04 Dec 2018

Non- Governmental Organizations have emphasised the need for capacity building and financial support for developing countries to implement their national determined contributions. 

Speaking during a press conference organised by the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) at the ongoing climate change conference in Poland, Botswana Climate Change Network national coordinator Ms Tracy Sonny said civil societies expected climate finance to continue being a negotiations issue. 

She said financial commitment for NGOs should be more inclined towards Green Climate Fund replenishment and called for a discussion on a post 2025 climate finance goal. Ms Sonny said Africa continued to suffer economic losses as a result of climate change impacts coupled with un-costed social loses due to climate-induced displacement of persons, which triggered conflicts. 

She said a lot still needed to be done in Africa on building long-term capacity to assist climate change institutions. 

“Capacity building should at all times be focused on the needs of individual countries and driven by them and adopt a multi-stakeholder approach and supportive legislation,” she said. Ms Sonny also called on countries to increase their efforts in ensuring that women were more represented and involved in all aspects of the convention process. 

“The world is watching the outcomes of this COP 24 as it will determine whether the Paris Agreement will be a reality or mere rhetoric,” she said. Speaking at the same occasion, PACJA’s Dr Muariwa Shaddad  expressed scepticism about the commitment and genuineness of financial institutions, saying in most cases their funding came with strings attached. 

“In most cases accessing such funds needs too much technical expertise that most developing countries in Africa lack. The funds also come with stringent terms and conditions that are difficult to meet,” he said. 

He therefore called for climate financing to be open with easy terms and conditions that could make them easily accessible.

Dr Shaddad’s comments come in the wake of Monday’s announcement by the World Bank Group that it had doubled its current five-year investment to around US$200 billion to help countries implement their climate change plans. 

The group explained that the funds would significantly boost support for adaptation and resilience, recognizing mounting climate change impacts and livelihoods especially in the world’s poorest countries, most of which are in Africa. ENDS