The African Development Bank (AfDB) joined other Nairobi Framework (NF) partners for a panel discussion on future plans to promote Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) activities in Africa during the COP 16 Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico.

The mandate of the Nairobi Framework partners is to assist developing countries, especially those in Sub-Sahara Africa, to improve their level of participation in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).

The AfDB Environment and Climate Change Manager, Kurt Lonsway, explained the Bank's accomplishments and forward planning, stressing the fact that Africa has not yet benefited from the CDM like Asia and Latin America. Less than 2% of all CDM registered projects are in Africa. The CDM has the potential to be a powerful instrument for ensuring financial viability of projects implemented in Africa.

To help Africa reach this potential, the Bank recently launched the Africa Carbon Support Programme (ACSP). Mr. Lonsway explained that this two-year pilot program is designed to screen the Bank's project pipeline and portfolio in order to help project owners and developers access and manage financing for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction.

NF partners, including the Bank, will meet again at the third All-Africa Carbon Forum to be held in Marrakech, Morocco on 7-9 April 2011. Some 1,000 delegates are to attend the event. The Bank the same active role it played at the second All-Africa Carbon Forum which took place from 3-5 March in Nairobi, Kenya.

The NF was formally launched by the UN Secretary General at COP/MOP 2 in November 2006 in Kenya. It was initiated by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Bank Group (WBG), the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) with the specific goal of helping developing countries, especially those in Sub-Saharan Africa, to improve their level of participation in the CDM.

Contacts

Senvyraj Maistry