African Union Climate Change & Resilient Development Strategy & Action Plan (2022-2032)

African Union
Posted on: 10/22/2022 - Updated on: 10/27/2022

Posted by

CAKE Team

Published

Abstract

The Africa Union’s Agenda 2063 makes it clear that climate-resilient communities and economies are an integral component of the continental vision for an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens, representing a dynamic force in the international arena. This African Union Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy and Action Plan (2022-2032) supports the realization of this vision by setting out principles, priorities and action areas for enhanced climate cooperation and long term, climate-resilient development.

The Strategy provides an outline for harmonized and coordinated actions to respond to the impacts of climate change, thereby supporting planning for the continent’s low-emission future. The Strategy defines the main parameters and priorities in building African resilient capacities for adaptation and exploiting the benefits of the mitigation potential of the continent. It seeks to ensure that institutions, strategies, and decisions for climate risk management and climate-resilient development are integrated and implemented as a central aspect of achieving sustainable development, as framed by Agenda 2063 and the United Nations’ Agenda 2030.

The Strategy builds on the continent’s commitment to ensuring an effective multilateral approach to addressing climate change through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement adopted thereunder, while emphasizing equitable access to sustainable development and the eradication of poverty and recognizing the specific needs and special circumstances of African countries.

Through a focus on strengthening adaptation and resilience building of Member States across the continent, the Strategy identifies key priority areas, interventions, and actions to reduce the vulnerability of affected communities and manage the risks related to climate change and climate-induced extreme events. These key priority areas include enhanced governance and institutional collaboration with a wide range of state and non-state actors, policy coherence and enhanced climate knowledge systems, as well as anticipatory planning. The Strategy also seeks to enhance Africa’s capacity to respond to climate impacts through the mobilisation of domestic and international financial resources, enhancing access to technology and innovation, and developing safety nets for loss and damage.

In order to pursue low-emission, climate-resilient growth pathways across various sectors and systems, this Strategy highlights key principles of the green and circular economy, as well as innovation, sustainable development, poverty reduction and job creation. These pathways are aligned with Africa’s green recovery efforts and provide opportunities to catalyse socioeconomic transformation on the continent towards a resource efficient, environmentally sustainable, climate-resilient, and more equitable society.

The Strategy supports the commitments made by African countries under the 2015 UNFCCC Paris Agreement and is guided by the existing national climate efforts and aspirations of its 55 Member States, as expressed through Nationally Determined Contributions, National Adaptation Plans and long-term, climate-resilient development and decarbonization visions contained in national Long-Term Strategies. It is recognized that each Member State will direct their climate response in a self-determined manner, based on their unique national circumstances and capacities. While recognising differences in national contexts and circumstances, this Strategy builds upon the shared challenges and opportunities for the continent, encouraging African-led and African owned innovation, social and cultural values, and leveraging of nature-based solutions.

The Strategy aims to enhance inclusion, alignment, cooperation, and ownership across all spheres of government and stakeholder groupings. The Strategy highlights the importance of supporting the most vulnerable communities and groups. It recognizes that women and the youth face particular challenges in responding to climate impacts, but also acknowledges and seeks to support the critical role that they play as change agents driving climate responses at local, national, sub-regional and continental levels.

To promote an inclusive climate approach, this Strategy seeks to enhance collective development, participation, implementation, and monitoring. In particular, the Strategy provides a consolidated platform around which partnerships can be built with non-governmental and civil society organizations, as well as the private sector.

This Strategy was developed with the technical and financial support from the following institutions: Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA), the European Union (EU), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Netherlands Red Cross, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and Sweden.

Affiliated Organizations

The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55 member states that make up the countries of the African Continent. It was officially launched in 2002 as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999). The OAU was the manifestation of the pan-African vision for an Africa that was united, free and in control of its own destiny and this was solemnised in the OAU Charter