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Paris climate summit opens with call to end fossil fuel subsidies

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Paris climate summit opens with call to end fossil fuel subsidies

A coalition of close to 40 governments, hundreds of businesses and influential international organisations on Monday called for accelerated action to phase out fossil fuel subsidies, a move that would help bridge the gap to keep global temperature rise below 2°C.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key formally presenting the Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform Communiqué to Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), on behalf of the Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform, The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group and other supporters of the Communiqué
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key formally presenting the Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform Communiqué to Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), on behalf of the Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform, The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group and other supporters of the Communiqué

On the opening day of the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP21), New Zealand Prime Minister John Key formally presented the Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform Communiqué to Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), on behalf of the Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform, The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group and other supporters of the Communiqué.

The Communiqué calls on the international community to increase efforts to phase out perverse subsidies to fossil fuels by promoting policy transparency, ambitious reform and targeted support for the poorest.

Governments spend over $500 billion of public resources a year to keep domestic prices for oil, gas and coal artificially low. Removing fossil fuel subsidies would reduce greenhouse gas emission by 10 per cent by 2050. It would also free up resources to invest in social and physical capital like education, healthcare and infrastructure, while leveling the playing field for renewable energy.

John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand, said: “Fossil fuel subsidy reform is the missing piece of the climate change puzzle. It’s estimated that more than a third of global carbon emissions, between 1980 and 2010, were driven by fossil fuel subsidies. Their elimination would represent one seventh of the effort needed to achieve our target of ensuring global temperatures do not rise by more than 2°C. As with any subsidy reform, change will take courage and strong political will, but with oil prices at record lows and the global focus on a low carbon future – the timing for this reform has never been better.”

Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said in accepting the Communiqué: “These subsidies contribute to the inefficient use of fossil fuels, undermine the development of energy efficient technologies, act as a drag on clean, green energy deployment and in many developing countries do little to assist the poorest of the poor in the first place. The huge sums involved globally could be better spent on schools, health care, renewable energies and building resilient societies. The current, very low oil prices are a good opportunity to really get going on this issue.”

Stefan Löfven, Prime Minister of Sweden, said: “History will prove fossil fuel to be a dead end. Sweden will be amongst the first fossil free welfare nations of the world. And eliminating fossil fuel subsidies is an important step on this path.”

Hakima El Haite, Environment Minister of Morocco, candidate for the presidency of COP22, said: “Not only do fossil fuel subsidies put a strain on government coffers but they also don’t help the poorest of society.”

Philippe Joubert, Chair of The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group and former president of Alstom Power, said: “The CLG’s long-standing efforts to put a price on carbon, including most recently working with the World Bank through the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition, will soon deliver results. It doesn’t make sense that, at the same time, governments artificially deflate the cost of coal, oil and gas, the primary cause of GHG emissions. Fossil fuel subsidies must be ended to stop this contradiction and enhance a real transition to low carbon energy.”

OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría said: “Countries need to demonstrate with concrete actions and policies that they are serious about combating climate change. Reforming harmful fossil-fuel support is a good place to start.”

Close to 40 countries have endorsed the Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform Communiqué, including Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Samoa, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uganda and Uruguay.

The Communiqué is supported by The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group (23 global companies employing two million people worldwide with combined revenues exceeding $170 billion) and other business organisations working with thousands of corporations and investors, including The B Team, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the We Mean Business coalition. The Communiqué has also been endorsed by influential international organisations including the International Energy Agency, the OECD and the World Bank.

Eliminating fossil fuel subsidies can accelerate the economic shift needed to tackle climate change and remove one of the obstacles to delivering the low-carbon future COP21 is aiming for.

$248m pledged to GEF climate fund for vulnerable countries

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$248m pledged to GEF climate fund for vulnerable countries

New financing for Least Developed Countries Fund sends strong signal of commitment as Paris talks get underway

Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson of the GEF
Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson of the GEF

Eleven donors on Monday November 30, 2015 in Paris, France pledged close to $250 million in new money for adaptation support to the most vulnerable countries on the planet giving a welcome boost to the start of the climate talks here in Paris.

Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States of America announced their contributions at the opening day of COP21 to the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), a climate fund hosted by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

Welcoming the injection of new financing, GEF CEO and Chairperson, Naoko Ishii, said “Given that we’re already locked into climate change trajectories for many years to come, increased investment in adaptation has to be at the core of the new climate agreement.”

“We know that many billions are required over the next few years to fill the gap in climate finance, but the money pledged today is vital to help some of the most vulnerable people on the planet cope with the immediate impacts of our rapidly warming world,” Ishii continued.  “I commend all the donors for their support. This funding for adaptation is urgently needed to help sustain the hard-earned momentum for action on the ground that some of the most vulnerable countries have achieved in recent years.”

Demand from developing countries for financing from the LDCF remains strong.  Droughts, violent storms, sea-level rise and other climate changes are already impacting the poorest and most vulnerable countries and communities.

In his speech at the COP, USA President Barack Obama said: “For some, particularly island nations […], climate change is a threat to their very existence. That’s why today, in concert with other nations, America confirms our strong and ongoing commitment to the Least Developed Countries Fund. And tomorrow, we’ll pledge new contributions to risk insurance initiatives that help vulnerable populations rebuild stronger after climate related disasters”.

At Monday’s announcement of the new financing, former President of Ireland and United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Climate Change, Mary Robinson, said: “I have seen for myself how people from across the developing world are leading the way to climate solutions. But the scale and international nature of climate change requires an unprecedented level of international solidarity and support. So today’s announcement should be seen in that context: they are not just about dollars and cents and accounting. They are about supporting millions of people across the world.”

The new financing will enable the GEF to respond to existing requests for support ranging from investments in new approaches to agriculture to national adaptation planning and building resilience against climate change variability and disasters.

Since 2001, the GEF – through the LDCF and the Special Climate Change Fund and the Strategic Priority on Adaptation program – has provided $1.3 billion in grant financing and mobilized $7 billion from other sources for 320 adaptation projects in 129 countries, including all Least Developed Countries and 33 Small Island Developing States. These projects are expected to directly reduce the vulnerability of 17 million people.

World Bank, four European nations in fresh $500m climate initiative

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World Bank, four European nations in fresh $500m climate initiative

Germany, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland on Monday, November 30, 2015 in Paris, France announced a new $500 million initiative that will find new ways to create incentives aimed at large scale cuts in greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries to combat climate change. The World Bank Group worked with the countries to develop the initiative.

World Bank Group President, Jim Yong Kim. Photo credit: static.guim.co.uk
World Bank Group President, Jim Yong Kim. Photo credit: static.guim.co.uk

The Transformative Carbon Asset Facility will help developing countries implement their plans to cut emissions by working with them to create new classes of carbon assets associated with reduced greenhouse gas emission reductions, including those achieved through policy actions.

The facility will measure and pay for emission cuts in large scale programmes in areas like renewable energy, transport, energy efficiency, solid waste management, and low carbon cities. For example, it could make payments for emission reductions to countries that remove fossil fuel subsidies or embark on other reforms like simplifying regulations for renewable energy.

“We want to help developing countries find a credible pathway toward low carbon development,” said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim. “This initiative is one such way because it will help countries create and pay for the next generation of carbon credits.”

This new initiative is planned to start operations in 2016 with an initial expected commitment of more than $250 million from contributing countries. The facility will remain open for additional contributions until a target of $500 million is reached. It is expected that the new facility’s support will be provided alongside $2 billion of investment and policy-related lending by the World Bank Group and other sources.

“Putting market forces to work is an efficient way of reducing emissions. We expect to achieve significant impact on the ground through the facility and ensure the sustainability of reducing emissions even beyond the facility’s initial support, for example, through carbon pricing instruments like emissions trading systems and carbon taxes, or stronger low-carbon policy standards and their enforcement,” said Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway. “We are pleased to support this initiative that will help guide the next generation of carbon market programmes.”

This facility will work alongside a range of global initiatives and national climate plans to help both developed and developing countries achieve their mitigation goals. It will pay for carbon assets with high environmental integrity and a strong likelihood to comply with future international rules, and will share its learning with the international community.

