African Nations to step up access to climate change financing

23-27 July 2012. Nairobi,Kenya. A workshop was held for boosting the capacity of 11 African countries to access and mobilize financial resources associated with climate change.

The purpose was to enhance the implementation of sustainable land management and climate change adaptation and mitigation for the Member States. COMESA, EAC and SADC together with the Global Mechanism of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification have organised the five-day meeting to highlight potential climate change related domestic and international funding sources for agriculture, energy, mining and other natural resources from the private sector and bilateral and multi lateral sources.

The second in a series of three, the workshop focused on the opportunities and new directions presented by climate change financing mechanisms from domestic, innovative and multilateral funds such as the Adaptation Fund, Climate Investment Funds, Green Climate Fund, Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation(REDD+) Financing Mechanisms, Renewal Energy Funds and Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF).

Additionally, the workshop explored strategic options and engagement with the business sector. The Nairobi meeting followed one held in Lusaka, Zambia in June 2012. Participants are from Botswana, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya,Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa and Sudan.

Related:
EU Seeks Private Funding to Share Burden of Climate Adaptation. The European Union (EU) is seeking funding from private sectors to share the burden of climate change adaptation due to its member states' inability to provide sufficient public resources because of the economic crisis.

After the Informal Meeting of EU Ministers for Environment and Climate Change concluded 8 July, the Cyprus Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Sofoclis Aletraris said at a press conference the EU countries are not willing to invest a lot in adaptation of climate change due to the economic crisis.

It was emphasized that reliable funding, both public and private, is crucial for effective implementation of national adaptation strategies. There was also a broad understanding that the proposed Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020, should aim for an increase and facilitation of public investment for adaptation and provide added value to the implementation of the EU and national strategies. The European Commission is expected to present the European Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change on March 2013.