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Africa Carbon Forum: Continent urged to work closer together on climate action, SDGs

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Africa Carbon Forum: Continent urged to work closer together on climate action, SDGs

African countries must work closer together when implementing national climate action plans under the Paris Climate Change Agreement and mobilising climate finance, whilst better integrating climate action into sustainable development planning. This was the key conclusion of ministers and key delegates who convened for the Africa Carbon Forum which ended on Friday, June 30, 2017 in Cotonou, Benin.

Africa Carbon Forum 2017
Dignitaries at the Africa Carbon Forum in Cotonou, Benin

Over 600 practitioners, experts and policy makers, including ministers from governments across Africa and other high level participants, met in Cotonou to take stock and align strategies on how financial resources should be mobilised to ensure sustainable development and emissions reduction on a continent-wide scale.

“Africa is the continent most affected by climate change. Two thirds of Africans make their living off the land, consequently, it is critical that the continent secures a climate-resilient economic and development path. Hosting this Africa Carbon Forum on the topic of collaborative climate actions for sustainable development demonstrates Benin’s own commitment to the national climate action plans and the broader concern of Africa to promote collective actions for the climate,” said Abdoulaye Bio Tchane, Senior Minister in charge of Planning and Development of Benin.

With ambitious commitments already made by countries under the Paris Agreement, and with more commitments expected, African ministers and other leaders stressed the importance of building momentum that will enable the transformational shift towards low carbon and greater resilience to climate change. They also highlighted the need for new partnerships to develop and further spur sustainable development.

Speaking to delegates in Cotonou, the Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Patricia Espinosa, said: “Africa will see explosive growth through to the middle of the century. Not only that – Africa is one of the most important engines for growth worldwide in the coming years. African people are at the core of this growth. But the growth needs to be shaped on the basis of related climate and sustainable development criteria.

“Africa’s nationally determined contributions to the agreement are blueprints for attracting private sector investment and pushing forward. Implementation of the Paris Agreement is the foundation for stability, for security and prosperity as the population grows to nine billion people or more by 2050. It is food and water and energy for everyone. It is good jobs. It is the foundation for building sustainable, resilient communities powered by clean, renewable energy.”

Moving forward, the Africa Carbon Forum is developing into the regional climate action event supporting, in conjunction with Global Climate Action events, non-government (“non-Party”) stakeholder action in the run-up to the annual UNFCCC Conference of the Parties.

Delegates at this year’s Africa Carbon Forum confirmed that non-Party stakeholders, including private sector and cities, stand ready to enhance ambition on climate action and welcomed the event as a unique regional event, which facilitates knowledge and new partnerships which are key to allowing Africa to realise its potential and meet the ambitions goals set in the Paris agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Delegates discussed crucial themes ranging from climate policy options to the future of the existing and widely use mechanisms that are suitable to the different domestic context and can be scaled up at regional level in Africa. Many discussions centered on how to strengthen cooperation between Parties and non-Party stakeholders in key sectors for Africa – notably energy, agriculture and human settlements – including the role of future carbon markets in boosting climate action for sustainable development.

“The private sector is vital in bringing climate finance to Africa,” says Dirk Forrister, IETA’s CEO and President. “Markets are the most efficient way of driving that investment, which in turn aids African nations to grow in a cleaner, more sustainable way.”

“This meeting shows that many countries in the region are advancing on the domestic policy front and a number are finding new innovative ways of engaging their local private sector in project development and finance,” said Miriam Hinostroza from UNEP DTU.

The Forum was organised under the umbrella of the Nairobi Framework Partnership and partners and cooperating organisations involved in this year’s Africa Carbon Forum include the UNFCCC, World Bank, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), UNEP DTU Partnership, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Africa Development Bank Group, Low Emission Development Strategies Global Partnership (LEDS Partnership) and Climate Markets and Investment Association (CMIA). The event was supported by the West African Development Bank (BOAD).

The Nairobi Framework Partnership was launched in 2006 by then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to assist developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, to improve their level of participation in the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism.