“It is very encouraging to see this new initiative launched when all eyes are on Paris. Four countries are leading with their example and bridging one of the main challenges for developing countries to achieve low carbon growth. By working with developing countries to establish market-based carbon pricing policies and programs, the facility can help achieve both better growth and a better climate for all,” said Felipe Calderón, Chair of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate and former President of Mexico.

Faith-based petitions demand climate action

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Faith-based petitions demand climate action

A total of 1,780,528 million people worldwide have put their names to a collection of faith-based petitions urging political leaders at the COP21 climate summit to take decisive action to curb global warming and deliver a strong, fair deal that helps poor countries adapt to their changing climate.

Mithika Mwenda, Secretary General of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), one of the several key individuals who spoke at the event Photo credit: cloudfront.net
Mithika Mwenda, Secretary General of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), one of the several key individuals who spoke at the event Photo credit: cloudfront.net

The petitions were presented to UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres on November 28 at the ‘Faith in Climate Justice’ (‘Les Religions Pour le Climat’) event at Salle de la Légion d’Honneur in Saint-Denis.

The hand-in was witnessed by close to 400 people, including faith leaders, COP21 delegates and climate campaigners from around the world – including individuals from countries such as Germany, the UK, Philippines, Italy and Scandinavia who have walked hundreds of kilometres in a ‘pilgrimage to Paris’.

Several key individuals spoke at the event: from the Philippines, former COP negotiator Yeb Sano; from Brazil, Cardinal Claudio Hummes; from South Africa, Archbishop of Cape Town the Rt Rev Thabo Makgoba; from the US, the Rev Kyoichi Sugino of Religions for Peace International; from Kenya, Mithika Mwenda, Coordinator of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance; and from Bangladesh, Lotifa Begum of Islamic Relief Worldwide.

‘Faith in Climate Justice’ was organised by four international faith-based networks working together for a common cause: ACT Now for Climate Justice (part of ACT Alliance), OurVoices, Religions for Peace and the Global Catholic Climate Movement.

OneVoices climate ambassador Yeb Sano, who has walked 1,500km from Rome to Paris as leader of the People’s Pilgrimage, said: “The pilgrimages represent, in a political way, that the time for talking is long over. Irrespective of what our leaders produce from Paris, across the globe we are working as communities and cities, as faith groups and organisations, and as pilgrims, walking together out of love, faith and hope that we can build a better future together.”

Archbishop Thabo, global climate ambassador for ACT Alliance, said: “People of faith urge all parties to constructively engage and agree on a Paris deal applicable to all. Climate justice is a spiritual and moral issue. To call it ambitious, it must include the long-term goal of climate resilient decarbonisation by mid-century and a periodic review and ratchet up mechanism to increase ambition dynamically. To call it fair, it must provide robust transparency rules, a firm commitment to deliver the $100 billion climate finance to the poor, and the anchoring of the Warsaw International Mechanism on loss and damage in the Paris agreement.”

On behalf of the Global Catholic Climate Movement, Cardinal Cláudio Hummes, Archbishop Emeritus of Sao Paulo (Brazil) and former Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, said: “2015 has been a very special year for the Catholic Church and its response to the climate crisis, crystallised in the Pope’s Laudato Si’ encyclical, the Bishops’ ‘Appeal to COP21’, and the grassroots mobilisation of the Global Catholic Climate Movement this weekend, which brought hundreds of thousands of petition signatures to Paris and will join the Global Climate March in all continents. I pray for political leaders to ‘hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor’ and respond to the climate justice demand from all faiths.”

Secretary General for Religions for Peace International, Dr William F Vendley, said: “Meeting the challenge of climate change will help transform us into who we are called to be:  one human family living in community with the earth and the Divine.”

The 1,780,528 people who signed the petitions include individuals in both the global north and the global south.

They were mobilised by, among others: the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (in partnership with Oxfam Africa), the Church of England, Tearfund, Christian Aid, Islamic Relief, National Religious Partnership for the Environment, and Interfaith Power and Light – together with the four organising networks previously mentioned.

As well as live music and visual presentations, the audience at the ‘Faith in Climate Justice’ event heard speeches from the Bishop of Saint Denis, Pascal Delannoy; the President of French Conference of Faiths in France, François Clavairoly; and the President of Plaine Commune, Patrick Braouzec.

