The 2021 Global Talks Should NOT ‘Curve’ Adaptation Finance out of Climate Finance

UNEP’s Adaptation Gap Report (2020) defines Adaptation as reducing countries’ and communities’ vulnerability to climate change by increasing their ability to absorb impacts and remain resilient – is a key pillar of the Paris Agreement. The Agreement requires all of its signatories to plan and implement adaptation measures through national adaptation plans, studies, monitoring of climate change effects and investment in a green future.

Taking the (current) definition by UNFCCC, climate finance refers to local, national or transnational financing—drawn from public, private and alternative sources of financing—that seeks to support mitigation and adaptation actions that will address climate change.

In accordance with the principle of “common but differentiated responsibility and respective capabilities” set out in the UNFCCC, developed country Parties are to provide financial resources to assist developing country Parties in implementing the objectives of the UNFCCC. The Paris Agreement reaffirms the obligations of developed countries, while for the first time also encouraging voluntary contributions by other Parties. Developed country Parties should also continue to take the lead in mobilizing climate finance from a wide variety of sources, instruments and channels, noting the significant role of public funds, through a variety of actions, including supporting country-driven strategies, and taking into account the needs and priorities of developing country Parties. Such mobilization of climate finance should represent a progression beyond previous efforts.

In 2009, rich and developed countries committed to setting aside US$100 billion a year to support developing countries to protect themselves against climate change. Initiatives that track this money show that developed countries have since set aside much less than that. But without sufficient finance to developing countries, particularly those suffering the worst impacts of the climate crisis, it is simply impossible to develop a spirit of global cooperation.

Just as we are still grappling with a universal definition of climate finance (it is hard to estimate the actual size of this because money that does not address climate change sometimes gets reported as being part), there seems to be a discourse to prop up adaptation finance as the focus of COP26. As one senior COP26 organizer has recently been quoted as saying, ‘Adaptation financing will need good clarification from the regions fronting it. It must be in the SMART format, how measurable it is,..’

This to me seems to be an attempt to simplify a long-standing and complicated issue that begs global attention, but treated as a piecemeal political score at COP26. Without the broader consideration of climate finance, the broader need of climate action by developing countries is ‘orphaned’. This is because, while SMART adaptation financing is laudable, it could undermine the long-term approach needed to address climate change, conceals discussions on historical responsibility to climate change (including climate justice and reparations) and might zero down to a closed system with linear logic that is neither people-centred nor feasible to counter the current global climate change challenge.

In my view it is climate finance that should be the focus at COP26, with candid discussions on:

• Securing a clear delivery plan for the promised (belated) adaptation and mitigation commitments (USD 100 billion per year) via the UNFCCC mandated channels (Adaptation Fund, GCF, GEF) and other sources. 
• More options for direct climate finance access via GCF and other sources, to small-scale climate adaptation and mitigation projects for communities on the ground (local solutions) where it is needed the most. 
• Increasing share of climate finance to address gender equality objectives to ensure that it reaches women that are suffering the worst impacts of the climate crisis. 
• Improving transparency on what is being provided and reaching developing countries, as well as better predictability and accessibility of this finance is vital. In particular, pledged mitigation and adaptation funds must reach all developing countries. 
• Addressing structural barriers to accessibility and responsiveness to the needs and rights of women, children and young people, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups. 
• Operationalization of an inclusive and transparent Santiago Network on Loss and Damage (SNLD), which must be driven by Parties, and centred upon the needs of the vulnerable developing countries and communities.

Africa Climate Week 2021: Some Key Issues for the Region Ahead of the UNFCCC COP26

Africa Climate Week 2021 (ACW2021) is underway from 26 to 29 September, 2021. It has been postponed a number of times due the COVID19 pandemic threat.

However, 2021 is a historic year for global climate action at COP26. This is the year we either lose sight of the Paris targets, or it is the year we start implementing the Paris Agreement. It is our opportunity to increase global climate ambition in COVID-19 recovery and kick-start a decade of action.

ACW2021 happens against the backdrop of the above, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. This has already warned that the world still has a narrow path to limit average global warming to 1.5 degrees C necessary for avoiding the worst effects of climate change. But this will require rapid, transformational change this decade.

But what then should we expect out of the Africa Climate Week 2021 ahead of the UNFCCC COP26 in Glasgow - November 2021?

According to the UNFCCC, the ACW2021 sessions focus on priorities identified earlier in the year at the Virtual Regional Round tables and the outcomes will be carried forward to the Ministerial Sessions later this year. This is an opportunity for regional stakeholders to have their voice heard and contribute to COP 26.