Fresh IUCN worry over vaquita exploitation, logging, poaching

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Fresh IUCN worry over vaquita exploitation, logging, poaching

Illegal fishing, logging and poaching are impacting two-thirds of the 57 natural World Heritage sites monitored by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) this year, putting some of the world’s most precious and unique ecosystems and species at risk.

vaquita-porpoise
The vaquita porpoise

Ahead of the 41st session of the World Heritage Committee, starting on Sunday, July 2, 2017 in Kraków, Poland, IUCN has recommended listing Mexico’s Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California on the List of World Heritage in Danger due to illegal gillnet fishing, which threatens the vaquita with imminent extinction.

The IUCN is also concerned over continued impacts of illegal activities, including logging and poaching, on the unique biodiversity of Madagascar’s Rainforests of the Atsinanana and on Białowieża Forest – one of Europe’s last remaining primeval forests located in Poland and Belarus.

“It is alarming that even our planet’s greatest natural treasures are under pressure from illegal activities,” says IUCN Director General Inger Andersen. “World Heritage sites are recognised as the planet’s most unique and valuable places, for nature and for people. If destroyed, they are lost forever.

“World Heritage status is designed to grant these places the highest level of protection, and we as the international community are responsible for the effectiveness of this protection. Only through strong international cooperation can we eliminate the illegal and unsustainable practices that are having such a devastating impact on these extraordinary places.”

Illegal wildlife trade is threatening the vaquita – the world’s smallest porpoise – with extinction. The Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California became a World Heritage site in 2005 due to its unique marine biodiversity. It hosts a third of the world’s cetacean species. The vaquita is a victim of by-catch from illegal fishing of a Critically Endangered fish, the totoaba, whose swim bladder fetches high prices in Asian markets.

Despite Mexico’s extensive efforts to combat the illegal gillnet fishing, the vaquita’s survival remains at severe risk, with a crash in the population leaving only about 30 individuals in the wild. IUCN recommends placing the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger to mobilise urgent action to protect the site. It calls for a permanent ban on gillnets, as well as strengthened international cooperation to address threats to the site.

Madagascar’s Rainforests of the Atsinanana acquired ‘in danger’ status in 2010 – only three years after being listed as a World Heritage site – due to illegal logging of ebony and rosewood. The site is a key habitat for endangered lemurs, which are also the target of poaching. Despite Madagascar’s ongoing efforts to address the threats, in 2016 there was a marked increase in illegal logging. IUCN recommends that the site should remain on the List of World Heritage in Danger and calls for stronger efforts to address the threats, including increased cooperation between countries along trading routes.

If Poland continues to undertake wood extraction and logging in old-growth areas of Białowieża Forest, intact habitats will be lost. The European Commission recently expressed concern over the removal of ancient trees from the forest, which is also a Natura 2000 site. Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1979 as one of the first World Heritage sites, and extended in 1992 and 2014, the site is shared between Poland and Belarus and covers a total area of 141,885 hectares. Białowieża is one of the few remaining primeval forests on the European continent. It is home to the iconic European Bison and hosts more than 250 bird and over 12,000 invertebrate species.

The IUCN recommends a monitoring mission to the site so that the situation can be fully assessed, and actions agreed. Should danger to the site’s Outstanding Universal Value be confirmed, Białowieża will be considered for inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2018.

International cooperation is starting to demonstrate results in addressing illegal activities in Thailand’s Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex. IUCN’s mission to the site noted that that cooperation between Thailand, Cambodia, China, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Viet Nam, in addition to strengthened coordination of efforts within Thailand, resulted in a decrease in illegal logging of Siamese rosewood, which had been on the rise in recent years.

More resources are now invested into the site, with an action plan aiming to intensify patrol efforts using space technology. The forest complex is internationally important for the survival and conservation of globally threatened mammals, birds and reptiles. It also serves as one of Thailand’s most important watersheds.

The IUCN is the official advisory body on nature to the World Heritage Committee, recommending new sites to be included on the World Heritage list, and proposing actions to protect World Heritage sites facing threats.

UNDP, GCF address Maldives water challenges

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UNDP, GCF address Maldives water challenges

Achim Steiner, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator, has said that the Maldives will benefit from the current transfer of Green Climate Funds (GCF) funds to an adaptation project run by the UNDP.

Achim_Steiner
UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner. Photo credit: David Fisher/Oxford Martin School

While surrounded by water, many people in the outer islands of the Maldives suffer from recurring water supply emergencies. Variable rainfall patterns and increasing salinisation caused by rising sea levels have led to a dearth of drinking water.

