Climate change is increasingly impacting regions around the world, and the Horn of Africa (HoA) is no exception. With its unique set of challenges including persistent droughts, floods, and heatwaves, the region faces amplified climate risks that affect both lives and livelihoods. Although many HoA countries have committed to ambitious National Determined Contributions (NDCs) to combat climate change, there remains a gap in financing for adaptation efforts, especially for the conditional commitments within their NDCs. Additionally, the issue of cross-border climate risks has not been comprehensively addressed, necessitating collaborative and transformative adaptation across borders.
To address these challenges, a collaborative effort involving national governments and regional economic communities is required. This side event, titled “Unlocking Finance: Cross-border Adaptation in the Horn of Africa,” is scheduled for Friday, 8th September 2023, from 17:30 to 18:30 Kenyan time, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, Kenya. The event is designed as a classroom-style panel discussion and aims to shed light on the increasing transboundary climate and adaptation risks affecting the HoA and their impacts on the region’s natural resources.
Session Objectives
- Highlight Cascading Climate Risks: The event will raise awareness about the cascading climate risks that pose threats to cross-border climate adaptation efforts and overall peace and security.
- Showcase Successful Initiatives: Presenters and panelists will discuss successful initiatives and opportunities that can benefit from a transboundary investment approach. The focus will be on opportunities that can be scaled up through funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
- Explore Challenges and Solutions: The event will explore challenges related to deploying transboundary investments and will identify possible domestic solutions for adaptation financing in vulnerable regions like the HoA.
Expected Outcomes
- Identification of Investment Priorities: The event aims to identify key investment priorities for climate adaptation within the HoA region, based on insights from both panelists and the audience.
- Identification of Financial Instruments: Domestic and regional financial instruments and sources that can be tapped into and enhanced through climate finance will be highlighted, providing actionable insights for stakeholders.
Partners and Participants
This event is made possible through collaboration with key partners:
- ClimBeR: The CGIAR Initiative on Climate Resilience is dedicated to transforming the climate adaptation capacity of food, land, and water systems in several countries, including those within the HoA region. ClimBeR envisions helping millions of farmers adapt to climate change by 2030.
- AGNES (African Group of Negotiators Experts Support): Created in 2015, AGNES provides scientific expertise to inform Africa’s stance in climate change negotiations and supports governments in addressing climate change challenges.
- GGGI: Global Green Growth Institute: The organization promotes green growth, which is characterized by balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability.
Conclusion
The “Unlocking Finance: Cross-border Adaptation in the Horn of Africa” event is a critical step towards addressing the region’s climate challenges collaboratively. By bringing together experts, policymakers, and finance specialists, the event aims to identify innovative financing solutions that can enhance climate resilience and adaptation efforts within the Horn of Africa. With a focus on transboundary risks, investment opportunities, and the power of climate finance, this event hopes to contribute to a more secure and resilient future for the region. Join us on Friday, 8th September 2023, in Nairobi, Kenya, to be part of this important conversation.