09.09.2022
As relayed by Le Nouveau Gabon, the African Climate Week 2022 ended on September 2, 2022 in Libreville. The week, which brought together more than 2,300 participants in more than 200 sessions, saw Africa affirm its commitment to a low-emissions future and strong resilience to climate impacts already observed.
The meeting explored two key themes that are critical for Africa and indeed the world – namely finding ways to contain the increase in global average temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and building a resilient future. The opening session featured a ministerial dialogue on the challenges of mobilizing and accessing climate finance at scale to spur the implementation of countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and priority national climate plans and strategies.
According to the African Development Bank, Africa will need as much as $1.6 trillion between 2020-2030 to implement its climate action commitments and NDCs.
For Lee White, Gabon's Minister of Water and Forests, climate change must be treated as a global emergency without delay. With the approach of the COP 27 in Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt) in a few weeks, this need appears stronger than ever. "Together, we are much stronger and we must bring the voice of Africa in the negotiations on climate change to seek climate justice, to put pressure on the developed countries that have caused the problem in which the world finds itself," he said.
In addition, Lee White wished to emphasize that "the countries that have created this problem are financing adaptation in Africa, financing the climate damage that our countries are suffering. Let them honor their commitments, their promises. No more false promises in the negotiations”.
At the end of this African Climate Week, the Minister of Water and Forests of Gabon presented a letter to a representative of the COP 27 Presidency. The letter emphasizes the need for collaboration, innovation and support. It also calls on the COP President to share the findings of the Africa Climate Week with the world to guide further action. Lee White also announced that the Gabonese Strategic Investment Fund (FGIS) would now be the entity empowered to trade carbon credits within and outside of Gabon. This news reinforces the Gabonese government's commitment to providing solutions to the climate action that will be at the heart of the negotiations at COP 27.
