An African civil society coalition has unveiled its five absolute priorities that should be adopted if climate change must be addressed in the continent.
At the United Nations’ climate conference climate change summit currently underway in Dubai, the coalition said that adaptation, loss and damage, food systems; land use; and the protection and restoration of forests remain the solutions to the fight against climate change.
Secou Sarr, Executive Secretary of ENDA-Tiers Monde, who represented a collective of African non-governmental organizations (NGOs) at a side event held on Tuesday, announced the priorities
In his address, African Development Bank President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina made the case to coalition members for the continent to be able to benefit from its natural resources.
“African economies should not be measured by GDP; we should assess Africa’s wealth on the basis of its natural capital”, he said. “Its immense mineral, forestry and renewable energy resources should all be taken into account.”
Speaking further, the Afdb boss said “the Congo Basin, the largest carbon storehouse in the world, is not taken into account in the GDP assessments of the countries of the region,”.
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He noted that the coalition supports the call by African leaders to channel special drawing rights for climate finance to Africa, particularly through the African Development Bank, adding that It is inviting the global community, governments and development partners to “implement best practices, innovations and technologies in an inclusive manner that involves farmers and local communities, especially women and young people, in an approach that combines scientific and traditional knowledge without harming biodiversity or compromising the resilience of society.
At the opening of discussions with civil society, Beth Dunford, the African Development Bank’s Vice President for Agriculture and Human and Social Development, underscored that the Coalition was “very important” for Africa.
“As soon as he took office, President Adesina created the Civil Society Division, demonstrating the importance of communities’ agendas and priorities to the Bank,” Dunford noted.
He explained that the Bank dedicated 64% of its funding to climate adaptation in Africa and that it has just opened a Climate Action Window, to provide specific resources and technical assistance to the continent’s least developed countries.
“At least $42 billion is set to be mobilized for this new window, which is backed by the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional window,”he said.
Story was adapted from AFDB.