INDCs: It’s no longer business as usual, says Nigeria

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INDCs: It’s no longer business as usual, says Nigeria

Following its approval by President Muhammadu Buhari on 26 November 2015 and subsequent submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Nigeria’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) was eventually reflected on the UNFCCC site on Friday, November 28, 2015 by precisely 12:24:55.

The INDCs aims, among other key targets, to improve the electricity grid. Photo credit: blogs.bard.edu
The INDCs aims, among other key targets, to improve the electricity grid. Photo credit: blogs.bard.edu

Two separate documents – the INDCs proper and an executive summary – are both available on the UNFCCC site, here: http://www4.unfccc.int/submissions/INDC/Submission%20Pages/submissions.aspx.

While the main text can be accessed here: http://www4.unfccc.int/submissions/INDC/Published%20Documents/Nigeria/1/Approved%20Nigeria’s%20INDC_271115.pdf, the summary is available here: http://www4.unfccc.int/submissions/INDC/Published%20Documents/Nigeria/1/Executive%20Summary_Nigerian%20INDC_271115.pdf.

Environment Minister, Mrs Amina Mohammed, had on Wednesday, November 26, 2015 broke the news on Twitter (via her handle, @AminaJMohammed). She had twitted: “Nigeria submits it’s INDC to UNFCC. Now we begin the journey for Nigerians, People & Planet leaving no 1 behind!”

While the objective of the plan is Reduction from Business as Usual, it will be implemented within a 15-year period from 2015, with a base data period of 2010-2014. It intends to boost economic and social development by growing the economy by 5% per year, improve standard of living, and ensure electricity access for all.

The INDCs key targets are:

  • Work towards ending gas flaring by 2030
  • Work towards Off-grid solar PV of 13GW (13,000MW)
  • Efficient gas generators
  • 2% per year energy efficiency (30% by 2030)
  • Transport shift car to mass transit
  • Improve electricity grid
  • Climate smart agriculture and reforestation.

Including Nigeria, 183 parties to the UNFCCC have formally submitted their INDCs.

The Paris agreement will come into effect in 2020, empowering all countries to act to prevent average global temperatures rising above 2 degrees Celsius and to reap the many opportunities that arise from a necessary global transformation to clean and sustainable development.

Countries have agreed that there will be no back-tracking in these national climate plans, meaning that the level of ambition to reduce emissions will increase over time.

A summary of the Nigerian INDCs is presented thus:

National Context

In 2014, Nigeria became the largest economy in sub-Sahara Africa. Nigeria is a lower middle income developing country, the GDP per capita in current US$ is about $2,950. The economy is diversifying and has grown over 6% per year for the past decade. Yet, significant challenges remain. Food insecurity, lack of access to energy and high unemployment, amongst others, remain principal constraints on economic development and are of primary concern to the government. Those below the poverty line of US$1.25 PPP still make up 30% of the population. The recent sharp decline in world oil prices has put pressure on the federal government budget, which continues to depend significantly on export revenues. The Nigeria INDC, therefore, focuses on the delivery of direct development benefits and sustainable growth of the economy.

In addition to these challenges, the country is considerably impacted by climate change. The north of the country, for example, is highly vulnerable to drought. A recent Pew Research Center global attitudes survey found that 65% of Nigerians are very concerned about the threat climate change poses, ahead of global economic instability (48%). HE, President Muhammadu Buhari has stated in his inaugural speech that Nigeria is committed to tackling climate change. Nigeria’s INDC demonstrates its determination to contribute to the success of the Paris climate summit in December 2015 and to grow its economy sustainably while reducing carbon pollution.

The INDC promotes sustainable development and delivering on government priorities. The policies and measures included in the Nigeria INDC will deliver immediate development benefits and do not compromise sustainable growth, on the contrary. Ambitious mitigation action is economically efficient and socially desirable for Nigeria, even when leaving aside its climate benefits. The policies and measures alleviate poverty, increase social welfare and inclusion, as well as improving individual well-being, which includes a healthy environment. Furthermore, by not undertaking these measures Nigeria would incur significant adaptation costs from exacerbated climate change.

