Pan African Climate Justice
Alliance and Africa Development Interchange Network host side event at
the UN’s Third Financing for Development conference in Addis Ababa to:
discuss the importance of climate finance, and the relationship of
climate finance to the FfD discussions and post-2015 process.
The
crucial role of climate finance within the development agenda was cast
under the spotlight last night during discussions at a side event hosted
by African Civil Society, taking place at the Third International
Financing for Development Conference in Addis Ababa.
PACJA
and ADIN coordinated the event to profile climate finance and present
the link between climate action and development gains. Policymakers,
civil society members and international delegates gathered at the side
event, taking place at the Hilton Hotel, Jacaranda to input on climate
finance issues through Q&A/discussion with the panelists who
included: Mwangi Waituru Beyond 2015, Masaki Inaba, Japan Citizens
Network and Martin Tsounkeu – Africa Development Interchange Network
(ADIN).
Stellah
Riunguh presented a PACJA discussion paper on Climate Finance &
Financing for Development. The paper argues that climate finance and
sustainable development are two sides of the same coin and that climate
finance can close the ‘development gap’ in Africa. Among the paper’s
most salient points are:
The
level of financing of adaptation to climate change is extremely low in
Africa when compared to the amount estimated and also sometimes the
amount approved. For instance: a recent data from UNDP (2015) indicates
that USD 2.3 billion has been approved for 453 projects and programmes
in Sub-Saharan Africa since 2003, but only 45% of the approved funds
have been delivered for adaptation measures.
Inability
to separate climate funds from the Official Development Assistance
(ODA) as well as corruption, instability, insecurity and conflict have
remained the biggest challenges to the generation of homegrown domestic
funds in African countries.
Financing
for development conference in Addis Ababa should be a catalytic signal
that by September, the UN general Assembly will not be grappling with
questions on money to support new post 2015 development agenda
Isabella
Lövin, Minister for International Development Cooperation, Sweden,
delivered the keynote address at the event and highlighted the strong
contribution of Sweden to climate finance and Official Development
Assistance, Africa’s traditional source of development finding. Sweden
has contributed 580million USD to the Green Climate Fund and is the
largest contributor per capita in the world. Sweden’s commitment has
been additional to its ODA pledge. During her address Lövin emphasised
the importance of sustainable, affordable and accessible energy for all
and said:
“there
is an opportunity for the global community to start again, look at our
resources and redirect them in the right direction to achieve our goals.
Currently, 1.3 billion people do not have access to electricity.
Electricity is important for development and can allow children to study
at night, families to own a fridge, and maybe even start a shop or
business.”
Ms
Lovin also talked about the importance of transition to a low carbon
society and of adequate funding for adaptation. She concluded her
address by highlighting the fundamental role of civil society members
present:
“Civil
society has an enormously important role to play in the new SDGs
agenda. You have the capacity that can be utilized in the implementation
of these projects.”
The
lively panel discussion was kicked off by Mwangi Waituru of Beyond 2015
who questioned seeking climate funding from the private sector when
they have been responsible for creating many of the problems in the
first place. He criticised governments for focusing on what divides them
instead of what unites and said we cannot grow one part of the world
but not others and expect to have global peace and prosperity.
Martin
Tsounkeu from host organisation ADIN took the delegates through climate
financing/FFD from the Moneterrey Consensus through to Addis. He said
“ODA has been largely a story of insufficiency and unfulfilled promises
and many countries do not currently have the capacity to access funding.
Climate finance is not an opportunity, it is a necessity. We need it.”
Masaki Inaba, Japan Citizens Network also spoke on the panel and Lies Craeynest from Oxfam delivered concluding remarks.
At
the UN’s Third Financing for Development conference, in Addis Ababa,
between 13-16 July, world leaders will look for ways to pay for the
ambitious and costly sustainable development goals (SDGs), which include
ending poverty and achieving food security in every corner of the globe
by 2030.
United
Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told civil society organisations
gathered in Addis Ababa at the opening session of the FFD conference
that their role is vital in keeping governments accountable and ensuring
that the voices of billions around the world are heard.
“Now,
more than ever, the world needs your advocacy, expertise, and
ingenuity, You are the voice of the people. You can count on the UN to
make it heard, loud and clear.”