GCF’s disbursement of funds to the project will bolster an integrated water supply system based on rainwater, groundwater and desalinated water to provide a low-cost supply to vulnerable households. The project will also provide an uninterrupted supply of water to 49 islands that currently rely on emergency deliveries for three months of each year.

GCF’s transfer of $3 million marks the start of GCF’s total contribution of $23.6 million. Other contributors to this five-year grant project, totaling $28.2 million, are the Maldives Ministry of Environment and Energy and the UNDP, which GCF has accredited to implement the project.

“We are delighted that the Green Climate Fund’s first disbursement to UNDP will help realise this exciting project, which will see almost a third of the population of the Maldives becoming freshwater self-sufficient over the next five years,” Steiner said.

“Projects such as this can have enormous impact in countries like the Maldives, which is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including rising sea levels, saltwater intrusion and more frequent droughts, storms and flooding,” explained Mr Steiner. “This new, integrated approach to climate-induced water scarcity will help build a more sustainable, climate-resilient future for the people of the Maldives.”

The geographic characteristic of the Maldives – consisting of 1,190 small, low-lying coral islands spread over 90,000 square kilometres – puts this South Asian nation at the forefront of climate change. High poverty levels in the Maldives’ outer islands exacerbate drinking water shortages during its dry season, leading to environmental and social impacts.

Howard Bamsey, GCF Executive Director, said this project matches neatly with a GCF priority to reduce the climate vulnerability of societies in Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

“The Maldives have identified water shortages caused by climate change as a key developmental challenge,” Mr Bamsey said. “GCF climate finance will help to alleviate a near-term emergency and build the long-term strategies needed to deal with a changing climate.”

The Maldives’ Minister of Environment and Energy, Thoriq Ibrahim, wrote in an online publication last year that plans by GCF and UNPD to work together in addressing the Maldives’ climate challenges fits well with his country’s long-term adaptation plan. This consists, he wrote, of introducing strict zoning regulations for coastal communities and strengthening infrastructure against erosion, rising seas and other climate impacts.

Mr Ibrahim indicated common perceptions about SIDS’ vulnerabilities meant concerns over scant water supplies were often overlooked. “Ironically, with all the attention given to our low-lying islands’ vulnerability to sea level rise, water shortages represent an even more urgent threat,” he wrote.

Why climate policy matters for G20 finance ministers’ agenda

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Why climate policy matters for G20 finance ministers’ agenda

In order to stay below the 2 °C guardrail set in the Paris Agreement, climate policy should be integrated with the G20 finance ministers’ agenda. Finance ministers should consider the merits of carbon pricing for sound fiscal policy and thereby stimulate investments in carbon-free infrastructure.

Ottmar Edenhofer
Ottmar Edenhofer, Chief Economist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)

“It is rational for G20 finance ministers to embrace climate policy, even if climate change is not their primary concern,” writes a team of authors led by the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC) in an article published in the new issue of the journal Nature Climate Change.

In their article titled: “Aligning climate policy with finance ministers’ G20 agenda”, Ottmar Edenhofer, Chief Economist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and Director of MCC, together with MCC Secretary General Brigitte Knopf and colleagues from other institutions argue that investments in fossil fuels have become more risky in the post-Paris world.

Most of the fossil fuel reserves have to remain unburnt in order to stay below a 2 °C temperature increase. “Financial markets have to deal with the risk that climate regulation may devalue assets — they must do so without destabilising international capital markets”, the authors, who chaired the Think20 Task Force on Climate Policy and Finance, write.

The scientists from the MCC, the Brookings Institution in the US and the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) from Canada contextualise this problem with the ever more urgent need to build new infrastructure around the globe while the world is facing declining tax revenues.

“Carbon pricing could become particularly important for the developing countries due to rapid urbanisation and economic growth,” says Amar Bhattacharya, senior fellow at the Global Economy and Development Programme at Brookings Institution. “In the next 15 years they will have to finance more than $80 trillion of infrastructure in energy, transport infrastructure, potable water supply and sanitation and telecommunications.”

