PRE COP 24 – A key preparatory meeting before COP24
PRE COP 24 – A key preparatory meeting before COP24 By Houmi Ahamed-Mikidache Following the calls for strong action by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and the International Energy Agency’s latest report on rising emissions from the energy sector, a key preparatory meeting for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP24) took place during two days in Krakow Poland. During this Pre-COP, Ministers from 35 countries met to prepare a successful outcome at COP24 according to the UNFCCC Communication department . Taking place in Katowice, Poland in December, COP24 is critical as countries are set to adopt a full and balanced set of guidelines that will tell the world how to implement the Paris Agreement transparently and fairly for all, warns the UNFCCC communication department. In addition to the implementation guidelines for the Paris Agreement, COP24 will also see the high-level political phase of the Fiji-led Talanoa Dialogue, which aims to assess progress towards the temperature goals enshrined in the Paris Agreement. Ministers had open and frank discussions at the Pre-COP, emphasizing the sense of urgency and underlining the need for a solid outcome at COP24, recalled the UNFCCC Communication department. Ministers discussed the key issues of the implementation guidelines, which include transparent action with respect to o adaptation to climate change impacts o ambitious emission reductions, o with strong means of implementation to support developing countries, in the form of technology cooperation, capacity building, and, especially financial support. But for the Least Developed countries’s chairman, Gebru Gembers, it is not a simple process. “The IPCC report has made even clearer the need for the Paris Rulebook to properly reflect the breadth of action required by all countries to achieve the Agreement’s 1.5°C goal”, he said earlier when the The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its report. And he added: “Countries must deliver a robust Rulebook that will ensure adequate action to cut emissions, adapt to climate change and address loss and damage, and that support is provided to enable poorer countries to do the same.” For Gebru Gember, who is from Ethiopia, the IPCC report confirms that loss and damage resulting from climate change will only worsen with further warming with much greater losses at 2°C than at 1.5°C. And it urgent to find concrete solutions. “It is particularly vulnerable countries like the least developed countries that are worst affected by the devastating impacts of climate change and bear the greatest cost from the damage it causes, despite contributing the least to the problem. This injustice must be addressed by the international community through the provision of support for dealing with loss and damage,” he said. During the...
Lighting Least Developed Countries
Lighting Least Developed Countries After the UN Climate Conference in Marrakech, a high-level roundtable on African Least Developed Countries access to energy will be held on 6th December in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. By Houmi Ahamed-Mikidache The United Nations Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) (http://UNOHRLLS.org), together with EnergyNet (www.EnergyNet.co.uk) will organize a high-level roundtable on access to energy in Africa Least Developed Countries (LDCs)* on 6th December. The discussion will be about how African countries can achieve the three universal goals on sustainable energy. Another meeting will be held from 6 to 8th December: The Africa Energy Forum: Off the Grid Summit (www.AEF-OffGrid.com). It will focus on project opportunities for mini- and off-grid technology providers working in Africa’s energy space. Among participants Ministries of energy, rural electrification agencies, philanthropic business foundations, banks, regulatory bodies, multilateral organizations and off-grid businesses . They will discuss topical issues concerning rolling-out off-grid projects across Africa, a few weeks after the UN Climate Conference in Marrakech where the LDCs Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Initiative was launched. What is the LDCs Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Initiative about? The Least Developed Countries Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Initiative is part of the Marrakech Global Partnership on Scale Up rapidly Clean Energy Transformation Worldwide. The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Initiative (REEEI) for Sustainable Development was initially announced in Kinshasa last September where Ministers and heads of delegation from the 48 Least Developed Countries welcomed it. “The initiative will enable LDCs to leapfrog fossil fuel based energy and light up the lives of millions of energy-starved people through modern, clean and resilient energy systems, ” said in Marrakech, Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu, Chair of the Least Developed Countries Group and Head of delegation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The approach This initiative aims to achieve sustainable development by linking SDGs and the implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. For Least Developed Countries UN Climate group, the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Initiative will support country driven and country owned approach. It has many objectives: social, economic, poverty and development. These are to enhanced energy access. According to a concept note of the initiative, LDCs want to mobilize and build ambition and capabilities by formulating low to zero emission, resilient, development, pathways. They plan to identify and develop “the most appropriate approaches to off-grid solutions and community energy in relation to different Country contexts”. The development of Micro Small and medium sized companies and small scale agriculture and transfer of relevant technologies will be promoted to enhance access to renewable...