ADDIS Ababa, Ethiopia (PAMACC News) - As the sixth session of the Climate Change and Development for Africa (CCDA_CI) came to a close, Justus Kabyemera, Coordinator – ClimDev Africa Special Fund at the African Development Bank called on Africa to resolve the issue of gender and inclusivity for climate change and development sooner than later.“Of course there are issues that remain to be sorted out, but as most of you highlighted in the course of the discussions, we need to be more strategic and assertive in our decisions. Issues of gender and inclusivity for climate change and development are some of the gaps that we need to resolve sooner than later,” he said.He pointed out that throughout the discussions, it came clear that there was need of a coordinated and programmatic approach to climate change initiatives across the continent. “Working in silos or doing business as usual is no longer tenable especially as we grapple with the meager resources at our disposal,” he told the conference, which was attended by different government representatives, members of parliament, civil society among other. “We need to leverage and compliment the resources and build on the capacities of all players in the climate change arena. There is need to scale up the various initiatives, including climate services, loss and damage mechanism/models, early warning systems; but also domesticated approaches as the countries brace to implement their NDC within the framework of the Paris Agreement,” said Kabyemera.He promised that the Bank, within the framework of ClimDev Africa and more so the Climate Change Action Plan for the period 2016 -2020 and the Feed Africa Strategy will enhance its financial and technical support to the cause of climate change across the continent. “The Bank will continue to support the African Group of Negotiators to strengthen the African voice at international climate forums for affirmative action. We pledge to assist and facilitate countries in the implementation of their NDCs,” he said. The bank seeks to collaborate with other partners in the implementation of both the Adaptation for African Agriculture – Triple A and Africa Adaptation Initiative (AAI), which we hope will be closely linked for the creation of synergies between them.Kabyemera pointed out that the CCDA-VI had set pace not only for COP-22, but also for CCDA-VII, which is expected to be a trend setter for the implementation of the Paris Agreement on the Continent. “It is our hope that all African countries will have ratified their NDCs with well guided and articulate policy frameworks at the country level to guide the implementation process. This is one aspect that we all need to collaborate to accomplish. We look forward to collaborating with you all in the implementation of the Paris Agreement in a well-coordinated and programmatic manner,” he said.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (PAMACC News) - Former Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Prof Godwin Patrick OluObasi has been described as Africa’s gift to the world of climate science. This was made know by experts at the Inaugural Prof. Godwin Olu Patrick Obasi Memorial Lecture which held today on the side-lines of the sixth conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa holding in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.In a lead presentation on the life and times of the icon of meteorology, Prof. Laban Ogallo of the IGAD-UNDP Disaster Risk Reduction Project in Kenya recalled that Prof. Obasi was active in promoting global solutions to environmental issues, with special attention to the atmosphere, fresh water and the oceans. “He was at the forefront in drawing the world’s attention to the issue of climate change, notably in convening the second World Climate Conference, held in Geneva in 1990,” Prof Ogallo said. According to Prof Ogallo, Obasi played an important role in the negotiations leading to the establishment of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the World Climate Research Programme, the Global Climate Observing System and the Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer and its Montreal Protocol.The panel of discussants at the memorial lecture which comprised Dr. Buruhani Nyenzi of the Southern Development Community-Climate Services Centre, South Africa, Dr. Ernest Afiesimama of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Geneva, and Dr. Degefu Workneh of the Ethiopian Meteorological Society lauded Prof. Obasi’s outstanding contributions to the science of ozone depletion.Dr. Nyenzi recalled that it was Prof Obasi, together with the then Executive Director of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Dr. Tolba, who initiated the negotiations on the Vienna Convention and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and also contributed to the establishment of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). “Prof. Obasi gave his strong support to the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), and exercised a key leadership role together with Dr. Tolba, in the establishment of the WMO/UNEP Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He took the lead role in the organization of the Second World Climate Conference and in the establishment of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS),” Dr. Workneh added.For those who had the privilege of working with Professor Obasi, Dr. Afiesimama averred that “the memories of this great man who dedicated his whole life to meteorological sciences will forever be cherished.”Afiesimama further added that Prof Obasi was “a man of honour who was afraid of nothing –– except God, as Prof.Obasi himself used to say.”Professor Godwin Olu Patrick Obasi, a Nigerian citizen, was the Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) for five four-year terms (1984-2003). Within the WMO scope of competence, he has made major contributions to the implementation of the Vienna Convention and its Montreal Protocol. Professor Obasi served the Nigerian Government in several capacities including that of an Adviser to the Federal Government of Nigeria in…

