Ninth Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA IX)
13-17 September 2021, Sal Island, Cabo Verde
Introduction
Climate change, environmental degradation and biodiversity loss have informed recent efforts to reconceptualise the relationship between development and sustainability. This is reflected in the global Agenda 2030, the Samoa Pathway and Africa’s Agenda 2063 which seek to achieve human wellbeing while at the same time ensuring environmental and ecosystem health. Climate change has emerged as the most pressing and urgent challenge for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the ideals of Agenda 2063. Ambitious action on climate is required to keep the warming of the planet as far below 2 degrees as possible in order to ensure a future for humanity. Such action, undergirded by the Paris Agreement, seeks to transition the global economy from fossil fuel dependency to zero carbon emissions. Such a transition is possible, but requires social, sectoral and economic transformation on a scale and within a time frame faster than any in human history. The terms of this transformation, including the requisite timelines, are heavily contested. This ‘Race to Zero’ has set the overarching objective of mobilizing all actors towards net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest. The Climate Action Pathways define the sector- specific plans that will unlock the systems transformations required to achieve this zero carbon future. Read More...
Eighth Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA VIII)
28-30 August 2019, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Introduction
The African Union Commission, the Economic Commission for Africa and the African Development Bank, in collaboration with the Government of Ethiopia and the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance are convening the Eighth Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa from 28 to 30 August 2019 in Addis Ababa, under the theme “Stepping up climate action for resilient economies in Africa – a race we can (and must) win”.
The Paris Agreement on climate change is based on a voluntary bottom-up approach that requires all parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to develop, communicate, implement, monitor and report voluntary but ambitious nationally determined contributions to tackle climate change and adapt to its adverse impacts. Article 2, paragraph 1, of the Paris Agreement states that the overall objective of the Agreement includes strengthening “the global response to the threat of climate change, in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty, including by: (a) Holding the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels; (b) Increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development, in a manner that does not threaten food production; and (c) Making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development”. Article 2, paragraph 2, further states that the Agreement “will be implemented to reflect equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances”. Read More...
Seventh Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-VII) - Climate change and development in Africa: policies and actions for effective implementation of the Paris Agreement for resilient economies in Africa
10-12 October 2018, Nairobi, Kenya
Introduction
In the assessment reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, it has been consistently demonstrated that warming throughout Africa, consistent with anthropogenic climate change, has increased considerably over time. Future impacts are also likely to be overwhelming and substantial, causing wide fluctuations in thermal and precipitation dynamics. In response to the current and future impacts of climate change, the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed to submit intended nationally determined contributions as the new global climate governance framework to limit the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2oC above pre-industrial levels. With the signing of the Paris Agreement on climate change, those contributions became nationally determined contributions, on which the global climate actions will be built after 2020. As of June 2018, of the 54 African countries that are signatories to the Paris Agreement, 44 have submitted their nationally determined contributions to the Framework Convention. Having embraced the green growth pathway outlined in Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want and the Paris Agreement, the imperative for African countries is to re-examine their options for the implementation of nationally determined contributions under the changing global political landscape to effectively promote climate resilience and low carbon emission development. Read more...
Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA–VI) Conference - The Paris Agreement: What next for Africa?
17-20 October 2016, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Introduction
The main theme of this year’s conference is ‘The Paris Climate Agreement: What Next for Africa?’ It builds on CCDA-V whose focus was on revisiting Article 2 of the UNFCCC, with a theme that dwelled on “Africa, Climate Change and Sustainable Development: What is at stake at Paris and beyond”. Reviewing the Paris Agreement, thus, allows for a contextual analysis of what was at stake for Africa prior to COP21 and what the agreement offers, thereby contributing to strategic orientation for African countries in moving forward with the implementation of the agreement.
As a forum tailored to facilitate science-policy dialogue and provide a marketplace for innovative solutions that integrates climate change into development processes, it is important to engage and embrace the Paris Climate Agreement within the framework of Africa’s development aspirations as underscored in Agenda 2063 that embodies the vision of the ‘Africa we want’ and Agenda 2030 on Sustainable Development that set global targets with a vision of ‘leaving no one behind’. Read More...
Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA–V) Conference - Africa, climate change and sustainable development: what is at stake at Paris and beyond?
