ADDIS ABABA– The continent of Africa requires close to three trillion USD of conditional and unconditional financing to implement climate mitigation and adaption actions.
Speaking on a Climate Change Action Summit held with the theme “Stepping up Climate Action for a Resilient Africa: A Race we Must and Can win” here yesterday, Aida Opoku-Mensah, Chief of Staff at UNECA said African countries are indeed doing so much to tackle climate change. “All African countries have signed the Paris Agreement and fifty of them have already ratified with ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions to climate actions (NDCs).”
These NDCs that include both mitigation and adaption actions, requires close to USD three trillion of conditional and unconditional financing to implement, Aida said.
Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA) aims to strengthen Africa’s position and participation in international climate change negotiation with a view to ensuring adequate reflection of the continent’s concern and priorities.
James Kinyang (Phd), Representing Africa Development Bank also said that about 53 African countries have committed to Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), identifying the need for an estimated USD 3.5 – 4 trillion of investment by 2030.
This presents an opportunity for the Bank to contribute to policies and actions that mobilize the financial resources needed to support long-term investments in resilience and Africa’s transition to low carbon development.
“Without meeting climate change actions, we can’t meet other sustainable development things,” said Dr. Frehiwot Woldehanna, State Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy. “However, the continent is eagerly waiting for the demonstration of strong commitment and support from developed countries.”
Ethiopian government is playing its part to tackle climate changes by investing in green economy and renewable energy sources.
The Ethiopian Herald August 29/2019
BY MULATU BELACHEW
