The world must double down on climate adaptation to secure Africa – Prof Verkooijen
Professor Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) has averred the African Continent has a climate change adaptation financing gap of $41bn annually.
Making the assertion at the Africa Climate Change Adaptation Summit held in Rotterdam, Netherlands on Monday, September 5, 2022, Prof. Verkooijen remarked funds from western countries must immediately start flowing to the Continent in support of climate change resilient projects to help Africans weather the impacts of climate change.
“Africa has an adaptation financing gap of $41 billions every year to a problem it did not cause and it needs adaptation now, funds need to flowing to Africa and to climate change-led projects on the ground. So that the people, the cities and the nations of Africa can weather the storm,” he said.
“We must double down on climate finance adaptation for Africa at COP 27, it was promised in Glasgow and it has to be delivered two months from now,” he added.
According to Prof Verkooijen, the specially designed climate change adaptation programme for the continent know as the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Programme (AAAP), has the potential to deliver the climate change adaptation needs of the continent.
“The AAAP is unmatched in ambition and global scale, and it has already proven its delivery potential. Since the launch of the AAAP last year, it has already been funding some 30 projects worth $3bn in 19 countries on the continent. So this can be done, but what needs to happen is that, it now needs to be capitalised,” he quipped.
“We can set in motion a resilient transformation across Africa because let us not forget the agenda which we are discussing here today, the agenda is about jobs, is about growth and is about development. Africa and the world has a choice to make, we either delay and pay or plan and prosper. Because for Africa, it’s either adapt or die,” he added.
“Africa is unstoppable. But Africa is ground zero for the global climate breakdown. Nobody benefits if Africa fails to tackle it. Climate fallout in Africa cannot be contained so adaptation action can and must scale at breakneck speed across the continent. The world has to double down on adaptation at the UN climate summit in Egypt just weeks away.”
He added that, “We need an adaptation delivery breakthrough for Africa at COP27. That means adaptation finance visibly flowing in Africa. It means the financial ask on wealthy nations for the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program and its Upstream Financing Facility is delivered by COP27. If we fail, all the progress of Glasgow’s COP is at risk.”
The Summit’s five-point Communique highlighted that Africa was at a tipping point due to being most exposed to the food crisis triggered by the Ukraine conflict as well as the frontline of the global climate breakdown. It underscored that Success at COP27 will depend on whether the needs of Africa, the world’s most climate-vulnerable continent, are met, with finance flowing into key country-led adaptation programs such as the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP).
Meanwhile, the Africa Climate Change Adaptation Summit at the Global Center on Adaptation’s (GCA) floating headquarters in Rotterdam harbour, has announced some $55 million in new contributions from the United Kingdom ($23m), Norway ($15m), France ($10m), Denmark ($7m), among other supporters to the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Prgramme [AAAP] Upstream Financing Facility managed by the GCA, whose 1:100 leverage ratio will influence over $5 billion in climate adaptation investments across Africa.
The Upstream Financing Facility was described by GCA Chair and 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon as the “transmission belt” for the best global and regional knowledge and innovation directly to large-scale investment projects in Africa.
Donors announcing new funding commitments to the AAAP Upstream Financing Facility at the Summit further commented, as follows:
UK Minister for COP26 Alok Sharma, “COP26 was an important milestone for adaptation, but we have to pick up the pace and turn commitments made in the Glasgow Climate Pact into urgent action if we’re to protect those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. As agreed at COP26, developed nations need to at least collectively double climate adaptation finance to developing countries by 2025. Public finance will not be enough, which is why initiatives such as the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Programme are key to mobilising private sector engagement and investment for adaptation.”
Norway Minister of International Development Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, “Norway has committed to double our climate finance and at least triple support to adaptation by 2026. For Norway, GCA is a key partner in advancing the climate adaptation and food security agenda. We welcome GCA’s cooperation with the African Development Bank on the AAAP. AAAP’s objectives are fully in line with our priorities. How can we – together – minimize the risk of climate disasters? How can we make food systems more resilient – making the most vulnerable better placed to cope with the next drought, flood or plague? How can we – at the same time – create much needed jobs, especially for the youth? AAAP is definitely an important part of the answer. I would therefore encourage more partners to join our efforts.”
Minister of State for Development of France Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, “France remains highly committed to tackling climate change and supporting adaptation in African countries. On behalf of President Macron, I am proud to announce our decision to invest 10 million euros in the AAAP’s Upstream Financing Facility. This effort should leverage a total of 1 billion euros of adaptation investments, and support concrete local improvements in environmental quality and resilience.”
The Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen, “Denmark has set a clear goal: 60% of our climate aid will help developing countries to adapt to climate change. In total, Denmark expects to give at least 1% of the collective target of 100bn I hope this can pave the way for massive investments in adaptation and green energy in Africa. And Denmark will continue to do our part. We are deeply committed to meet climate challenges, and to deliver on our promises.”
