perspective on CDM The challenge of moving towards lower carbon

economies require the development of a portfolioof low carbon energy technologies for electricity,heat and transport markets.

Low Carbon Technologies

Key actions required in Research and Development(R&D) to reduce and stabilize CO2 levels include:

Renewable technologies by reducing Africa’s dependence on


Renewable technologies by reducing Africa’s dependence onthermal energy sources.

Mainstreaming gender in developing adaptation technologies.

Promote afforestation / reforestation.

Support better forest management, including the prevention andsuppression of bushfires.

Carbon Abatement Technologies (CAT) - Development oftechnologies which enable fossil fuels to continue to be used inpower generation and other stationary industrial applicationswithout the environmentally damaging effects of greenhouse gasemissions e.g filters on power plants.


Mainstream ClimateChange into CountryPoverty ReductionStrategy Paper(PRSP) and Plans.

Promote Public -Private - Partnership(PPP).

Promote andincrease financial

Role of African Governments


Promote andincrease financialresources inimplementation ofjoint IntegratedWater ResourcesManagement (IWRM).

Invest in low-costalternative(renewable) energysources to alleviatedeforestation.


Support Africa: Development of coherent

policy.

Call to ensure appropriateemission cuts andentitlement.

Obtaining better tradeterms in “emissionentitlements” from

Role of Partners


entitlements” fromdeveloped countries.

Mobilize funds for theAfrican EnvironmentFacility to fund ClimateChange activities.

Build capacity for Africa totake opportunity of theClean DevelopmentMechanisms (CDM) andother funding supports.

Copyrights© 2004 AUClimate Change - a GlobalResponsibility

The effects and consequences of climate change are ofglobal scale and do not respect national boundaries. Hence,the 1997 Kyoto protocol represents a global effort to fosteragreement among nations on measures that need to be takenin order to reduce the rate of green house gas emissions.This therefore calls for the need to simplify the proceduresand rules in the current funding mechanisms to supportAfrica in building her resilience to climate change .



Thank you!


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Copyrights© 2004 AU 2007 Annual Meetings of the AfDB and