This conference, held between October 17-19, 2011 at the UNECA in Addis Ababa, had the theme ‘Development First: Addressing Climate Change in Africa’. It aimed at strengthening 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. EEPFE participated in the conference and exhibition.
The objective of the conference was 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.
Over 300 participants including decision makers, policy analysts and academics, development practitioners from around the world, and about 50 media practitioners from all sub regions of Africa participated in the conference.
The conference considered and discussed four sub-themes on
- Climate Science, Data, Information and Service Delivery
- Climate Resilience Development and Adaptation
- Climate Resilience and Low-Carbon Development in Africa
- Economics and Finance
Climate Science, Data, Information and Service Delivery –This sub-theme emphasized the crucial role of climate information in national development planning, managing climate opportunities and risks and for mitigation and adaptation. The conference further emphasized the need for scientifically-established facts and knowledge through climate science, having in place sound data, information and service delivery mechanisms for Africa to reach a common understanding of the evidences, the extent of the impact on its economic growth, social development and serves as basis to adopt action oriented response to addressing climate change in Africa.
Climate Resilience Development and Adaptation – The major conclusions of this sub-theme included the need for African countries to move along a development pathway that emphasizes poverty reduction, economic growth and the enhancement of human wellbeing, while increasing resilience to the physical impacts of climate change.
Climate Resilience and Low-Carbon Development in Africa- The focus of this sub-theme included energy access challenges, improvement of forest governance to capitalize on REDD+ financing, identify opportunities in LULUCF across Africa. The conference recognized that the pathway to a low-carbon future will be complex, which would require policies that create an enabling environment for public and private sectors as well as cross sectoral collaboration.
Economics and Finance – The main focus was the cost of climate change impacts on development in Africa. This sub-theme highlighted the need for effective actions including innovative financing mechanisms to adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change within a sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction context.
The complete draft outcomes report can be accessed here.
EEPFE researchers contributed to two of the papers that was presented on this conference: "Fossil fuel in Africa: in the context of carbon constraint future" presented by Dr. Abebe Damite, research fellow at EEPFE and "Integrating Renewable Energy and Climate Change Policies: Exploring Policy Options for Africa" presented by Dr. Yacob Mulugeta, coordinator at ACPC.
CCDA-I Dr. Abebe Damte presentation on Fossil fuels in Africa
EEPFE’s participation in the exhibition was a great success in promoting EfD and the researches carried out in all centers. Many individuals showed keen interest in knowing more about EfD’s research outcomes, networking and receiving EfD’s discussion papers in the future.
EEPFE exhibition on the conference