Ahead of the 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) set for November 11th to 22nd 2024, the Africa Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES) and other partners convened African Experts and Negotiators for the Pre-COP 29 strategy meeting on 24-27 September 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya. Key Negotiation streams including Gender, Agriculture, Adaptation and Climate Finance were represented. This critical meeting focused on key discussions featuring as agenda items for COP29 that require consolidation of Africa’s views to espouse the priorities of the continent. The discussions were centered on the Global Goal on Adaptation, Climate finance, Transboundary Climate Adaptation Risks, and Gender.
Analysing and refining the Adaptation Indicators submitted under the UAE-Belem work programme.
During the Pre-COP29 strategy meeting, African experts and negotiators reviewed the 5304 submitted adaptation indicators, focusing on the thematic targets on Biodiversity and Ecosystems, Health, Food and Agriculture, and Water. They applied a specific criterion of sorting the indicators to identify gaps and explored ways to refine the indicators. Specific steps used included:
The exercise highlighted the importance of developing universally applicable indicators and the need to identify specific approaches that technical experts can use to review and refine indicators relevant to the Global Goal on Adaptation. Participants raised concerns about how experts would sort the indicators, given the unique characteristics of each sector, and whether there will be a unified approach to sorting and refining the submitted indicators.
Despite uncertainty about the next steps of the work programme at COP29 and beyond, participants emphasized the need for ongoing efforts to determine indicators that can fit the African context. This will enhance the applicability of the indicators to the African region. Majorly, this strategy meeting prepared African experts and negotiators for the workshop on October 8th and 9th, where experts and parties will discuss progress in the work on Adaptation indicators.
Summary of Indicators Submitted by Africa
From Africa, Kenya submitted indicators on behalf of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) while Malawi submitted on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). The two-party groups submitted indicators drawn from Africa’s National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), National Determined Commitments (NDCs) and other multilateral frameworks. Mauritius submitted independently drawing from information on existing adaptation indicators related to the environment, climate change, disasters and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are currently being reported at the national, regional and global level.
Among the submitted indicators, the thematic target under food and agriculture had the highest representation while cultural heritage was the lowest. The high distribution of Food and Agriculture reflects Africa’s dependence on agriculture as a key economic activity. Among the indicators submitted, most of the indicators were focused on the implementation phase of the adaptation cycle. The Africa Group highlighted that a strong focus on implementation emphasizes the importance of implementation of adaptation action for Africa, while the LDC Group noted that the disproportionate focus on implementation, highlighting an urgent need to enhance the adaptation cycle in LDCs.
Linking Climate Finance with Global Goal adaptation
Climate Finance experts and negotiators set a pathway into the climate finance negotiations at COP29 since finance is a crucial driver of climate action. COP29 is a defining moment as it sets a new financial target under the New Collective and Quantified Goal (NCQG) to bridge the climate finance gap, support vulnerable communities and enhance global co-operation. The Pre-COP29 strategy meeting critically highlighted the need for increased, predictable, and accessible financing to support climate adaptation and mitigation efforts, particularly in vulnerable regions including Africa.
The NCQG is poised to take over the 100 USD that was agreed by developed country parties in 2010. The Experts and Negotiators pointed out the gap that exists between the pledged finance and the actual disbursements highlighting the need for transparent tracking mechanisms to ensure accountability. A key concern was the lack of access to finance for local communities who are most impacted by climate change but are not considered in the funding options. Calls were made for streamlining procedures and enhancing capacity building to help countries understand the climate finance landscape. The group discussed on the quantum to form discussions in Baku setting stage for Africa’s submission on the quantum.
The need to link the Global Goal on Adaptation with Climate Finance
Innovative financing solutions are needed to unlock financing to support global goal on adaptation (GGA). During the meeting, experts came up with some approaches of linking Adaptation with Climate Finance. They include.
- Designing general finance indicators on the total sum of accessible, provided and mobilized finance.
- Designing finance-related indicators for dimensional targets
- Designing finance indicators in the context of thematic targets
- Ensuring that finance is included in layering of thematic and dimensional targets across input, output, outcome and impact levels.
Gender at the Centre of Climate Change Adaptation
For adaptation to take place effectively, it is paramount to give attention to gender equality. At the recent pre-COP29 discussions, the deliberations reinforced the principle that gender equality must be central in climate governance.
“Addressing the Gender issue is very important for Adaptation in Africa. The Gender Action Plan (GAP), therefore, should be a key item at COP29” ~ Ms Angela Ebeleke.
Additionally, discussions also acknowledged that different gender groups (men, women, boys and girls) are not homogeneous. Challenges faced by women, for instance, are vary across socio-economic statuses, disabilities, and indigenous backgrounds. This understanding drives the need for tailored climate solutions that reflect these diverse realities.
Further, key discussions around Means of Implementation was a highlight, urging developed countries to remain committed to supporting gender-related efforts. The group advocated for dedicated financial mechanisms to advance gender equality through climate finance instruments under the UNFCCC.
Going forward, negotiators aim to refine their proposal on the SBI60 draft text on gender and climate change ensuring that the issue of finance mechanisms for gender considerations are clearly articulated. Additionally, a call was made for a continuous Work Programme on Gender, emphasizing the need for continued financial and technical support in the implementation of the UNFCCC Gender Action plan (GAP).
Co-creation of Transboundary Climate Adaptation Risks indicators
Transboundary Climate Adaptation Risks (TCARs), an emerging issue that heavily impacts and derails adaptation measure across borders, is a major concern for Africa as well. During pre-COP29, experts from Africa Group of Negotiators countries and Least Developed Countries focused on raising awareness on the importance of having indicators that mention “transboundary” to cater to Transboundary Climate Adaptation Risks because leaving them unaddressed impedes the efforts towards adaptation. Experts pointed out that out of the approximately 5300 indicators on Global Goal on Adaptation that were submitted, only 22 of them explicitly mentioned transboundary which are largely related to water systems. This is problematic as it implies that the management of TCARs will slow down because the cooperation of regional and international management of TCARs will remain unmonitored. Further, it also means that climate finance meant to address TCARs will continue to be inadequate. Therefore, it became imperative to develop concrete, measurable and actionable indicators related to TCARs and see to it that they are included in the submissions and accepted by Parties. In this regard, during the meeting, the LDC Expert Group, the AGN Negotiators and experts from AGNES developed an initial set of indicators around TCARs for each dimensional and thematic target of the UAE-Belém Work Programme
According to the experts, TCARs need to be considered at the country level, particularly as LDC and AGN countries are developing their National Adaptation Plans, Nationally Determined Contributions and Long Term-Low Emissions Development Strategies. Half of the LDCs and 32 countries from Africa have developed NAPs; there is an opportunity to ensure TCARs are more robustly incorporated in forthcoming NAPs, NDCs and LT-LEDS given that the third version of NDC is due February 2025, similar to LT-LEDS, although the encouragement is to submit them by the end of the year (2024).
Conclusion
As COP29 approaches African Negotiators and experts are refining Africa’s position in bid to stand for Africa’s priority, adaptation and to get enough financial support. Evidently, the pre-COP29 discussions were centered around adaptation with everything being tied back to adaptation in Africa. Climate Finance, Gender equality in adaptation and monitoring Transboundary Climate Change Risks are in bid to ensure effective adaptation in African countries. This will go a long way in ensuring that African communities are effectively building their resilience. In turn, the vulnerability index of the continent will reduce, and the rate of development will gradually increase even in the face of climate change.