The US administration is facing the same challenge as many other G20 countries. “Additional funding sources are crucial in the face of the rising need to rebuild American infrastructure,” says MCC Director Edenhofer. “Business leaders and international organizations have already understood that despite the announced withdrawal from the Paris Agreement by Donald Trump, in a globalised economy there is no longer a choice between climate and non-climate policy but between smart and costly regulation. Furthermore, there has even been some support by fiscal conservatives in the United States for a budget-neutral carbon tax.”

Financing such infrastructure in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement would require a reallocation of resources towards a climate-friendly infrastructure. However, the current fiscal system in many countries will not provide the necessary resources. Furthermore, because low-income households consume a higher share of carbon-intensive goods in their household budgets, the burden of carbon pricing on those households is relatively high compared with high-income households. The article in Nature Climate Change therefore calls for a well-designed progressive recycling of carbon pricing revenues.

Carbon pricing is already increasingly being taken up by business leaders and investors as an efficient way to reduce emissions. “The agenda of the global business community becomes ever more consistent with civil society’s agenda,” says Céline Bak, a senior fellow with CIGI’s Global Economy Programme.

“For example, in preparation for the G20 summit in Hamburg, German industry representatives call for an ambitious timeline for phasing out fossil-fuel subsidies, effective and globally converging carbon pricing mechanisms, as well as to implement international disclosure and reporting standards for environmental and climate-related financial risks.”

Meanwhile, China will implement a nationwide trading scheme this year, which has the potential to become much larger than the European carbon market. Carbon taxes have also been successfully implemented in British Columbia, Canada. The overall resistance within the business community to carbon taxes or emission trading schemes is weakening. A carbon pricing landscape is already emerging, with about 17 percent of emissions in the G20 covered by pricing schemes. The G20 countries are heavyweights in the arena of climate policy. They are responsible for roughly 80 percent of global energy use and CO2 emissions.

Superhighway: Government gives conditional EIA approval

Michael Simire
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Superhighway: Government gives conditional EIA approval

The Federal Ministry of Environment on Thursday, June 29, 2017 gave conditional approval to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report prepared by the Cross River State Government in respect of the proposed Superhighway project.

Ben-Ayade
Governor Ben Ayade’s Superhighway project has encountered stiff opposition

At a brief ceremony, officials of the Federal Ministry of Environment handed the conditionally-approved EIA report to the Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Professor Ivara Esu, who represented Governor Ben Ayade.

Federal officials were said to have given assurances that government would not renege on its promise to support the state in ensuring the succesful completion of the project.

According to CrossRiverWatch.com, a state promoted portal, Governor Ayade insinuated an “immediate return to site to commence work”.

The governor reportedly told CrossRiverWatch that he was greatful to his detractors who, according to him, actually propelled the government to work harder in order to achieve the feat.

“I want to use this opportunity to congratulate Cross Riverians and indeed all the detractors of the Superhighway for their opposition to the project, which actually propelled us to work harder to achieve this.

“For those who have been worried about where the money will come from, I have insisted repeatedly that that has been taken care of. I want to assure Cross Riverians that equipment is returning to site and work will commence immediately as earlier planned.

“We give all thanks to God and to all Cross Riverians who abided with us in prayer and assure everyone that we will continue to work hard to achieve our set goals regardless of the obstacles.” the governor was quoted by CrossRiverWatch as saying.

But, in a reaction, Environment Minister of State, Ibrahim Usman Jibril, said that Cross River State cannot immediately commence work as there are no fewer than 20 conditions to be met before a final approval is given to the EIA report.

His words: “We have handed a conditional approval (over 20 conditions) to be fulfilled by the Cross River State Government. No final certificate yet until those conditions are met.

“We shall carry out a review within the next two or three weeks. Be rest assured that we will not compromise in any way please.”

Fadama bags World Bank award

Michael Simire
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Fadama bags World Bank award

The Additional Financing to the Third Fadama Development Project (Fadama III-AF) has been honoured with the Africa VPU Team Award by the World Bank.

Makhtar Diop
Vice President for Africa of the World Bank, Makhtar Diop

The award was announced by the Vice President for Africa of the World Bank, Makhtar Diop.

It will be recalled that Fadama-II got the Award in 2007 and Fadama-III secured the same in 2014.