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (PAMACC News) - 'Never to have any dealings with human beings, never to engage in trade, never to make use of money’ – is one of the famous extract defining the principle of Animalism in George Orwell’s Fable, Animal Farm. While it has over the years associated with political hypocrisy, there seems to be some positive lessons especially for Africa’s 2063 Agenda in relation to challenges that climate change poses to the continent, and the role of young people to achieve it. Whilst Africa at present contributes less than 5% of global carbon emissions, it bears the brunt of the impact of climate change. Poverty, migration, disease and economic malaise characterise the continent and climate change is worsening these conditions. In its number one aspiration for Agenda 2063, Africa wants to see inclusive growth and sustainable development.And to achieve this goal, the continent has prioritized climate adaptation in all actions, drawing upon skills of diverse disciplines with adequate support (affordable technology development and transfer, capacity building, financial and technical resources) to ensure implementation of actions for the survival of the most vulnerable populations, including islands states, and for sustainable development and shared prosperity.However, Mithika Mwenda, Secretary General of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), believes the achievement of the 2063 dream requires some kind of a rebellion, just like the Animals rebelled against the tyranny of Man in ‘Animal Farm.’“Agenda 2063 is like animal farm, it is a rebellion against climate change, against poverty, against all kinds of suffering and economic malaise, just like the animals rebelled against man’s tyranny,” said Mwenda during a panel discussion at the Sixth Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA VI), currently holding in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.To avoid being misunderstood because of the negative connotation that ‘Animal Farm’ is associated with, Mwenda was quick to explain his rebellion comments:“It must be understood that the rebellion I am referring to is symbolic, the animals that fought for ‘Animalism’ did not live to see it to fruition but the younger generation. The implementation of the agenda 2063 is about the young people, it is a long term project, and will only be implemented by the younger ones who should now be given the mantle to lead these processes,” added the PACJA chief.With a seven-point plan, Agenda 2063 is a 50-year strategic blueprint which is both a vision and an action plan that calls for action to all segments of African society to work together to build a prosperous and united Africa based on shared values and a common destiny.But with Africa’s young people largely neglected in development processes, there is a danger that the continent’s aspirations as enshrined in the 2063 Agenda could be in jeopardy.James Murombedzi, Officer in Charge of the Africa Climate Policy Centre (ACPC) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, believes time for action is now, and wants to see the younger generation use their energy to call for action.“I would rather not use the…

ADDIS ABABA (PAMACC News) - The African Development Bank (AfDB) has expressed its commitment to sustaining and extending ongoing collaboration with African countries with a view to deepening partnerships and investments that help in addressing the impacts of climate change and variability. Acting Vice President of the bank, Dr. Kapil Kapoor stated this at the opening plenary of the 6th conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-VI) holding in the Ethiopian capital city, Addis Ababa. Recalling the Banks’ Climate Action Plan for the period 2011 -2015 which prioritised mitigation, adaptation and climate finance as key pillars, Dr. Kapoor stated that approximately 260 projects with climate relevant components were implemented and $12 billion was channeled as climate finance. For the period 2016 -2020, Dr. Kapoor said AfDB will be even more ambitious.The bank will explore modalities for achieving the adaptation goal, the adequacy and effectiveness of climate finance, capacity building and technology transfer — building technical skills so that African economies can realize their full potential for adaptation in high-technology sectors. “Under this plan, the Bank will nearly triple its annual climate financing to reach $5 billion a year by 2020,” the AfDB Vice President declared. The bank will further examine the implication of the Paris Agreement on Africa’s future economic growth and sustainable development agenda while pursuing agriculture initiatives that complement investment actions and commitments of African countries expressed as national determined contributions (NDCs). The AfDB however called on African countries to identify viable and transformative investment opportunities, reform institutions to make them more efficient, and build capacity to access and absorb climate finance — in readiness to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the Paris agreement, to leapfrog technologies and transition to low-Carbon, Climate-resilient development. Organised by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in collaboration with ClimDev Partner organisations, the sixth Climate Change Development in Africa conference (CCDA VI) aims to facilitate science-policy dialogue and provide a marketplace for innovative solutions that integrate climate change into development processes. With “The Paris Agreement on climate change: What next for Africa”as central theme, the CCDA-VI aspires to understand the implications, nuances, challenges and opportunities of implementing the Paris Agreement for Africa in the context of the continent’s development priorities.The conference which ends on the 20th of October 2016 will examine the implications of the Paris Agreement for Africa’s future economic growth and sustainable development agenda; deepen an understanding of the nuances in the decisions of COP21, particularly with regard to the means of implementation (capacity, finance and technology transfer), as well as the domestication of the Agreement in Africa in alignment with the national development priorities of African countries; and identify strategies for implementing the Agreement especially through pan-African initiatives and institutions, public-private partnerships, and the engagement of State and non-State actors.