Nigeria has been actively engaged in international climate policy negotiations since it became a Party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) in 1994 ratifying its Kyoto Protocol in 2004. Nigeria submitted its First National Communication (FNC) in 2003 and a Second National Communication in February 2014. Nigeria is host to a number of Clean Development Mechanism projects, as well as projects financed by the Adaptation Fund. In September 2012, the Federal Executive Council approved the Nigeria Climate Change Policy Response and Strategy. HE, President Muhammadu Buhari, The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 26 November 2015, approved the Nigeria INDC.

 

Summary

Under a business-as-usual growth scenario, consistent with strong economic growth of 5% per year, Nigeria’s emissions are expected to grow to around 900 million tonnes per year in 2030, which translates to around 3.4 tonnes per person. The key measures below could potentially reduce emissions by around 45 per cent compared to business as usual. Yet, Nigeria has a great potential for climate smart development, given support for implementation. Much of the reduction potential identified has zero net cost or indeed achieves a net economic benefit. That is, the measures would benefit Nigeria overall, even before taking into account the climate benefits.

 

Climate Change Policy Framework

In order to reflect the increasing importance of climate change issues in Nigeria, the Federal Executive Council adopted in 2012 the Nigeria Climate Change Policy Response and Strategy. To ensure an effective national response to the significant and multi-facetted impacts of climate change, Nigeria has adopted a comprehensive strategy, as well as a number of specific policies. The strategic goal of the Nigeria Climate Change Policy Response and Strategy is to foster low-carbon, high growth v economic development and build a climate resilient society through the attainment of the following objectives:

  • Implement mitigation measures that will promote low carbon as well as sustainable and high economic growth;
  • Enhance national capacity to adapt to climate change;
  • Raise climate change related science, technology and R&D to a new level that will enable the country to better participate in international scientific and technological cooperation on climate change;
  • Significantly increase public awareness and involve private sector participation in addressing the challenges of climate change;
  • Strengthen national institutions and mechanisms (policy, legislative and economic) to establish a suitable and functional framework for climate change governance.

 

Climate Change Adaptation

Nigeria has adopted adaptation policies and measures described in more detail in section 3.2.2. Nigeria’s response to climate change has focused on increasing resilience and managing the unavoidable impacts. The National Adaptation Strategy and Plan of Action for Climate Change Nigeria (NASPA-CCN) describes our adaptation priorities, bringing together existing initiatives and priorities for future action. The 2011 NASPA-CCN Vision is a Nigeria in which climate change adaptation is an integrated component of sustainable development, reducing the vulnerability and enhancing the resilience and adaptive capacity of all economic sectors and of all people – particularly women, children, and resource-poor men – to the adverse impacts of climate change, while also capturing the opportunities that arise as a result of climate change. Our goal is to take action to adapt to climate change by reducing vulnerability to climate change impacts and increasing the resilience and sustainable wellbeing of all Nigerians; and to reduce or minimise risks by improving adaptive capacity, leveraging new opportunities, and facilitating collaboration inside Nigeria and with the global community.

To this end, a set of 13 sector-specific strategies, policies, programmes and measures have been prepared, which are included in full in Annex 1 to this INDC. The objectives of these are to reduce the impacts of climate change through adaptation measures that can be undertaken by the Federal, State and Local Governments, civil society, private sector, communities and individuals, including measures that will:

  1. Improve awareness and preparedness for climate change impacts
  2. Mobilise communities for climate change adaptation actions
  3. Reduce the impacts of climate change on key sectors and vulnerable communities
  4. Integrate climate change adaptation into national, sectoral, State and Local Government planning and into the plans of universities, research and educational organisations, civil society organisations, the private sector and the media.

Climate projections to light up Eiffel Tower

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Climate projections to light up Eiffel Tower

On Sunday, November 29, 2015, for the first time ever, artistic messages for climate solutions will be displayed across the Eiffel Tower. The series of hopeful images calling for forest protection and a 100% renewable energy future will be projected onto the facade of Paris’s most iconic landmark, with the goal of engaging citizens to help drive an ambitious global deal on climate change.

The Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower

The installation “1 Heart 1 Tree” will run from Nov 29 to Dec 4, during the UNFCCC talks in Paris, as a hopeful, optimistic celebration of climate solutions and the power of individual actions.

Created by the artist Naziha Mestaoui, “1 Heart 1 Tree” will be an interactive installation using 3D mapping techniques projected onto the Eiffel Tower to coincide with COP21, offering everyone the chance to be part of the solution to climate change through supporting reforestation projects. The installation also celebrates the power of natural energy sources and potential for a global shift to 100% renewable energy. At the project’s heart is the vision of ecological, networked connectivity and abundance.

“1 Heart 1 Tree” ambassadors include Academy Award-winning actress Marion Cotillard, and renowned French environmentalist Nicolas Hulot.

Here Now is a movement lab, working to supercharge public mobilisation on climate, clean energy and sustainable solutions. Here Now co-creates innovative campaigns and initiatives with a wide range of partners around the world.

The 100% Eiffel Tower projection is an iconic representation of mass global support for transition to 100% renewable energy by mid-century. This is a central demand of civil society organisations and a key issue for the Paris summit. Hundreds of organisations and millions of citizens around the world are supporting campaigns for 100% renewable energy, including faith leaders, mayors and leading multinationals.

Mestaoui is a Belgian-Tunisian artist and architect based in Paris, whose unique work merges space, imagery and technological innovations of the digital era to create innovative immersive and sensory experiences. She is member of the Electronic Shadow duo, founded in 2000, now hailed as pioneers in the art of the digital age, and recognised as inventors of Video Mapping, a technique at the crossroads of spatial and imagistic art.

Activists demand governments’ renewable energy, poverty status

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Activists demand governments’ renewable energy, poverty status

Ahead of the UN Climate Summit, a group of NGOs is asking governments, “Are you in?” – as part of a new report and video which highlights the development benefits of the transition to 100% renewable energy. This comes as Heads of State travel to Paris and thousands of people prepare to take to the streets in more than 150 countries to call for a fossil free future.

Wanjira Matthai, Director of the Partnerships for Women Entrepreneurs in Renewables and Councilor of the World Future Council
Wanjira Matthai, Director of the Partnerships for Women Entrepreneurs in Renewables and Councilor of the World Future Council

The brand new report and video showcase how going 100% renewable tackles poverty, capturing colourful examples from Ecuador to Indonesia via Africa and the Middle East, featuring the stories of diverse champions including city mayors, villager leaders and business experts.

The report and video were commissioned by Bread for the World, World Future Council, Hivos and Climate Action Network and is endorsed by a number of development and environmental figureheads including David Suzuki and Wanjira Mathai.

“Harnessing 100% renewable energy is a great way to boost energy access for the poorest and most vulnerable people,” says Cornelia Füllkrug-Weitzel, President at Bread for the World. “Our report and video show how fighting poverty and protecting the climate go hand in hand and that scaling up renewable energy can benefit development programmes around the world.”

“This shows that getting on track to go 100% renewable helps improve living conditions and propels economic development in villages, towns and major cities from Uganda to the USA. The stories in this package demonstrate that renewable energy is simply the best choice for a poverty free, sustainable future,” says Edwin Huizing, Executive Director at Hivos.

The report offers eight examples of people harnessing the power of renewables for the common good, like Marjina Begum in Bangladesh, who is helping to boost gender equality in her community and secure a better life for her daughters.

“To pass on a liveable planet to future generations, we must transition to 100% renewable energy as soon as possible,” says Wanjira Matthai, Director of the Partnerships for Women Entrepreneurs in Renewables and Councilor of the World Future Council. “The stories in this report do not only show that this is feasible, but that it is actually beneficial for people in need.”

“The renewable energy economy is developing at a pace way beyond most predictions and the global support for a renewable powered future is increasing on daily basis. We have no doubt that we will achieve 100% renewable energy within this century. We just need to ensure that this transition happens in a just manner and by mid-century. Betting on any other form of energy for the future does not make economic or social sense,” says Wael Hmaidan, Director, Climate Action Network.

