Edition 3 2011
Editors Comment
SADC REDD Network
Welcome to our newsletter for the SADC REDD information network! In this newsletter, you will find information about current developments on climate change and REDD+ with a special focus on the SADC region.
The first round of climate talks was taking place in Bangkok, Thailand in early April and progress has been slow on the outstanding issues. With South Africa preparing to host COP17 in December 2011, the SADC region is moving into the international limelight. As the SADC REDD+ information network, we would like to invite you to participate in an online poll and join our discussion group. To become a member, visit this page: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/sadcredd/
For feedback, comments or suggestions, please feel free to contact us at sadcredd@ymail.com and visit: http://www.sadc.int/REDD/
News
SADC Climate Change Positioning Workshop, 26-30 April, Johannesburg, South Africa
The SADC region met in Johannesburg South Africa from 26 - 30 April 2011 to develop a regional common position on climate change in readiness for COP 17 which will take place from 28 November to 8 December 2011. The first two days of the workshop covered training on negotiation skills for officials from the SADC Member States, to equip them with valuable skills for the ongoing UNFCCC process. This training was followed by a position workshop, bringing together about 50 participants. During the positioning workshop, participants got an overview of outstanding issues in the UNFCCC negotiations and had the chance to work together to develop elements of the position paper. Topics covered included REDD+, the Nairobi Work Programme, Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) and other relevant issues. To download the presentation, please click here.
The AMCEN Meeting in 2009 resolved to create a comprehensive framework of African climate change programmes in order to ensure a consolidated approach to combat climate change with the following priority areas: adaptation, mitigation, finance, capacity building and technology transfer. The SADC Secretariat is currently working to develop a regional Climate Change Programme. A first brainstorming meeting took place in Gaborone on 15 April 2011, followed by another stakeholder brainstorming on 1 May 2011.
The first round of climate change negotiations after the COP16 took place in Bangkok, Thailand from 3 to 8 April 2011. More than 2000 participants convened to agree on an agenda and a work plan for 2011. A lot of time was spent considering the agenda for the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-Term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA). Parties agreed to work towards a comprehensive and balanced outcome and agreed that the outcome will address both the implementation of the Cancun Agreements and issues that were not resolved at Cancun but which are part of the comprehensive Bali Action Plan that governments agreed in 2007. For a summary and analysis of the Bangkok Climate Talks, visit this website.
Africa Carbon Exchange (ACX) launched in Kenya
A new trading platform for carbon credits was launched at the end of March 2011 in Kenya. Africa Carbon Exchange was founded by a consortium and is supported by the Kenyan government. Its aim is to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to Kenya and become an independent business. Africa Carbon Exchange is also working in Zambia and other countries in the SADC region. For further information visit their homepage and check these articles here and here.
South Africa prepares for COP17
Preparations for the next COP that will take place in Durban are under way. Edna Molewa, Minister for Water and Environmental Affairs, called for civil society and government to work together as “Team South Africa” and coordinate activities. South Africa has started to engage closely with Mexico as the outgoing President of the COP to ensure continuity in the discussions. For further information, check these articles here and here.
REDD+ Partnership Meeting and Workshop
The REDD+ Partnership organised a meeting and workshop from 10 to 11 April 2011 in Bangkok, Thailand. The main agenda topic was the analysis of REDD+ financing gaps and overlaps. Presentations are available for download here.
New publication on Reference Emission Levels for REDD+
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has recently published a paper on establishing efficient, equitable and environmentally sound reference emission levels for REDD+. In this paper, the authors suggest a “stock-flow” approach that would provide incentives to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. To download the paper, click here.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Next UNFCCC Sessional Meetings, 31 May – 17 June 2011, Bonn, Germany
31 May to 5 June 2011: Pre-sessional meetings of the LDC Group, the Africa Group and G77&China
6-16 June 2011: SBI and SBSTA 34
7-17 June 2011: AWG-LCA14 and AWG-KP16
For further information and the preliminary agenda, visit the UNFCCC website.
There will also be another preparatory meeting of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) that will take place on 20-22 May 2011 in Cape Town, South Africa.
SADC Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting, 23-26 May 2011, Windhoek, Namibia
The SADC Ministers for Environment and Natural Resources will convene for their annual meeting in Windhoek, Namibia from 23-26 May 2011. Part of the agenda will be discussions on the issue of climate change as well as the preparations for the upcoming UNFCCC COP17 in Durban, South Africa.
Climate Investment Funds (CIF) Partnership Forum 2011, 24-25 June 2011, Cape Town, South Africa
The African Development Bank (AfDB) is hosting the CIF Partnership Forum in Cape Town, South Africa from 24-25 June 2011. This is a platform for dialogue for different stakeholders to engage in discussion about the future shape and direction of Climate Investment Funds in order to maximize the impact on personal level. For further information, visit the CIF website.