Accra-Ghana, May 16, GNA – The African Union Commission and the Government of Kenya will in September 2023, hold a three-day summit to tackle climate change challenges on the continent.
The summit aims to forge stronger partnerships among governments, private sector players and other development partners to address the loopholes facing the mitigation and adaptation to climate change in Africa.
The summit will also mobilise financial resources and highlight innovative solutions from countries on the continent.
Under the theme “Africa together for bold, innovative, and resourced climate action,” the event, scheduled for September 4, 2023, will also mark the beginning of the journey towards the inaugural Africa climate week.
The summit will be attended by over 10,000 delegates, including Heads of State and Government and their delegations; representatives of UN agencies and other multilateral institutions; civil society entities; and many other interest groups.
Roselinda Soipan Tuiya, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, said the event will provide a unique opportunity for stakeholders to discuss, collaborate and act on climate change in Africa.
“The effective application of climate prediction relies on climate information becoming appropriately integrated into different users’ policies and practices,” she said.
According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), Africa is the most vulnerable continent to climate change impacts under all climate scenarios above 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Seven of the 10 countries that are most vulnerable to climate change are in Africa.
The Bank has noted that despite having contributed the least to global warming and having the lowest emissions, Africa faces exponential collateral damage.
It said the climate change situation poses a systemic risk to African economies, infrastructure investments, water and food systems, public health, agriculture, and livelihoods.
This may undo the modest development gains in Africa and slip it into higher levels of extreme poverty.
The Bank also estimates that the continent loses seven to 15 billion Dollars annually from the effects of climate change. It projects that amount to rise to 50 billion Dollars by 2030.
African countries presently need an average of $125 billion annually to adapt to climate change by 2030.