Orange, ENGIE to expand rural electricity grid

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Orange, ENGIE to expand rural electricity grid

Stéphane Richard, CEO of Orange and Isabelle Kocher, Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer of ENGIE, on Friday in Paris, France signed a partnership covering two projects – the expansion of the rural electricity grid and ENGIE’s optimisation of energy supplied to Orange’s telecoms infrastructure in Africa.

Stéphane Richard, CEO of Orange
Stéphane Richard, CEO of Orange

The deal between Orange and ENGIE – both official partners of COP21 – seem to reassert the companies’ willingness to use their technological knowledge to achieve sustainable progress and economic and social development in Africa.

The strength of the partnership is based on Orange’s expertise as an international telecoms carrier present in 19 countries in Africa and the Middle East, and ENGIE’s know-how as an international player in the energy sector.

Isabelle Kocher, Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer of ENGIE
Isabelle Kocher, Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer of ENGIE

Orange is reportedly keen to take part in such a major challenge to expand the electricity grid in Africa and encourage responsible power consumption on the continent based on the expertise of ENGIE, which currently supplies 760 MW of power in Africa and aims to become one of the major energy leaders on the continent by 2025 with several major projects planned. To reinforce its position as the leading independent producer of electricity in Africa, ENGIE has created a dedicated Business Unit with around 100 employees.

Based on Orange’s expertise as a telecoms carrier and ENGIE’s experience in renewable energy production, aggregation and maintenance, the two groups will trial a range of domestic power supply solutions for rural populations that could then be marketed by Orange.

These solutions could, for instance, include individual solar kits and small-scale, local electricity networks. The service could then be billed via mobile using Orange Money.

The trials will allow the companies to validate the technical solutions, the sales and distribution models, and the economic feasibility of the service before making it available on a larger scale.

Ugandan forest advocacy group wins 2015 ONE Africa Award

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Ugandan forest advocacy group wins 2015 ONE Africa Award

The Kampala based forest advocacy group, Support for Women in Environment and Agriculture – SWAGEN, has won the 8th Annual ONE Africa Award. The Award is bestowed upon civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations and other groups based in Africa that have  demonstrated a commitment and success in advocacy to promote the attainment of one or more of the Millennium Development Goals.

Nachilala Nkombo, ONE Africa Acting Executive Director. Photo credit: http://i1.wp.com/blogs.premiumtimesng.com
Nachilala Nkombo, ONE Africa Acting Executive Director. Photo credit: http://i1.wp.com/blogs.premiumtimesng.com

SWAGEN is a member based organisation that uses indigenous knowledge to adapt to, mitigate and improve environmental and sustainable development policies that impact forest dependent communities. The work of SWAGEN is based in the Rwoho Natural Tropical Forest of Uganda. What began in 1992 as a small group 30 people/women responding to a national policy that restricted access to the Forest has grown to a 3,000 member organization with strategic partnerships across the continent and world. SWAGEN is part of the African Women’s Network for Community Management of Forests, the Civil Society Coordinating Committee with UN FAO Committee on Food Security, and holds a Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC.

Congratulating the 2015 ONE Africa Award recipient, Nachilala Nkombo, ONE Africa Acting Executive Director, said: “Today, we join SWAGEN in celebrating their success in ensuring that members of forest communities in Uganda have a chance at a better life that doesn’t compromise the needs of generations to come.”

SWAGEN’s impact in advocacy stood out from a pool of 252 impressive applications from 33 countries across Africa. SWAGEN is credited with negotiating a national policy reform on Forest Conservation in Uganda that recognizes the rights of the forest dependent communities. SWAGEN members built on that reform to secure and develop a Collaborative Forest Management Agreement with the National Forest Authority of Uganda. Their list of accomplishments include planting more than 2,000 hectares of the Rwoho National Forest buffer zone to work towards regenerating that portion of the forest and establishing sustainable beekeeping and honey production businesses.

Gertrude Kenyangi, Co-Founder and Chairperson of SWAGEN, said, “We are incredibly humbled by the selection and honored to be recognized by ONE for our work. On behalf of our members, our board and our community, I thank the ONE Campaign and look forward to continuing to make a difference in the lives of those in forest dependent communities.”

