Introduction
It is important for the research community to participate in the conversation and get involved in the negotiations that will be going on in the African Climate Summit Week. This will give the research entities a platform and opportunity in leading evidence informed policy making and to identify partners to engage in strategic discussions. This is will help the research institutions on what to prioritize during the discussions.
Key Messages
Regional societies play a key role in climate change mitigation. As non-state actors in Africa, the society organizations act as a conduit between government agencies and the people who are mainly affected by climate change. The organizations range from society based, regional, and international. The organizations have been engaged to bring in a pool of ideas that can be presented as a fortified unit during the African Climate Summit.
Sustainable infrastructure and urbanization. Africa is growing rapidly and there are so many infrastructural needs across the continent. This has some implications like pollution, reduction in resilient metrics and increase in informal settlement. Most urban areas lack pro-poor initiatives and housing which is attributed to poor planning and design.
Climate finance and carbon credit for helping mitigation measures. Adaptation is far less than mitigation and there needs to be emphasis and growth in enhancing adaptation and mitigation initiatives that will lead to resilience and strengthening of communities who are usually greatly affected by the adverse impacts of climate change.
The financial system in Africa is not the finest. There are a lot of complaints on corruption, impunity and poor governance dispensation. This has led to communities affected by adverse climatic changes receiving little or no cushion and government strategies on climatic change not implemented and projects not effected as a result of wastage and lack of accountability. As Africans, we need to reflect on a climate finance that will constantly clamor for and advocate for local communities and lobby groups to be strengthened through climate finance.
Agriculture is the backbone of most African countries. Most African countries depend on agriculture across the continent. This can be leveraged on by engaging various farmer groups, the market, the pastoral communities and lobby groups to embrace a green growth and a green development in the agricultural sector.
Recommendation.
The African Climate Week seeks to bring together climate change agents and governments to brain storm on strategic engagements to deliberate on the detail of the Summit, identify their role and ensure continued engagements of African Climate Summit, define the action agenda of NSA’s, towards, during and beyond the summit, including offering continuous assessment, analysis and review of the effectiveness of our influence actions.
