ECA says agriculture can unlock Africa’s transformation in a changing climate

A senior official of the United Nations  Economic Commission for Africa today shed new light on the agriculture and climate change nexus, pointing to new avenues through which  the sector can become the driving force behind Africa’s transformation agenda. Read more

African Ministers in audience with UN Secretary General in Warsaw at COP19

Today is Africa Day in Warsaw as climate talks enter high gear

Warsaw, Poland 19 November 2013 (ECA) – All eyes will be on Africa today in Warsaw, as it’s leaders, scientists and intellectuals meet for the Africa Day event which has become the high point of the continent’s participation at COP events.

The event will hold under the theme Climate Change and Agricultural Development in Africa and is planned to bring together some of the best minds on the continent to discuss a sector that is so vital for Africa but one that has been worst hit by the impacts of climate change – agriculture.

Organized by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), the event will be an opportunity not just to rally Africans present in Warsaw but also development partners and negotiators from other regions of the world.

According to Mr. Emmanuel Dlamini, President of the African Group of Negotiators, the full significance for the theme chosen for the Day lies in the fact that most of African agriculture is rain-fed, while droughts and floods have become more frequent, more intense and more unpredictable as a result of climate change – rendering life of millions of people very miserable.

Apart from discussions to highlight Africa’s contributions towards coping strategies in the face of climate change, participants and discussants plan to send a powerful message to the world about the need for developed countries to make good their promises on financial contributions towards adaptation and technology transfer.

It will also be an opportunity for Africa’s political leadership to take gauge the level of negotiations on each of the sticking points as work intensifies on the final documents of COP19.

This will then give negotiators a sense of where to lay emphasis on climate finance issues, for example.

The programme of the Africa Day event will begin with three opening remarks. The first will come from Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini -Zuma, President of the African Union Commission; followed by Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania and Chair of African Heads of State Committee on Climate Change. Ato Haile-Mariam Dessalegn, Prime Minister of Ethiopia and current Chairman of the African Union, will officially launch the event.

Then will follow a high-level panel discussion on the Day’s theme facilitated by Dr. Fatima Denton, Coordinator of the African Policy Centre and Officer in Charge of New Initiatives Division at ECA. Speakers will talk on Agriculture in the Climate Change Negotiation by Mr. Fred Kossan; Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation in to the African Agricultural Development Agenda by Dr. Ayalneh Bogale; Innovative Research and Technologies for Adaptation to Climate Change in African Agriculture by Dr Tom Owiyo; and Options for Financing Climate Change Adaptation in African Agriculture by Dr. Anthony Nyong.

Day 1, Briefing

As expected, the CoP19/CMP9 opened on the 11th November 2013 in Warsaw, the capital of Poland. The opening of the Conference of Parties and specific opening sessions related to CMP, SBI and SBSTA were made. Unlike in the past, the approval of agenda went quite fast and without much debate.

CoP Opening

Some of the key points made during the openings are the following:

• Progress made after Doha include:
• continuation of discussions on long term finance,
• continuation of ADP and commencement of work on L&D,
• ratification of Doha amendments on ADP

Some major points, mentioned by four speakers among many including new CoP president of Poland, Executive Secretary of UNFCCC, Mayor of Warsaw and IPCC Chair include the following respectively:

• 1.3 billion lack access to electricity, and 2.6 billion lack clean cooking facilities, yet others are planning commercial flights to Mars. Unforgettable awakening in Philippines two days ago due to typhoon Hayan. Poland spares no effort in the next twelve months to reach more agreements, transparency and inclusiveness. In the forthcoming CoP meetings in Lima, Peru and Paris, France, the world is expecting delivery of significant progress.

• Climate change is every days reality – acknowledged that we are the first human beings to breath 400ppm. Worst typhoon – in Philippines and Vietnam. The world is ready, with increased collective capacity. Science is clear-parties can lead towards success in 2015. What happens here is the whole of humanity not win or lose – we all should win. What we do here shapes the post 2020. This stadium is a venue for the Olympic spirit – and CoP19 should achieve faster, stronger and higher.

• Warsaw as a city has achieved a lot  - waste water treatment, public transport, sustainable energy, and it is first in the world to produce a sustainable development report.