“As the world grapples with agreeing on a climate deal that addresses the needs of the poor and future generations, SWAGEN has demonstrated what sheer commitment to securing systemic changes in natural resource management can do to benefit local communities in a way that lifts them out of poverty and also inspires similar achievements.  As the world prepares to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, it’s the foundation of MDG success laid by such groups as SWAGEN that will be the SDG game changer,” said Nkombo.

Each year, The ONE Africa Award celebrates and highlights innovation and progress made by African led civil society organisation towards achieving the 2000 MDGs. The $100,000 prize money is underwritten by an endowment from The Howard G. Buffet Foundation. The MDGs were replaced this year in September by the UN through the new global goals agenda called the Sustainable Development Plan.

Previous ONE Africa Award winners include:

  • 2014 – Friends Africa of Kenya supports the fight against HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria in partnership with the Global Fund.
  • 2013 – Agricultural Non-State Actors Forum (ANSAF) of Tanzania, a network of non-state stakeholders in Tanzania’s agricultural sector that brings the voices of struggling smallholder farmers to the policy-making table.
  • 2012 – Positive-Generation of Cameroon which uses a variety of advocacy tools and methods in its efforts to ensure quality lives for those living with HIV/AIDS in Cameroon.
  • 2011 – GF2D of Togo which works to empower Togolese women to exercise their right to participate in the decision-making processes of their country by deploying paralegals into communities to share legal knowledge and by training women to run as candidates in local and national elections, amongst other activities.
  • 2010 – SEND Ghana which works to educate and empower citizens to take part in the political process and access the services available to them.
  • 2009 – SIDAREC of Kenya, a community-based organisation founded by young people in Nairobi’s slums, engages and empowers disadvantaged youth in the urban slums of Kenya’s capital—specifically to prevent violence.
  • 2008 – DevComs of Nigeria which works with the media in Nigeria to train and education journalists and editors on public health issues, especially on those concerning women and children.

Nigeria submits INDCs to UNFCCC

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Nigeria submits INDCs to UNFCCC

Nigeria has submitted it Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), according to Environment Minister, Mrs Amina Mohammed.

Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria
Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria

The minister made the disclosure on Thursday, November 26, 2015 on Twitter (via her handle, @AminaJMohammed).

She had twitted: “Nigeria submits it’s INDC to UNFCC. Now we begin the journey for Nigerians, People & Planet leaving no 1 behind!”

Though details of the INDCs are sketchy, indications are however that Nigeria is proposing to reduce carbon emissions by at least 50 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030. It is likewise considering 30 per cent energy efficiency in industries, homes, businesses and vehicles, and increased use of natural gas in generators and renewable energy.

Besides putting a stop to gas flaring, the country outlines plans to capture and process hitherto flared associated gas. It will give priority to climate-smart agriculture, while setting standards for appliances, generators and buildings.

If executed to the letter, all proposals in the INDCs are expected to lead to an estimated $4.5 billion benefits to the country.

As at the time of filling this report for publication (21:25 GMT+1, November 27, 2015), Nigeria’s INDCs is however yet to be reflected on the UNFCCC website (http://www4.unfccc.int/submissions/indc/Submission%20Pages/submissions.aspx). By then, 182 countries had reportedly submitted, the latest being from Tuvalu (submitted 2015-11-27, 17:56:52), Jamaica (2015-11-27, 13:05:56), Indonesia (2015-11-27, 13:02:56) and Niue (2015-11-25, 10:08:32).

Leading up to COP 21 that kicks off in Paris, France on Monday, countries were asked to publicly declare what actions they intend to take under a new global agreement, by March 2015. The country commitments, or INDCs, are expected to indicate through their form and strength what shape any 2015 agreement might take.

The INDCs combine the top-down system of a United Nations climate agreement with bottom-up system-in elements through which countries put forward their agreements in the context of their own national circumstances, capabilities and priorities, within the ambition to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions enough to keep global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius.

The INDCs will not only contain steps taken towards emission reductions, but also aim to address steps taken to adapt to climate change impacts, and what support the country needs-or will provide to address climate change.

On February 27, 2015, Switzerland became the first nation to submit its INDC to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, later followed by the European Union.

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