Call for abstracts

Introduction

The Climate Change and Development Africa (CCDA) is an annual forum designed to bolster linkages between climate science and development policy by promoting transparent discussions between key stakeholders in the climate and development community. CCDA seeks to mainstream climate information into decision making and strengthen capacities focusing on climate sensitive sectors such as agriculture, food security, energy and transport. CCDA convenes researchers, policy makers and development practitioners, climate scientists, user groups and other stakeholders to deliberate contemporary climate change issues and contribute towards the identification and elaboration of appropriate responses, including providing support for policy responses, mitigation, adaptation and technological innovations, among others. Previous CCDA forums have discussed issues of climate science and policy, and emphasized the need to use climate science and climate information to support the development process. The themes of previous CCDA conferences have been “Development First, Addressing Climate Change in Africa” (CCDA – I); “Advancing Knowledge, Policy and Practice on Climate Change and Development” (CCDA – II); “Africa on the rise: can the opportunities from climate change spring the continent to transformative development?” (CCDA – III); “Africa can feed Africa now: translating climate knowledge into action” (CCDA- IV).

Objectives

CCDA-V will be a moment of reflection on the performance of the UNFCCC in achieving its stated objectives of emissions reduction and sustainable development as detailed in Article 2 of the convention with particular reference to Africa.  Issues of greenhouse gas stabilization and the implications of global warming for Africa’s sustainable development will be addressed through a review and analysis of the interactions between climate sciences and policy in the global climate governance framework. The transition to a post-Kyoto climate governance framework is an opportune moment to engage the African continent and the world in such a review. The review will reflection on the African climate change experiences under the Kyoto Protocol, and seek to inform the emerging Paris framework. The reflections will also set the basis for developing climate sensitive development policies and processes in Africa in the post Paris period.

Specifically, CCDA-V will seek to:

  1. Deepen understanding of the role of climate data, information services and climate knowledge in development planning and climate proofing Africa’s economic development processes;
  2. Share experiences and deepen understanding of climate trends and the impacts of climate change in key development sectors in Africa, and the implications of these experiences for the continent’s sustainable development.
  3. Contribute towards the development of common African positions regarding the post Kyoto global climate governance regime.
  4. Anticipate the outcomes of Paris and initiate preparations for the implementation of the post Paris, such as the INDCs currently under preparation
  5. Build on the recommendations of the Fourth Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa and the climate research frontiers identified at the 2013 African Climate Conference.
  6. Continue to be the main African platform for networking between climate and development stakeholders.

The conference is open to all stakeholders, institutions or individuals active in Climate Change and Development issues in Africa.

Sub-Themes

Proposals for oral presentations, lightning talks, posters, and workshops can address one or more of the following seven sub-themes related to the achievement of the objectives of Article 2 of the UNFCCC in Africa:

  1. Africa and global climate change governance since Kyoto
  2. Climate science, the UNFCCC principles and the Paris Framework
  3. Opportunities and Prospects for Sustainable Development under Climate Change
  4. Opportunities for Innovative Financing for Climate Adaptation
  5. Trade, Technology Transfer and Trips
  6. Agriculture, food security and resilience
  7. Renewable energy
  8. Gender and climate change

Abstracts of not more than 250 words should be submitted by August 14th, 2015. Notification of acceptance/decline will be given by August 30th, 2015. Those intending to present papers and whose abstracts are selected will be required to submit draft papers by 5th October 2015.

All contributions should be submitted in English or French. Submission is online at http://www.climdev-africa.org/CCDA5/abstract_submission. Submissions by email will not be accepted except in very exceptional circumstances.

Please note: abstracts should be submitted only if one of the authors is able to attend the conference.

Financial support

Authors who are in need of financial support will be considered for conference participation grant and should indicate this on the registration form.

Registration

Participation is solely by invitation for those who have no papers to present. Invited participants will have to register online.

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