- Backed with new UK government funding, the Climate Action Implementation (CAI) Programme in Africa will support seven cities in the region to embed and implement priority climate actions through technical assistance and capacity building.
- Delegates and representatives from the cities of Accra, Lagos, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Dar Es Salaam, Johannesburg and Tshwane will participate in the launch of this bold and ambitious programme in Johannesburg.
- C40 Vice Chair for Africa, Executive Mayor Mpho Phalatse, will launch this exciting programme and encourage all African cities to work together and with others to ensure cities in the region are sustainable and resilient.
C40 Cities will launch a new programme to support seven African cities in developing ambitious climate action implementation plans. The plans will help these cities to become carbon neutral by 2050 and secure a greener future for their nearly 54 million residents.
The ceremony, taking place on 19 July in Johannesburg, will be hosted by Mpho Phalatse, the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg and a C40 Vice Chair for Africa. The mayor will deliver keynote remarks and introduce the Development Director, Chris Austin, from the British High Commission in South Africa, who will outline the programme’s vision to an audience composed of representatives and delegates from several African cities, along with C40’s partners in the region.
From 2018 to 2021, C40 provided technical assistance and resources to nine African cities to complete Climate Action Plans (CAPs) that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance climate resilience. New funding from the UK government, provided by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and managed by the Foreign and Development Commonwealth Office, will now facilitate the expansion of this programme to the cities of Accra, Lagos, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Johannesburg, and Tshwane. As a result, C40 will provide these cities with critical assistance and support in the areas of renewable energy/green buildings, sustainable waste management and climate mainstreaming.
The programme will focus on integrating transformational actions identified by them into their planning processes and develop a coordinated approach guided by Africa’s most pressing climate challenges and the circumstances surrounding the region’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The programme will also ensure that climate actions are considered in the context of wider societal and economic benefits, ensuring that the transition is both equitable and inclusive.
“African cities need science-based solutions for our climate challenges that are inclusive and improve the quality of life of all city residents”, said Dr. Mpho Phalatse, C40 Vice Chair for Africa and Executive Mayor of Johannesburg. “We are excited to partner with the funders of the Climate Action Implementation Africa Programme, the UK Government, as this is an ambitious programme that aims to integrate and accelerate our cities’ climate action plans to make them better for all and the new generations.”
The African continent currently contributes to only 3% of total global greenhouse gas emissions, despite having 17% of the world’s population. Most African C40 cities have per capita emissions that are below their fair share of the global carbon budget. However, this is projected to grow on the back of a booming population, increased urbanisation, electrification, industrialisation and land-use change.
“The ongoing climate crisis calls for a decade of action. We need action now and faster”, said Managing Director of Regions and Mayoral Engagement, and Regional Director for Africa at C40 Cities, Hastings Chikoko. “C40 cities in Africa have developed data-driven climate action plans clearly identifying priority actions. We are now moving forward to ensure that the plans are implemented, and this programme supports cities to implement some of the identified priorities.”
Chris Austin, Development Director at the British High Commission in South Africa, said: “The UK Government is delighted to partner with C40 and African cities on this multi-country programme which is dedicated to advance climate action through state-of-the-art expertise, technical cooperation and knowledge exchange across continents. It is critical for urban actors in cities around the world to show collective leadership on climate change.”
The ceremony will take place at 3:30 pm South Africa Standard Time (SAST) and will be streamed live online. Click here to watch the live stream.
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The Climate Action Implementation (CAI) Programme in Africa is part of the overarching Urban Climate Action Plan (UCAP) programme funded by the UK government and delivered in partnership with the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group. The CAI Programme is supporting the development of climate action implementation plans in fifteen C40 cities in Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America. Part of the UCAP funding supports the C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF). The CFF facilitates access to finance for their climate change mitigation and resilience projects in urban areas by providing technical assistance to develop cities’ sustainability priorities into bankable investment proposals and replicate this within C40 and non-C40 cities. The CFF is jointly implemented by C40 and the German Development Agency (GIZ).