Climate change, green economy to feature prominently at African ministerial meetings

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 26, 2015 (ClimDev-Africa) – Plans are underway at the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) to bring climate change to the fore of discussions during the ongoing seven-day Joint Conference of Ministers of Finance, Monetary Affairs, Economic Planning and Integration and 48th Economic Commission for Africa Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (COM2015) which kicked off in the Ethiopian capital on the 25 March 2015.

The Special Initiatives Division (SID) is holding a series of side events for government officials from African Union Member States as well as other stakeholders to discuss recent developments on global climate change governance and particularly, the forthcoming COP21 in Paris and its implications for Africa.

The first side event which is planned for Saturday, 28 March 2015 at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC) at ECA Headquarters in Addis Ababa will be on the theme: “IPCC Fifth Assessment Report – What it means for Africa”.  Panellists will include leading academicians, researchers, and senior policy makers from Africa and beyond.

The second and third side-events on: “Financing the transition to a green economy in Africa: What are the options?” and “Africa in the Post Kyoto Climate Governance Framework” respectively will also be held at the UNCC on Saturday 28 March 2015 and Sunday the 29 March 2015 respectively.

A fourth side-event, co-organized by ECA in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) will address “Financing for sustainable development: towards a twenty-first century sustainable financial system”. This side event will feature subject specialists from different sectors including banking and mining.  

Dr. Fatima Denton, the Director of SID and main organizer of the side events is upbeat about the outcome of the events, saying the themes are very timely, especially within the framework of Africa’s preparations for COP21 planned for Paris at the end of this year.

“This will be a great opportunity for decision-makers in important sectors such as finance, planning and economic development to get a full grasp of not just the global climate governance but of the need for domestic resource mobilization to give Africa a better understanding of investments required to tap into different economic opportunities that climate change offers”,  she added.

Issued by ClimDev-Africa.