Fighting Climate Change: UN Moves To Strengthen Regional Action

Representatives from countries of Central, West and North Africa are currently brainstorming on ways of improving regional cooperation in the fight against climate change. They are meeting in a workshop organised by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with focus on the drafting of national reports on climate change; project management. They are also looking at possibilities to create a regional network for Measurement, Reporting and Verifications (MRV) of greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation.

Hele Pierre, Cameroon’s Minister of Environment, Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development opened the workshop on October 29. He said it is one of the ways of reinforcing knowledge and broadening information sharing and expertise on management of National Communications reports published every four years and Biennial Update Reports (BUR). The reports contain data on carbon emissions, climate change vulnerability and adaptation, among others. He also said the gathering will improve South-South cooperation and sharing of good practices, guarantee improvement in the writing of proposals, applications for financing, management of funds and project follow-up techniques. Participants are also expected to deliberate on the establishment of a regional network on MRV. Standford Mwakasonda, Programme Management Officer at UNEP , said the discussions and deliberations are done in line with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. “This meeting is one of what is called the conference of partners. ...