The Africa Region Award of Excellence is an annual event instituted by the African Region of the World Bank to recognise excellence in project management and evidence of pro-poor impact of development projects.

Fadama III-AF was selected as a demonstration of an important example of how client-driven agricultural and rural development projects can have significant development impacts on the national economy.

The Additional Financing for the Third National Fadama Development Project (Fadama III) is one of the World Bank’s flagship operations with total finance of $200 million.

Fadama III Additional Financing is a follow-up on to Fadama III project and it is being implemented in six core and 21 cluster states.

The states were selected based on comparative advantage and high potential to increase production and productivity of cassava, rice, and sorghum and horticulture value chains and link them to better organised markets.

The AF is well aligned closely with the new Agricultural Promotion Policy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It is facilitating linkages between federation of producers and existing processors.

The project was approved by the World Bank’s Board of Directors in June 2013 and implementation began in October 21 of the same year.

The objective of the project is to increase the incomes for users of rural lands and water resources within the Fadama areas in a sustainable manner throughout the recipient’s territory.

Taking a value chain orientation, the AF is attracting private investment in processing and milling, and other commercial aspects of agriculture around nucleus farms, with associated small-holder linkages such as out-grower schemes.

The programme has proved to be a reliable tool for responding to fragility and crises situation.

It recently extended its reach to the victims of insecurity in conflict-affected areas of Northern regions of Nigeria with a $50 million Additional Financing in June 2016.

The project is said to have generated good results on the ground. It has also supported farmers to increase rice yield from 2.84mt/ha to 6.40mt/ha.

Sorghum yield went from 1.14mt/ha to 3.65mt/ha, tomato yield from 12.56mt/ha to 28.60mt/ha and Cassava yield from 11.92mt/ha to 15.76mt/ha.

With a disbursement of 67.22 per cent, at mid-term, the project is cruising sustainably towards achieving its development objective at completion.

The Fadama project stands out as a success within a country portfolio that faces numerous implementation challenges.

Nigerian youth, digital media advocate for SDGC/A 2017

Michael Simire
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Nigerian youth, digital media advocate for SDGC/A 2017

The Sustainable Development Goals Centre for Africa (SDGC/A) has picked Nigerian youth campaigner and digital media expert, Olumide Idowu, to manage social media and communications functions during the upcoming forum on “Mobilising African Intellectuals Towards Quality Tertiary Education” scheduled to hold July, 2017 in Kigali, Rwanda.

Olumide Idowu
Olumide Idowu

The primary objective of the conference, according to the organisers, is to create a coalition of African intellectuals who will brainstorm and hold principal discussions on practical actions, as well as explore solutions and build consensual approaches on the major themes relevant to SDG implementation in tertiary education and research throughout Africa.

Key priority action areas for consideration at the workshop include:

  • The Enabling Environment in Education – Excellence in Teaching and Learning
  • Research – Scope and Reputation
  • Building Reputable University Systems in Africa
  • Knowledge for Development – Transforming Societies

Additionally, participants will share experiences, as well as agree on common actions to ignite the big push needed at continental level to transform the academic ecosystem.

Idowu has over 10 years’ working experience on social media, environment, climate change, monitoring & evaluation and sustainable development issues.

A youth climate change policy expert and trainer, he has represented Nigeria and Africa at over 10 high-level global governance meetings on sustainable development.

He is co-founder of Climate Wednesday, a not-for-profit outfit that seeks to identify key climate-based issues affecting developments in Nigeria in particular and Africa in general.

Besides leading the youth advocacy efforts on environment, climate change and sustainable development in Africa, Idowu serves as Senior Communication Officer for African Youth Initiative on Climate Change, and volunteer to Save the Children Nigeria on advocacy and campaign.

Why modern biotechnology must be regulated – NBMA

Michael Simire
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Why modern biotechnology must be regulated – NBMA

The Director General/CEO, National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Dr. Rufus Ebegba, on Wednesday, June 28, 2017 in Abuja re-emphasised the need to regulate the practice of modern biotechnology in the country.

NBMA
Director General/CEO, National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Dr. Rufus Ebegba, with members of the Real-Life Civil Society

Dr. Ebegba made the submission while receiving members of the Real-Life Civil Society, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), at the NBMA Office. According to him, government in its wisdom established the NBMA to guard against the misuse of modern biotechnology and its products.

