Kenya To Host Africa Climate Week In September

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Kenyan Government of Kenya will host this year’s edition of African Climate Week scheduled to take place from 4th to 8th of the Africa Climate Week (ACW).

The event, which is jointly organized by the African Bank, Development Bank (AfDB), UN Climate Change, African Union (AU) and other development partners, will be held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi.

The conference is taking place in parallel with the 2023 Africa Climate Summit, which is also holding in Kenya from 4th to 6th.

The Summit will serve as a platform to inform, frame, and influence commitments, pledges, and outcomes, ultimately leading to the development of the Nairobi Declaration.

ACW 2023 is the first of the Regional Climate Weeks this year and the third annual Climate Week in the region since 2021. Webcast and virtual participation elements are planned to enable broad, inclusive and transparent participation.

The inaugural Africa Climate Summit, championed by the President of Kenya, Willaim Ruto, aims to address the increasing exposure to climate change and its associated costs, both globally and particularly in Africa.

Notably, with the expectation of escalating climate crises in terms of frequency and intensity, urgent action is required to mitigate these challenges.

A platform for regional collaboration on climate action, ACW will explore resilience to climate risks, the ACW 2023 is the first of the Regional Climate Weeks this year and the third annual Climate Week in the region since 2021. Webcast and virtual participation elements are planned to enable broad, inclusive and transparent participation.

It will also contribute to the first Global Stocktake, a process enabling countries and other stakeholders to see where they’re collectively making progress toward meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement.

That process, according to a statement made available to the media, will conclude during COP28, which will take place in the United Arab Emirates in December of this year.

The conference will provide a platform for policymakers, practitioners, businesses and civil society to exchange on climate solutions, barriers to overcome and opportunities realized in different regions, leading to the first global stocktake concluding at COP28 in United Arab Emirate (UAE) in December.

“The stocktake offers a unique opportunity to call for decisive change. It is an opportunity to urgently respond to the need to accelerate progress by collectively embarking on a swift and profound transformation of our economic and social systems.

“ACW 2023 and all the Regional Climate Weeks provide a platform for policymakers, practitioners, businesses and civil society to exchange on climate solutions, barriers to overcome and opportunities realized in different regions”, the statement said.

The Weeks consider four major systems-based tracks which include, energy systems and industry, cities, urban and rural settlements, infrastructure and transport, land, ocean, food and water, societies, health, livelihoods, as well as economies.

The focus on these thematic areas is aimed at providing region-focused contributions to inform the global stocktake.

AfDB’s Group president, Dr. Akinwumi. Adesina will lead a delegation to the Africa Climate Summit which is largely focusing on delivering innovative green growth and climate finance solutions for Africa and the world.

Building on the successes and roadmap of COP27, held in Sharm-el-Sheikh last year, this year’s Africa Climate Summit is expected to fill the gaps arising from the Sharm El Sheikh Implementation Plan, including building trust within the global community and delivering concrete outcomes.

The Bank Group will co-host a number of events during the three-day summit and host a booth at the Africa Climate Exhibition to showcase its Africa-wide climate action interventions and initiatives.

The Exhibition will provide an opportunity for participants of the Africa Climate Summit and Africa Climate Week to learn about and adopt practical solutions to climate change.