Acting for climate: laying the groundwork for a regional strategy

From 11 to 13 September, the regional workshop brought together in Lomé all stakeholders of the GCCA+ West Africa project, which supports the regional effort to implement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

West Africa, a region vulnerable to climate change

With 5 of the 10 most fragile countries facing climate change, and despite a low responsibility for the origin of this phenomenon – 1.8% of global greenhouse gas emissions – West Africa stands out with its vulnerability. Already felt by populations, the impacts of global warming are strengthened by the vigorous demographic and economic growth of the West African sub-continent. Therefore, a regional and concerted approach is needed.

Read also: Alain Sy Traoré : « Le climat, ce n’est plus l’affaire d’un seul pays »

Laying the groundwork for a regional climate strategy

The workshop was intended to help maintain the regional political momentum around climate action. It laid the groundwork for the regional climate strategy and identified concrete means of action. Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) are one of the first tools of this strategy. These are at the heart of the assessment report produced as part of the GCCA+ West Africa project (available opposite). To support their implementation, the report stressed the need to:

• Mobilise more funding, both public and private;

• Popularise "climate" topics;

• Strengthen the tools for monitoring the implementation of climate commitments;

• Strengthen scientific research and production capacity in the region.

Focus on the GCCA+ West Africa project

Financed by the European Union up to €12.1 million, the GCCA+ West Africa regional project is implemented by Expertise France, under the leadership of the ECOWAS Commission and in collaboration with the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS).

GCCA+ WA is part of the regional cooperation efforts. It aims to support the concrete implementation of the commitments made in Paris by ECOWAS member states, in the fight against climate change.

To this end, ECOWAS, with the support of GCCA+, will:

• support national NDC translations into public policies and sectoral intervention strategies;

• strengthen the capacity of negotiators and regional delegations participating in the annual negotiations of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC);

• facilitate access to climate finance;

• strengthen the production and use of information for effective policies;

• increase the regional offer of diploma courses on climate change in the region;

• and fund pilot adaptation projects.

As the second phase of a European Commission initiative launched in 2007, the Global Climate Change Alliance Plus (GCCA+) aims to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between the European Union and developing countries most vulnerable to climate change. This new phase intends to take into account the evolution of development issues, particularly with regard to climate, to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development objectives.