The call for a coordinated approach to Climate Change

Africa-Wide Civil Society Climate Change Initiative for Policy Dialogues (ACCID)

Lindiwe Majele Sibanda (PhD)

November 2008

lmsibanda@fanrpan.org

Outline

• About ACCID

• Objectives of ACCID

• Role of CSOs

• Consensus: CSOs and Government

• About FANRPAN

About ACCID• A complementary initiative to ensure that African civil society and

governments collaborate in CoP 14 and CoP 15 global platforms.

• COMESA is keen to ensure that the position taken by governments in the climate change policy negotiations incorporates the interests of all stakeholders.

• Three RECs, COMESA, ECA and SADC have developed the African Bio-Carbon Initiative (ABC-Initiative).

• African heads of states, ministers and high level policy makers can play a meaningful role in an international post-2012 agreement if coordinated – To address the bias that excluded agriculture and most of forestry

from the CDM;– African countries can benefit from a more comprehensive accounting

of bio-carbon.

• The ACCID and ABC initiatives feed into the NEPAD CAADP Pillar One

• ACCID is AFRICA-WIDE and is coordinated by FANRPAN

Objectives of ACCID

• To mobilise space for civil society to speak with one voice in ensuring that the successor to the Kyoto Protocol values the contribution that sustainable agriculture can make to climate change mitigation

• Link the adaptation and mitigation agendas and equip CSOs with research-based evidence (scientific and anecdotal) to promote national, regional and global pro-poor policy and practice in the mitigation and adaptation to climate change.

• Ensure that funds generated from carbon trade and other financial instruments for funding climate adaptation programmes benefit the poor and help Africa towards the attainment of the MDGs

Why agree on Climate Change?• Climate change a threat to sustainable development and Africa’s poor are

the most affected

• Africa has contributed to only 3.8% of the greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere

• Africa’s poor smallholder farmers will feel the greatest impacts of climate change

• All strategies and strategies must support the development of agricultural and sustainable resource management practices

• Need for incentives to enhance the carbon storage in African agricultural systems

• Need for financing and recognition of sustainable and carbon enhancing agricultural practices in Africa under the UN’s carbon market rules

Role of CSOs

• To mobilise space for civil society to speak with one voice

• To join forces and rally behind the COMESA led ABC initiative and develop a comprehensive approach and negotiating position in the Poznan and Copenhagen climate change policy debates.

• CSOs to perform policy analysis, advocacy, education and mobilise communities, providing legal advice, fund raising , hosting national and regional dialogues, packaging and disseminating information, etc.

• To constructively engage African governments, providing evidence and policy options for decision making.

Africa’s time to act: NOW

• Next climate change agreement is currently under negotiation – What is Africa’s position?

• Need to expand the UN system to include comprehensive coverage of bio-carbon.

• A comprehensive approach to bio-carbon should include agriculture, forest management, tree planting, and reducing deforestation and forest degradation.

CSO and Government consensus is critical

• Unless the successor to the Kyoto Protocol values the contribution that sustainable agriculture can make to global carbon market, Africa is still outside the fence

• Unless CSOs align with government, there will be no “one voice” – Africa position

ACCID strategy

Government/Policy Makers

Farmers Organisations

Private Sector

Policy Advice/Options/Evidenceto support policy development

Enabling policies – improved productivity Trade and Markets (Value Chain)

Enabling policies – Production toTrade and Markets (Value Chain)

Researchers/Policy AnalystsTechnical Partners

Development Partners

Platform for research, analysis and dissemination

Evidence based, predictable policies

NGOs, Media and Advocacy orgsRallying point for regional

Climate Change/CARBON issues

AC

CID

Imp

lemen

tation

Strateg

y

• Policy research and analysis: control of activities responsible for emissions, participatory adaptation cost assessment

• Consensus building at community national and regional level

• Holding local corporations to account (responsibility and liability )

• Capacity strengthening, technical advice and assistance• Communication and outreach • Movement and alliance building• Knowledge management and peer learning

ACCID Activities

ACCID TimelinesTimeframe Activity Output

DateACCID documents disseminated

Nairobi conference Agenda prepared

25-26 November 2008 Conference for RegionalCSOs

ABC initiative - endorsed by at least 20 AfricanCSOs

The implementation ofadvocacy plan ABC initiative in each region

ABC initiative endorsed - byat least 15African countries

December, 2008 Selected CSO delegatesparticipate in Poznan

CSOs support Government delegations inpolicy negotiations

Feb-09 Repositioning and scaling upof advocacy message ininternational platforms -Johannesburg.

COMESA, EAC, SADC proposal - endorsedand submitted to AU summit.

December, 2009 Selected CSO delegatesparticipate in Copenhagen

CSOs support Government delegations inpolicy negotiations

Common Vision and strengthened position –Africa position endorsed by other continentsbefore Copenhagen

Oct-08 Preparatory phase

Phase 2 March to September 2009 Planning, follow up contacts,project preparation,preparations forCopenhagen, orientationvisits, dialogues for nationaland regional constituents

Across SADC, EAC, COMESA (All Stakeholder Groups)

Ongoing Research Studies

Emerging Issues andFANR Policies Tracking

National Policy

Dialogues(Periodic)

NATIONAL LEVEL

Policy AdvisoryProcess

Agenda forPolicy

Engagement

REGIONAL LEVEL

• Coordination of multi-country case studiesAnd synthesis into agenda for

Policy engagements

• Networking, sharing of information, regional and

global representation

Africa Region(Representatives from all FANR

Stakeholder Groups)• Farmers’ Organisations• Governments• Private Sector• Researchers• Development Partners• Media• NGOs – Environment and Development

ACCID Multi – Stakeholder Dialogues

Vision

“A food secure southern Africa free from hunger and poverty”

Overview of FANRPAN

MissionTo promote effective Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (FANR) policies by (i) facilitating linkages and partnerships between government and civil society

(ii) building the capacity for policy analysis and policy dialogue in southern Africa, and

(iii) supporting demand - driven policy research and analysis

Overview of FANRPAN

Overview of FANRPANRegional Network Topography

FANRPANRegional

Secretariat

Malawi

Namibia

Mozambique

Tanzania

Mauritius

South Africa

Swaziland

Lesotho

Angola

Botswana

Zimbabwe

Zambia

Government

Researchers

CSOs

Madagascar

Farmers

Private Sector

Commercial Farmers

Small-scale farmers associations

Commodity Associations

Thank You