But as a result of this crucial meeting, I think Africa needs to flag out some important issues including the following:

• Major emitters should step up with more ambitious plans to reduce their emissions by 2030, given that this year, all countries are expected to submit updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement
• Africa needs to send a strong signal to rich countries to step up with new climate finance and other types of development assistance for developing countries. By COP26, developed countries ought to show how they will meet and build upon their over-due commitment to jointly mobilize $100 billion a year in climate finance for developing nations. Addressing the climate finance gap is vital to COP26's success and to restoring trust with Africa and other developing nations.
• Adaptation and resilience building in Africa: Closely related to availability of climate finance, for increased support to Africa's most vulnerable communities to increase their resilience to sudden-onset disasters and slow-onset events due to climate change. Such efforts should include promotion of local solutions that can enable communities at the front line of climate change to adjust as much as possible, so as to reduce loss of lives and property
• A common Africa voice on the future of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement: According to the UN’s initial NDC synthesis report, published in February, 65% of countries party to the Paris agreement intend to use at least one of Article 6’s scopes of use, while a further 23% consider it a possibility. But Article 6 rules remain undecided - though an agreement on it is increasingly urgent

 

 

Heavy dependence on biomass energy is still a challenge for Africa (photo: JEEP)

 

The fast disappearing forest cover to meet fuel wood needs and agricultural expansion means Africa has to invest in alternative cleaner energy options and promote agroecology (Photo: UCSD)

Wetlands Day 2021: Human and Nature-Induced Wetland stresses Call for Appropriate and Timely Actions

World Wetlands Day is celebrated on 2 February every year to raise global awareness about the vital role of wetlands for people and our planet. The 2021 theme: Wetlands and Water, shines a spotlight on wetlands as a source of freshwater and encourages actions to restore them and stop their loss. Water and wetlands are connected in an inseparable co-existence that is vital to life, our well-being and the health of our planet.

According to the Global Water Partnership, 'We are facing a growing freshwater crisis that threatens people and our planet. We use more freshwater than nature can replenish, and we are destroying the ecosystem that water and all life depend on most – wetlands'.

Indeed, in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15, United Nations member states are urged to “protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, …reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss”. Wetland management is therefore essential because of the role it plays as a promoter of conservation and wise use of all wetlands through diverse local approaches and international cooperation to achieve sustainable development throughout the world. This role has long been recognized by the 1971 Ramsar Convention ratified by 170 member states.

The tension between development and the environment (develop first and address sustainability issues
later philosophy) remains rampant despite the global reiteration at the Rio+20 Summit that sustainable development goals require an integrated approach that simultaneously addresses economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability in a balanced way. 

In Uganda, for instance, unknown developers have descended on Kinawataka wetland near Lake Victoria, and are clearing it to pave the way for industrial development. Kinawataka wetland runs along the boundary between Nakawa division (Kampala district) and Kira Town Council (Wakiso district) and it is drained by five rivers. Despite its importance, the wetland could be no more within days if urgent measures are not taken to stop the encroachment.

Furthermore, from mid 2019 into 2020, Lake Victoria experienced rising water levels due the positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) that has resulted in significant flooding impacts on Lake shoreline communities in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda as well as downstream communities near Lake Kyoga and Lake Albert. This event has exacerbated the pressure on wetlands - as water recedes, communities whose farmlands and property was submerged, have descended on the wetlands with vengeance, especially after the covid19 lock down that had further limited their livelihood sources.

This combination of human and nature-induced stresses on wetlands in East Africa needs a range of rapid response measures. These include appropriate alternative  and timely options for large populations communities that rely heavily on wetlands; enforcement / upholding of existing laws and policies; and scaling up local innovations to strengthen resilience of adjacent communities and the pristine wetland ecosystems on which they depend (for water, farming, fishing and a range of indirect benefits among others).

 

Time to Promote Electric Cooking in East Africa?

The International Forum for Sustainable Energy (INFORSE East Africa) through its Coordinators (TaTEDO, SusWatch Kenya and Uganda Coalition for Sustainable Development) organized a virtual meeting attended by more than 30 participants from East Africa and beyond. Guided by the topic:’ Electric Cooking as a Clean Cooking Option for East Africa: A ‘Silver Bullet’ to Reduce Dependence on Solid Fuels and Associated Indoor Air Pollution or is it Just ‘Chasing the Wind’?, the webinar sought to cross-examine Electric Cooking (eCook) as a viable clean cooking option for East Africa based on viewpoints from practitioners across the region and beyond.

