Climate experts have been placed at the service of the Moroccan Government by the African Development Bank (AfDB) to support the preparation and organization of the upcoming 22nd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Morocco will host COP 22 from November 7-18, 2016.
With extensive experiences in climate adaptation, mitigation, climate finance, environment, capacity building, technology transfer, and project pipeline development, these experts are expected to provide day-to-day support to the COP 22 Task Team and advise the Moroccan Government on other relevant COP 22 issues.
"By providing technical assistance, the AfDB hopes to help Morocco, and other African governments better articulate their position in the UN negotiation process in a way that delivers favorable outcomes to enable Africa adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change," says Alex Rugamba, Director of the Energy, Environment and Climate Change Department and Chair of the AfDB Climate Change Coordination Committee.
The elevation of adaptive capacities and the call to strengthen climate change resilience in the Paris Climate Change Agreement offers a unique opportunity for African countries to develop innovative climate-resilient development. With a recognition that climate change exerts a direct impact on livelihoods through water, AfDB experts will also be looking to identify and propose for funding projects linking water resource management and climate resilience.
"The role of water security has moved to the fore since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, particularly with regards to adaptation to climate change. Water resources will come under increasing stress due to economic development, demographics, and climate change and successful efforts to enhance resilience and to adapt to climate change will have to take water security as a starting point," says Mohamed El Azizi, Director of the Water and Sanitation Department.
The AfDB has considerable experience in supporting African countries at the COPs. The Bank is currently supporting the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), and the Committee of African Heads of States and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC). At COP21 last year, the Bank's support was instrumental in the adoption of the Paris Agreement, and for the design and launch of two major African solutions in Paris, namely the African Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) and the African Adaptation and Loss and Damage Initiative.
Funding for the experts is from various sources including the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Initiative (RWSSI), and the African Water Facility (AWF). Both water-related initiatives are looking to explore funding opportunities on projects linking climate adaptation and water and building a strong pipeline of projects.
The African Development Bank has an active water portfolio of 2.6 billion Euro in 37 African countries, covering rural and urban water supply and sanitation as well as water resource management at both national and trans-boundary level.
The city of Marrakesh in Morocco will host the annual UN Climate Change Summit from November 7-16, 2016. Thousands of delegates from governments, civil society, academics, and private sector are expected at the gathering to discuss further practical ways to implement the landmark Paris Climate Change Agreement adopted at COP21 in December 2015. With the agreement entering into force on November 4, 2016, COP22 will also serve as the first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA 1).
