African civil society has identified five key priorities for combating climate change: adaptation, losses and damages, food and land use systems, and forest conservation and restoration.

This was announced by UNANDA Third World Executive Secretary Chekov Sir during an event held on the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Conference “COP28” in Dubai.

The “Anda Third World” organization represents a group of African non-governmental organizations, and these organizations met within the framework of a common platform, which was launched during the “COP”, an alliance of the African Development Bank Group and civil society. Climate and Energy.

African Development Bank president Akinwumi Adesina said: “The continent must benefit from its natural wealth. African economies should not be measured by their GDP, while Africa’s wealth should be assessed by its natural capital.”

“The continent’s vast mineral resources, forests and renewable energy must play a part in the balance,” he added, pointing out that the Congo Basin is the world’s largest carbon reserve, but is not taken into account in the overall assessment. Domestic production of countries in the region.

The coalition supports calls by African leaders to transfer special drawing rights on climate finance to Africa, including the African Development Bank.

The coalition calls on the international community, governments and development partners to comprehensively implement best practices, innovations and technologies and engage farmers and local communities, especially women and youth, in an approach that integrates science and traditional knowledge without harming biodiversity. or compromising community resilience.

He called on parties to ensure that adaptation and resilience are at the heart of African economies vulnerable to climate change.

The Bank’s Vice President, Agriculture, Human and Social Development, Beth Dunford, confirmed during a discussion with civil society that the alliance is “very important” for Africa, noting that the Bank allocates 64% of its funding to adapt to climate change. continent, and it has now opened a window for climate action aimed at providing specific resources and technical assistance to least developed countries on the continent.

For his part, Alliance President Augustine Njamanshi praised the relationship between development finance institutions, civil society and the private sector in combating climate change in Africa.

“Doubling adaptation financing will not be enough for the continent because governments have already spent a lot of money,” he said, adding that civil society and the private sector, especially banks, must work together for the continent’s benefit.

In turn, Ecotrades Fund Executive Director Pauline Nantungo Kalunda said, “Civil society and the private sector’s collaborative work has enabled 15,000 smallholder farmers to plant trees to increase carbon storage,” calling for the removal of barriers. Prevent communities from accessing climate finance.

Mithika Mwenda, President of the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance, a strong network of over 1,000 African climate organizations, emphasized the catalytic role of civil society and praised the partnership with the Bank.

“Government, the private sector and civil society are forming a ‘parallel’ in the fight against climate change in this coastal country,” said Roger Barrow, Burkina Faso’s environment minister.

• The African Development Bank allocates 64% of its financing to climate change on the continent.

5 Priorities:

– adaptation.

– Losses.

– Damages.

– Food and land use systems.

– Conservation and restoration of forests.

According to a study conducted by the Regional Center for Strategic Analyzes in Abu Dhabi, sustainability strategies and tackling climate change are at the top of the national action agenda in the UAE. The UAE’s contributions and initiatives during COP 28 gained greater regional and international momentum, support for achieving a better harmonized formula for environmental protection and sustainability, and international pledges to allocate hundreds of billions of dollars to finance climate and sustainable projects.
Interregional said the UAE is making progress in strengthening its environmental leadership by investing tens of billions of dollars and providing legislation, regulatory frameworks, initiatives and policies to address climate change. Participation in dozens of contracts and initiatives around the world.
In this context, Interregional released the “UAE Environmental Achievement Index 2023” to monitor and track the performance of the country’s environmental initiatives in the field of environment and climate, measuring and monitoring 32 sub-indicators since its inception. “UAE Vision 2021” in 2010 to 2022. He also gave predictions till the year 2030.
The Environmental Performance Index is the arithmetic mean of four sub-indicators, namely: climate change, biodiversity, maintenance of a healthy and clean environment and environmental awareness and behaviour, as per the guidelines for developing composite indicators issued by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The center emphasized that the UAE’s approach to climate change has become a priority for government action, in an effort to be “zero climate neutral” and invest in green resources. In this aspect. He explained that there are many motives and reasons behind the UAE’s high priority of addressing the phenomenon of climate change. This comes in the backdrop of the state’s keenness to achieve its strategic plans on climate change. Among the key concepts that have made climate change a government priority are the catastrophic effects worldwide, in particular: droughts and floods, inundation of cities, waves of displacement, damage to agriculture and infrastructure, and degradation. Global food security crises.
The UAE has adopted a comprehensive approach to addressing the climate change crisis, seeking to achieve environmental sustainability through an integrated legislative and regulatory framework, in coordination and cooperation with the international community in this regard. Approach: Localize clean energy, adopt peaceful nuclear energy and support climate legislation and knowledge frameworks, and coordinate with the international and regional community to support international efforts to address climate change. To achieve climate neutrality by 2050, the UAE has won the trust of the international community to host COP28 from here.

Dubai: “The Gulf”

The Speaker of the Federal National Council, Zachr Kobash, met with the Speaker of the House of Councilors, Al-Nam Mayara, in the sister kingdom of Morocco, during his participation in the International Parliamentary Assembly at the twenty-eighth session of the conference. States Parties to the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP28) taking place at Dubai Expo City.

Ways of enhancing bilateral cooperation, improving communication and coordination on various issues of common interest, importance of visits and exchange of experiences, enhancing parliamentary coordination and consultation were discussed. It serves the interests of the two brotherly countries and peoples as per the vision of future opportunities in various fields between the two countries.

The Chairman of the Council of Advisors, Al-Nam Mayara, and the accompanying delegation were welcomed by Sakr Kobash, who appreciated their participation in the International Parliamentary Assembly within the twenty-eighth session of the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change. The Federal National Council brings together all parliamentarians and focuses on practical solutions to achieve sustainable results. Our initiatives and conference outcomes link to the main conference, highlighting the important role parliamentarians can play in global issues.

Kobash pointed out that the UAE is keen to fight climate change in the region and globally and is the first Gulf country to sign the Paris Agreement. Climate neutrality by 2050 and it now owns three of the largest solar power plants in the region.

Al-Nam Mayara, for his part, emphasized the depth of deep-rooted and established historical brotherly ties that unite the Kingdom of Morocco and the Emirates as a sister country and their cooperation in many fields.

Mayara praised the success of the organization of the Federal National Council and the hosting of the COP28 conference and the efforts announced by the UAE in support of climate change issues and its efforts in the fields of sustainable development, innovation, artificial intelligence, space. and the empowerment of women and youth.