Dr Jon Leary, MECS, Loughborough University- Overview of the Modern Energy Cooking Services MECS Programme in East Africa, while Mr. Estomih N. Sawe Tatedo, Centre for Sustainable Energy Service, shared the Tanzanian experience. Agnes Mwikali Kalyonge,Kisambara Ventures Ltd shared the Kenyan (behavioural change) experience in promoting the use of ecooking, while Gunnar B Olesen, INFORSE / INFORSE-Europe provided view points from a global perspective especially with regards to the importance of eCooking towards achieving the 100% Renewable Energy target.

Dr. Leary noted that eCooking is starting to enter urban East African markets, adding that ‘Many East Africans now have access to electricity but don’t use it for cooking. For example, O% Kenyans primarily cook with electricity, yet 73% are now connected’. He expressed optimism that emerging technologies & business models are likely to make eCooking accessible to many more people in East Africa. He concluded that eCooking is neither a ‘silver bullet’ for tackling biomass cooking in East Africa nor just ‘chasing the wind’. Mr Sawe (TaTEDO) highlighted Government efforts to promote clean cooking, barriers to scaling up clean cooking and policy recommendations for clean cooking in Tanzania especially for the smooth promotion of this innovation.

Agnes Mwikali noted that working in partnership with media (for example Citizen TV), Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) combined with use of social media to encourage the Kenyan public to polish their culinary skills on their favorite dishes, using the eCooking innovation.

Get more information about this Ecooking webinar presentations and discussion from here 

 

Access to Clean Cooking Targets Worse in Sub-Saharan Africa – Global Report

The 2020 edition of Tracking SDG 7 by the custodian agencies — the International Energy Agency, the International Renewable Energy Agency, the United Nations Statistics Division, the World Bank, and the World Health Organization: monitors and assesses attainments in the global quest for universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy by 2030. 

 

The latest available data and select energy scenarios are set forth in this year’s report, which finds that although the world continues to advance toward SDG 7, its efforts fall well short of the scale required to reach the goal by 2030. According to the Report, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, countries around the world will have to take exceptional measures to bring the health emergency under control, limit its human toll, and avoid deep recession. Under such circumstances, countries have an opportunity to consider options for economic stimulus that not only respond to the immediate crisis, but also ensure longer-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability. At the heart of such objectives is access to modern energy, with its immense potential to spur the achievement also of other Sustainable Development Goals and global climate objectives.

SDG target 7.1 is on universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy services; with 7.1.2 focusing on access to clean cooking solutions. Recent years have seen rapid growth in access to electricity after an accelerated deployment of affordable electrification options, including on- and off-grid solutions. As a result, the global population lacking access to electricity dropped to 789 million in 2018, from 1.2 billion in 2010. By contrast, the global population without access to clean cooking solutions remained largely unchanged during the same period, standing at close to 3 billion. The rate of increase in access to clean cooking has even decelerated since 2012, falling behind population growth in some countries. 

 

The Report notes that the share of the global population with access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking increased from 56 percent in 2010 to 63 percent in 2018, leaving approximately 2.8 billion people without access. While promising improvements were made in Eastern Asia and South-eastern Asia, and in Central Asia and Southern Asia, but Sub-Saharan Africa moved in the opposite direction, as population growth between 2014 and 2018 outstripped growth in access by an average of 18 million people a year.

The SDG 7 custodian agencies therefore urge the international community and policy-makers to safeguard the gains already attained for SDG 7 and not lose sight of the need to continue action on affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. Furthermore, the agencies highlighted that before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, stepped-up efforts toward all targets were urgently required if SDG 7 was to be met within the coming decade. Therefore, even greater efforts will be needed to meet the SDG 7 targets in a post COVID-19 world

 

Rising Lake Victoria Water Levels: Boon or Bust?

Lake Victoria water level has risen to new heights, breaking the record that was attained 55 years ago. In May 1965, hydrologists measured the water level and established that it was at an average of 1,134.27 meters above the sea level.

However, in March 2020, the level had reached 1,134.47 meters above sea level. As a result, over the last few months, many shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have been submerged.

But environmentalists have warned that in future, the (unpredictable) rise in water levels will intensify the occurrence of floods, this will affect livelihoods and economic activities at the shores of Lake Victoria which are already awash with challenges of pollution, encroachment and destruction of swamps.

In Bunyala sub county (Kenya), at the beginning of March it was reported by The Star Newspaper that a backflow from the lake had resulted in flood victims affecting over 260 families at Musoma and Sidokho in Bunyala South ward. This prompted the Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong to ask for assistance from Government of Kenya for dredging machines to desilt the lake, especially the mouth of River Nzoia.