The AGN chair, Mr. Emmanuel Dlamini, made interventions at the CoP plenary opening and CMP. Some of his points are the following:

• “Problems cannot be solved with the same level of awareness that created them”. Key results related to temperature trend and anomalies, global upper ocean heat content, rate of sea level rise, ice sheet mass loss (arctic and Greenland), surface- ocean CO2 values ( we breathed in May of this year that exceeded 400ppm compared to 280ppm at the beginning of industrialization), Methane and Nitrous Oxide increases. It is now clear that climate change is caused by human influence and not change in solar radiation, and human actions are significantly affecting the state of climate of the planet. T>1.5 degress centigrade in all likely scenarios except under human interventions in stringent manner, future changes. Sea level in the 21st century continue to rise with the rise projected to be a meter by the end of the century. Future carbon cycle will change significantly, under some scenarios, two years return period will become 20 days frequency. Development and growth will be linked to mitigation, adaptation and sustainable development, renewable energy use versus cost. There is need to adapt to climate change effects and take action in mitigation of GHG, transition to higher share of technology requires investment and policy formulation.
• AGN reaffirms UNFCCC and KP are fundamental for African Group, calls for measures to fully implement them,
• Calls for the 2^nd period of ratification by all,
• Scaling up of emission targets, raise ambition of emission pledges,
• Requests parties to scale up adaptation fund and to conclude negotiation started in Durban and Doha,
• 54 countries of Africa demand realistic and genuine commitments, request scaling up finance, technology transfer and capacity building.

These interventions are mostly in line with AMCEN’s Gaborone declarations.

The WMO DDG, Mr Jeremiah, made interventions during the SBSTA session, and appreciated the efforts made and outcomes of the ACC2013 and recognized contributions of ACPC and WCRP to shape African climate research agenda. He called upon stakeholderrs to step-up investment in GFCS funding.

A number of groups such as G77 & China, LDCs, SIDS, BRICS, etc. also made speeches.

ACPC's take from the first day i.e. what may emerge at CoP19 may include:

• Mitigation pledges of countries for post 2020, and mechanisms to review these pledges ahead of Paris will be given special focus
• Progress in finance including developed countries pledges covering indication of post 2020 pledges
• Review of progress in various groups, such as work in adaptation, loss and damage, various elements of SBSTA, SBI and ADP etc.

The 19th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 9th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CoP19/CMP9) will take place at the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland, from 11 to 22 November. "COP19/CMP9 affords an opportunity to consolidate responses to climate change and to showcase the many ambitious adaptation and mitigation initiatives being implemented around the world. By scaling and speeding up action we prepare for a universal global agreement and move toward a safer future.”¹

Mandated by the African Union Assembly (Assembly/Dec.342(XVI)) on COP16/CMP6, and with the leadership of the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Government of South Africa, a very successful ‘African Pavilion’ event was organised during COP17/CMP7. The African Pavilion offered an opportunity for a wide range of actors to showcase some important initiatives on climate change and development in Africa. This marked a significant shift from Africa’s low-key participation at previous COPs.

Beginning COP15/CMP5, Africa’s focus shifted to supporting the African Group of Negotiators (AGN). Representatives from Africa also participated in side events and organised various meetings with partners for fundraising and joint research programme activities.

The (Assembly/Dec.457(XX)) on the coordination mechanism of CAHOSCC and Africa’s preparation for COP 19 / CMP9 requested the three Instiutions i.e AUC, UNECA and AfDB to support the AGN for successful negotiation in Warsaw. Building on the collaborative spirit developed over the years, the AUC, AfDB and UNECA organised a retreat from 5-7 September, 2013, where they made a commitment to the following actions: i) effectively support African Negotiators in preparation for and during COP 19; ii) convene focused discussions on relevant African issues; iii) provide an appropriate space for African institutions to dialogue on climate change and related developmental issues; iv) showcase Africa’s progress on various fronts particularly in relation to climate change analytical work, adaptation and mitigation efforts; and v) build on the experience of previous COPs, especially COP 17 and COP 18.

To help meet these challenging commitments, it was decided to organise a full day of activities under the rubric ‘Africa Day’. This would complement other side events, exhibitions, AGN support activities, networking and related functions throughout COP 19.

Indeed, Africa Day will comprise a special day of Africa-focused events at a venue created to host informal networking of participants drawn from three arenas:

• Policy: high-level policy makers from African Member States, Regional Economic Communities, Parliamentarians, Multilateral Organisations and Bilateral Organisations;

• Science: regional and sub-regional climate centres, regional and international researchers, scientists and technology specialists from research institutions actively engaged in advancing knowledge in development and climate change in Africa; and

• Practice: including private sector and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), media and independent writers on climate change and development issues.

The Africa Day event will focus on the theme of “Climate Change and Agriculture in Development and Ending Hunger in Africa”. This theme will frame discussions and events planned to influence the agenda at COP19/CMP9, particularly focusing on ending hunger in a context of climate change.

The ClimDev-Africa participation at COP 19, and most especially organisation of the Africa Day, is part of incremental progress towards COP 21, where we hope to make Africa’s voice more audible and stronger in the discussion for a 2015 agreement. The next three COPs will be critical to the success of COP 21, in terms of reaching an agreement acceptable to all parties, and one that takes into account the views of Africa. ClimDev-Africa will therefore work assiduously over the next two years to enhance the visibility of Africa in the climate change discussions, both in terms of content and positions. ClimDev-Africa will step up its presence and actions during COP 19 and COP 20, with a view to maximising its impact at COP 21.