Harare — Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership Launched at COP27
The Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP), which aims to coordinate action by governments, businesses, and community leaders, was officially launched at the UN Climate Change Conference COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, marking a significant advancement in sustainable forest management and conservation.
The Partnership intends to accelerate implementation of the commitment made at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021 by over 140 countries to stop forest loss and land degradation by 2030 and to translate ambition into results on the ground.
The State of the World’s Forests Assessment 2022, a significant report released this year by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), emphasises the need to accelerate efforts to realise forests’ full potential in combating climate change and biodiversity loss.
World Resources Institute and Partners Launch Fund to Help African Cities Build Water Resilience
The African Cities Water Adaptation Fund (ACWA Fund) was launched at COP27 by the World Resources Institute and partners with the goal of allocating $5 billion by 2032 to urban water resilience measures in 100 African cities.
City leaders will be able to directly access funding and technical support to implement creative solutions addressing a range of water issues, including integrated governance, watershed management, increasing sanitation services, improved stormwater management, and wastewater management, thanks to the ACWA Fund, which was introduced at the Race to Resilience 2030 Climate Implementation Lab and its supporting coalition, the ACWA Platform, which was introduced at the Multi-Level Action Pavilion.
How Well Are Countries Addressing Climate Change?
A new ranking tracking how well countries are doing in addressing climate change has been released.
Environmental NGOs Germanwatch, the New Climate Institute, and the global Climate Action Network jointly publish the Climate Change Performance Index. It evaluated the effectiveness of 63 nations’ climate protection policies, which collectively account for more than 90% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The first three positions are vacant since no one nation is making enough progress toward the Paris Agreement’s objectives.
U.S.$2 Million in Prizes Awarded at COP27 to African Youth-led Businesses
The African Youth Adaptation Solutions Challenge (YouthADAPT) competition this year awarded grants totaling up to U.S.$100,000 each to twenty African youth-led businesses. In addition to the prize, each winner receives a 12-month accelerator programme to aid in business growth, impact expansion, and job creation.
The Global Center on Adaptation, the African Development Bank, and Climate Investment Funds collaborate to host the yearly competition and rewards programme for youth-led firms, which is 50% women-led (CIF). The initiative falls under the YouthADAPT flagship pillar of the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program.
By encouraging entrepreneurial and youth-led ideas in climate change adaptation and resilience across Africa, the programme fosters the creation of sustainable jobs. African micro, small, and medium-sized businesses are invited to propose creative solutions and business plans that can promote climate change adaptation and resilience as part of the competition.