On the other hand, in Tanzania, The Citizen newspaper reported that farmers, fishermen, transporters and livestock keepers might be rubbing their hands with glee following the rise of Lake Victoria water level, as this will positively impact their economic activities. 

Mr. Gerald Itimbula from the Lake Victoria Basin Water Board (LVBWB) was quoted by The Citizen Newspaper as saying that, ‘From a hydrology point of view, a rise in water levels means enough water for carrying out community projects like farming, livestock keeping, transportation, fishing and industrial activities”. He noted that the increase in water levels may also have some negative effects on people who conduct their income-generating activities close to the lake and thus the warning issued on February 8, 2020 for people living or having businesses close to the lake to relocate.

In Uganda, communities in Kalungu, Masaka, Kalangala, Entebbe, Wakiso and Kampala have been severely affected, as homes (including posh ones) and work places that have been submerged, including hotels (for example the Lake Victoria Serena Hotel - Kigo) and several beach fronts in Entebbe.

Explaining the occurrence, Dr Callist Tindimugaya, the water resources specialist in-charge of Lake Victoria management at the Ministry of Water and Environment was quoted by ChimpReports saying that Lake Victoria is refilling its parts where it had receded from. 

“When it rains, all the rain water from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo comes into Lake Victoria and it does not come in one day. However, he warned that encroachers should expect the water to invade them because it is reclaiming the place where it used to be. Dr Tindimugaya added that the floods could get worse due to the rains and increasing inflows from mainly River Kagera and other rivers that pour water into Lake Victoria. 

While, Dr Ally Matano (Head, Lake Victoria basin Commission) strongly recommends that those people living in lowland vacate to avoid further disasters due to the an unprecedented rise of water levels since October 2019, it is equally important that the East African Community mobilizes all stakeholders and coordinates coherent bottom-up joint actions in the short to long-term in order to mitigate this challenge, that might put more livelihoods at stake than it is now.

IRENA’s Global Renewables Outlook: A Blatant Notice to Defer CO2 Emissions by Advancing Renewable Energy options

Today, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has released its first Global Renewables Outlook: Energy transformation 2050, amidst a global lock down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is no coincidence that among other findings, the Global Renewables Outlook calls for recovery measures following the COVID-19 pandemic to consider flexible power grids, efficiency solutions, electric vehicle charging, energy storage, interconnected hydropower, green hydrogen and other technology investments consistent with long-term energy and climate sustainability.

Overall, the Global Renewables Outlook notes that raising regional and country-level ambitions will be crucial to meet interlinked energy and climate objectives. This is further to the UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report (2019) fossil CO2 emissions from energy use and industry, which dominates total Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, grew 2.0 per cent in 2018, reaching a record 37.5 Gigatonnes of CO2 per year. There is no sign of GHG emissions peaking in the next few years. Since every year of postponed peaking means that deeper and faster cuts, acting now rather than tomorrow is urgent.

In 2020, as countries review and update their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), it is paramount that they take candid steps to scale up renewable energy in order to secure less and less emissions as we approach 2030.

According to the IRENA’s Global Renewables Outlook Report, the Sub-Saharan Africa region whose average energy consumption per capita (51 GJ/year) is well below global average, holds over half the oil and gas reserves of the African continent.  On the contrary, bioenergy dominates the primary energy mix, accounting for 60% of primary energy demand while the share of energy supply from modern renewables is only about 10%. As a result, a growing numbers of people in Sub-Saharan Africa still lack access to clean cooking options, resulting in substantial degradation of forests and indoor air pollution.

According to UNECA, the lack of energy – traditional or renewable – for health care, agriculture, education, and economic diversification remains a critical barrier to overall growth and prosperity on the continent. In Africa, nearly 600 million people (about half the population) lack access to electricity, with 110 million of these living in urban areas—all within proximity of existing power grids. Failures and inefficiencies in energy transmission infrastructure, combined with high costs of last-mile connections to rural communities and other factors, mean that many Africans are moving off-grid – choosing expensive options like fossil fuel powered generators, and in some instances constructing home and mini-grid solar systems in their communities.

IRENA’s Global Renewables Outlook (2020) is therefore an important reminder that while all options are sought for deep and fast GHG emission cuts, advancing renewable energy options is one of the most viable options. In sub-Saharan Africa with the lowest access to electricity in the world (two-thirds of region’s population), this has potential positive spin-off effects in improving lives in key sectors like health, agriculture and employment provision in rural settings.

Globally, advancing renewable-based energy transformation is an opportunity to meet international climate goals as set out in the Paris Agreement (through updating and reviewing NDCs before 2020), and in fulfillment of the UN Global Goals (SDGs)