Nairobi, Kenya- The AGNES, in collaboration with the Government of Kenya through the Kenya Meteorological Department, The University of Nairobi, the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), UNFCCC Regional Coordination Centers (ESA and WACA), the African Climate Policy Centre of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and other partners held the African IPCC strategy meeting from July 10th to 12th. This pivotal gathering aimed to tackle a critical shortfall: the existing models, tools, and scenarios, which are crucial for LT-LEDS and NDC development, are insufficiently sensitive to the realities of the African and the Global South. Also, the meeting aimed to identify Africa’s main priorities for the AR7 cycle products and strategize towards improving Africa’s participation in the cycle. Another objective was to identify the gaps and opportunities in the existing models and scenarios for climate projections and long-term planning and strategize on possible ways to strengthen/develop models that will be suitable for climate-related issues in Africa. As the host organization, AGNES thus presided over sessions that shared a mission of strengthening African cities’ climate change resilience. The cooperation called for innovative ways that incorporate local information into global climate modeling, which has to be more precise and useful for Africa’s climate regulation.
Climate Resilience in Cities
During the meeting, major emphasis was placed on climate resilience in cities. Areas of concern include; climate change and its effects such as cyclones, floods, and heat on buildings and income-generating activities in the urban cities of the continent. These challenges require collaborative efforts including specialized research that aims at bolstering the resilience of African cities against the impacts of climate change. Thus, discussions clarified that partnerships were effective in creating solutions that correspond to modern trends in science and local practices.
A good example was presented by ICLEI Africa describing several other campaigns that embraced cities’ sustainable urbanism and community-based efforts towards building urban resilience. For example, such measures include the development of green areas in cities that can reduce the impact of heat on islands as well as enhance the quality of life of the city residents due to better air quality and access to recreational spaces.
Another significant project is the implementation of rainwater harvesting technologies in cities, which addresses the issues of water scarcity, and reducing flood risks and utilizing the water in multiple rounds. Moreover, ICLEI Africa urged local authorities to support community urban agriculture projects that enhance food security and engage the community. They also include social integration and economic growth apart from minimizing the decrease in the heat island, management of organic waste, and the preservation of various plant species. These initiatives are an excellent example of how it is possible to combine the classical and traditional approaches to learning with innovations when it comes to designing cities. For instance, the use of local plant varieties in greenery and urban agriculture also saves native plant varieties and can play a crucial role in supporting these projects to become sustainable and suitable for the area. By such coordinated approaches, ICLEI Africa underlines the necessity of engaging communities in climate change mitigation measures.
Also, water harvesting projects improve the social and environmental conditions of populations in cities—suggesting correct development to cities. As for this, indigenous knowledge was presented as important in addressing climate for sustainability and cultural relevance. Thus, Dr. Lukorito was especially effective when saying that “Indigenous knowledge will help Africa escape fast technology that could derail climate action.” This insight is essential in highlighting the need to merge traditional practices with advanced technology in the formulation of workable and sustainable solutions for Africa.
Creating Models, Tools, and Scenarios that meet Africa’s needs
One of the strategic issues discussed and considered was that the current climate models, tools, and scenarios that exist in the international climate system do little justice to the climatic realities and potentials of the African continent. The discussions pointed to the fact that there was a need to come up with models and tools that are relevant and useful to Africa to spearhead strategic development planning and policy interventions. This gap calls for a drastic change in approach to how climate data is simulated and analyzed for the African context. In order to tackle these problems directly the meeting discussed on several strategic methods for enhancing the robustness of the climate change resilience strategies. This involved an attempt to solve climate change with indigenous knowledge and practices in coming up with even better solutions to climate change. This shall be done in a manner that involves experts from Africa, both technological experts and climate experts, to ensure that Africa is moving away from models that do not take into account the contextual realities of Africa.
Implementing Transformative Actions
It was noted that there is a need to develop strategies that will drive targeted action within the identified research clusters to avail literature that fills knowledge and data gaps. Participants described a sequence of undertakings and approaches necessary for performing transformative initiatives consistent with the local context. Technology is also in the limelight with emphasis focusing on how to use new technologies that can help in tackling some of the problems of climate change in African cities. Also, among the suggestions was that there should be a collaboration to harness existing data and the best available science to create tools and models that suit Africa.
There was considerable emphasis on the need to adapt global solutions to local specificities, this is important in guaranteeing that interventions are not only efficient but also feasible in the long term taking into consideration geo-physical and social-cultural settings within African cities. Other strategies that were mentioned included building the capacities of local institutions in the deployment and maintenance of these technologies, as well as developing coherent urban planning and policy frameworks to support these new implementations. This would include students/researchers from selected universities to participate in research.
According to Prof. Nana, “IPCC products are used in major policies in countries; therefore, scientists and experts in Africa must write on the issues that are emergent and affect IPCC, i.e. climate finance.” Therefore, it was agreed upon that when it comes to capacity building there should be more focus on training early career scientists to process data, research, write, and publish documents on emergent climate issues in Africa.
Building Capacities and Strengthening Partnerships
It was also determined that over the years, capacity building and partnership development have been IPCC agenda points, that require urgent action and support because they are core to enhancing urban resilience and rebuilding social capital. This underscores the importance of building local capacity for the delivery of climate change adaptation and mitigation solutions. This includes education on new technologies and enhancement of the understanding of climatic threats and climate risk management among urban designers and other decision-makers. Such capacity-building measures also ensure that the local governments and communities are ready to address climate issues.
The role of partnerships in the achievement of these goals was also underscored. Thus, local governments, NGOs, and the private sectors as well as international organizations offer cities a wider spectrum of resources, information, and technologies. It is crucial to contribute all available resources and information to effectively address several climate concerns. Among the focus areas highlighted was the improvement of data as an asset for climate change. Concerns related to data gathering and its purpose in strategizing and decision-making were also raised, including climate risk and vulnerability studies, which aim at informing policy interventions based on contexts within cities.
AGNES Team Lead Dr. George Wamukoya, OGW says: “There are opportunities in negotiations that you should never miss. Gather evidence during negotiations, and evidence of vulnerability. There is no clear scientific interpretation of ‘vulnerable,’ hence many countries always categorize themselves under vulnerable communities.” This statement highlights the significance of negotiation in demanding enhanced support and appreciation of marginalized groups in climate instruments.
The meeting laid a solid foundation for following international collaborations and local participation, emphasizing the significance of permanent cooperation with others. Directions for future work include further strengthening the capacity, incorporating more evidence-based decision-making, and the creation of policies that would address the emerging requirements of urban spaces under the looming clouds of climate change. The importance of the international community’s support was also highlighted on how to maintain the momentum of these efforts. These examples make it clear that as cities expand and new challenges arise, good and efficient climate solutions for all are essential.