“The practice of modern biotechnology ordinarily is not intended to pose any harm or danger to the public or the environment and to ensure that this potent tool is not misused, the NBMA was established,” he said.

He reiterated the determination of the Agency to implement the NBMA Act 2015 according to international best practices, and assured that the Agency had the requisite manpower to implement its mandate without fear or favour.

Comrade Akin Akinsola, Coordinator, Real-Life Civil Society, said that the group was at the NBMA to familiarise with the operations of the Agency vis-à-vis negative publications in the media about NBMA.

“Having learnt and seen for ourselves what you do and the facilities you have, we call on all Nigerians to trust the Agency and give it a chance,” he said.

Campaigners flay proposed Norway-backed Congo forest logging

Michael Simire
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Campaigners flay proposed Norway-backed Congo forest logging

The Norwegian government is said to be considering whether to finance industrial logging in the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where 20 million hectares of virgin forest could be handed over to the timber industry. It is believed that Norway will commit some €16 million to the project.

Paris Agreement
The Paris Agreement and the financial incentives and initiatives it has spurred can help put indigenous and community rights at the heart of forest policies in Congo Basin countries

The Congo Basin in Central Africa is home to the planet’s second largest rainforest, whose virgin forests houses a diversity of species, including chimpanzees, gorillas and forest elephants. Besides storing gigantic amounts of carbon, they are also home to millions of people.

However, as part of its climate protection policy, the Norwegian government plans to bankroll the project through its climate and forest protection programme, the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI). The project was developed by the French state development agency, AFD.

But the proposal has met with stiff opposition, as a host of campaigners say it is environment-unfriendly.

“Logging is one of the main causes of the global destruction of forests. The tropical timber industry destroys the livelihoods of people and animals – and fuels climate change,” says Reinhard Behrend of the Rainforest Rescue.

He adds: “Just as questionable as the project is Norway’s source of funding. Through its exploitation of oil and gas deposits in the North Atlantic and Artic Sea, Norway has become one of the richest countries in the world. The burning of fossil fuels is the leading cause of climate change.

“Whilst Norway amasses billions of euros each year from its oil and gas industry, countries in the Tropics are suffering especially from the climate change caused primarily by industrialised nations.”

The tropical timber industry is to receive 20 million hectares of rainforest – more than double the area of Portugal – as logging concessions, warns the British environmental organisation, Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK), which calculates that not only do the trees store massive amounts of carbon, but so does the soil.

“Vast areas of the planned concessions stand on thick layers of peat. These contain on average almost 2,200 tonnes of carbon per hectare. Around 10.4 Giga tons of CO2 could be released through logging. This corresponds to over 200 years of Norway’s own annual CO2 emissions currently estimated as 53.4 mega tons CO2 equivalent,” the group adds.

Simon Counsell, Director of the RFUK, explains: “The government of Norway risks putting globally significant stores of carbon at risk through misguided support for so-called sustainable forest management in DRC. Instead of expanding large-scale timber-felling, Norway should work with the Congolese government to shut down the half of the country’s logging areas which the law requires to be closed and returned to the state.”

Togo ratifies Paris Agreement as 151st Party

Michael Simire
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Togo ratifies Paris Agreement as 151st Party

The Togolese Republic on Wednesday, June 28, 2017 deposited its instrument of ratification of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

Faure-Essozimna-Gnassingbé
Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, president of Togo

The West African nation by the Gulf of Guinea thus becomes the 151st country to endorse the global treaty, after Qatar, which ratified the climate accord on Friday, June 23, 2017.

According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Togo’s ratification of the pact will enter into force in a month’s time on Friday, July 28, 2017.

The Paris Agreement builds upon the Convention (UNFCCC) and – for the first time – brings all nations into a common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects, with enhanced support to assist developing countries to do so. As such, it charts a new course in the global climate effort.

The Paris Agreement’s central aim is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Additionally, the agreement aims to strengthen the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change. To reach these ambitious goals, appropriate financial flows, a new technology framework and an enhanced capacity building framework will be put in place, thus supporting action by developing countries and the most vulnerable countries, in line with their own national objectives. The Agreement also provides for enhanced transparency of action and support through a more robust transparency framework.

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