ECA Urges African Leaders to Accelerate Climate Action for a Just Transition
Pedro stressed the importance of the right global enabling environment and strong global action on climate change to prevent dire consequences for Africa and the world as a whole.
Nairobi, Kenya - Antonio Pedro, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), has called on African leaders to intensify climate action efforts through effective strategies that ensure a just transition, writes Baboloki Semele.
He made this appeal during the conclusion of the three-day 11th Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA), which also provided technical inputs for the Africa Climate Summit taking place from September 4 to 6 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Pedro stressed the importance of the right global enabling environment and strong global action on climate change to prevent dire consequences for Africa and the world as a whole.
He emphasized that without effective strategies at the country level and governments taking responsibility for harnessing the continent's potential for the benefit of its people, Africa risks being left behind in an unjust transition.
Pedro noted the potential for a scenario where the world fails to reduce emissions and faces dire climate projections.
He also highlighted the possibility of an unjust transition where planetary systems are saved at the expense of persisting extreme poverty.
He underscored that the CCDA reaffirmed its pivotal role as a forum for the continent to identify opportunities and solutions in the face of climate and development crises.
"The discussions underscored that by uniting and engaging in honest dialogue on potential pathways towards a greener, more inclusive Africa, the 21st century will be paved with opportunities for Africa," said Mr. Pedro.
Mr. Pedro described the 2023 CCDA as a milestone that sets the tone for the African Climate Summit, which aims to address the increasing exposure to climate change and its associated costs in Africa.
The summit, taking place from September 4 to 6, 2023, serves as a platform to inform, frame, and influence commitments, pledges, and outcomes, ultimately leading to the development of the Nairobi Declaration.
Pedro praised the open, constructive, and encouraging discussions at the CCDA, emphasizing the importance of uniting and engaging in honest dialogue to pave the way for a greener and more inclusive Africa in the 21st century.
"Strengthening the blue economy as per the Moroni declaration and using Africa’s mining sector for green industrialization, as well as leveraging carbon markets for monetizing the continent’s natural wealth, are all part of an integrated endeavour to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063," he said.
Pedro commended Kenya for facilitating the prominent inclusion of African voices and solutions at the upcoming SDG Summit and COP28 in the United Arab Emirates in November 2023. He noted that ECA is establishing the foundation for a strong and sustained African position, building on the legacy of COP27 held in Egypt last year.
"We have set the stage for Africa to have a significant impact on global climate discussions and actions. Together with our partners and stakeholders, we are determined to drive meaningful change and secure a more sustainable future for our continent and the world," Pedro added.
He paid tribute to participants and partners, including the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank, and the host government of Kenya. The CCDA has been held annually since 2011 and serves as a flagship event of the Climate for Development in Africa Initiative (Clim-Dev), a collaboration between the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank, and the Economic Commission for Africa.
The conference brings together various African stakeholder groups on climate change to discuss key climate change and development challenges on the continent, identify opportunities and solutions, and contribute to the African common position in international climate change discussions.
The 11th CCDA, organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry of the Government of Kenya and the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance, forms the technical segment of the Africa Climate Summit.