28-30 October 2015, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Introduction
The Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA) conference series was conceived as an annual forum to enable linkages between climate science and development policy by promoting transparent discussions between key stakeholders in the climate and development community. CCDA seeks to mainstream climate information into decision making and strengthen capacities focusing on climate sensitive sectors such as agriculture, food security, energy and transport. To support Africa's towards better preparedness for COP21, this year's conference theme is "Africa, climate change and sustainable development: what is at stake at Paris and beyond?". The event will be convened at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe from 28-30 October 2015. Read More...
Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA–IV) Conference - Africa Can Feed Africa Now: Translating Climate Knowledge into Action
8-10 October 2014, Marrakesh, Morocco
Introduction
The fourth edition of the Conference (CCDA-IV) will be convened in Marrakesh, Morocco from 8-10 October 2014 on the theme: "Africa Can Feed Africa Now: Translating Climate Knowledge into Action". The theme selection is in recognition of 2014 as the year of agriculture. For this reason, the spotlight will be on climate knowledge opportunities that can transform agricultural production systems to feed Africa sustainably.
The Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA) conference series is a policy influencing space organized each year under the auspices of the Climate for Development in Africa (ClimDev-Africa) Programme. ClimDev-Africa is a consortium of three leading pan-African institutions i.e. the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB). Read More...
Third Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-III) - Africa on the rise : can the opportunities from climate change spring the continent to transformative development?
21-23 October, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Introduction
Africa’s economic progress since the start of the 21st century has been on a positive trajectory, underscoring the huge potential that the continent has to improve the welfare of its populations and lift millions out of poverty. At a macro level, many African countries have embarked on conscious economic and political transformation and are implementing strategies and programmes aimed at promoting economic growth, poverty reduction and general improvement of citizens’ welfare. However, sustaining the momentum would require African countries to studiously confront a number of challenges. Climate change represents a fundamental challenge to the sustainability of Africa’s growth momentum. It is imperative therefore that African countries invest in mechanisms that would mainstream climate change into their development strategies to stave off its possible negative impacts. Commensurate efforts must also be made to identify and exploit the opportunities that climate change presents. To achieve this, there must be a concerted effort by all key players. Climate and social scientists, development economists, policy makers and users of climate information must all work in tandem to design innovative strategies. Read More...
Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA II) - Advancing Knowledge, Policy and Practice on Climate Change and Development
19-20 October, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Introduction
Climate change poses a severe threat to the development plans and priorities of African countries. More concretely, efforts in poverty reduction, enhanced access to water and modern energy services, infrastructure development, and improved agricultural productivity to meet the needs of a growing population are likely to be affected by a changing climate. Without adaptation to, and mitigation of climate change impacts Africa’s overall development as well as its current positive economic progress are likely to be stalled.
The 4th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)[1] projects future warming across the continent in the range of 0.2oC (low scenario) to 0.5oC (high scenario) per decade up to the year 2100. This suggests an increase in climate-related ‘shocks’ in the region including droughts, storms, flooding, extremes of temperatures and rising sea levels. The last Special Report on Extreme Events (SREX) of the IPCC[2] also highlighted the importance of addressing both exposure and vulnerability of several key sectors like agriculture and food security, water supply, energy security, regional security and migration, healthcare, and biodiversity to extreme events in Africa. Read More...
First Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-I)
17-19 October, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Introduction
The overall objective of the conference is to establish a forum for dialogue, enhance awareness raising, mobilize effective commitment and actions through bringing together policy makers, academicians and practicing stakeholder with the aim of effectively mainstreaming climate change concerns into development policies, strategies, programmes and practices in Africa.
CCDA also aims to strengthen Africa’s position and participation in international climate change negotiations with a view to ensuring adequate reflection of the continent’s concerns and priorities in a post‐2012 international climate change regime.
The CCDA conference builds directly on the African Development Forum VII; AfricaAdapt symposium, and many African and other forums, initiatives, and activities and outcomes of initiatives including for example the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN); the Conference of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC); the UNFCCC and related instruments; The United Nations Secretary General’s Highlevel Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing (AGF); the Global Climate Observation System (GCOS) and its sub‐regional climate programme; and the Africa‐EU Climate Change Partnership. The conference will help position the ClimDev Africa programme within this evolving knowledge and institutional terrain and how best it can facilitate the interaction between the policy, research and practice communities. Read More...