By Jemimah Chungu
From September 4th to 8th, 2023, African nations came together to take significant steps toward environmental restoration and combatting environmental degradation at the 2023 Africa Climate Week and Summit.
The Africa Climate Week and Summit (ACW) convened in Nairobi, Kenya, at the International Convention Center, under the auspices of President William Sareal Kuto. ACW is an annual event that assembles leaders from governments, businesses, international organizations, and civil servants to strategize on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, a major contributor to pollution.
This year, ACW was organized by a consortium of prestigious organizations, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Bank, with support from regional partners such as the African Union (AU), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The environmentally focused week in Africa was structured into four system-based tracks, each concentrating on specific themes:
1. Energy systems and industry
2. Cities, urban and rural settlements, infrastructure, and transport
3. Land, ocean, food, and water
4. Societies, health, livelihoods, and economies
At its core, the Africa Climate Week and Summit aimed to play a pivotal role in addressing the climate crisis. It focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which are a leading cause of ozone layer depletion and climate change. Simultaneously, it emphasized adapting to the increasingly dire consequences of the climate crisis.
African nations paved the way for collaboration with other partners in crafting concrete solutions to mitigate climate change, promote sustainable development, encourage green growth, and establish sound environmental governance across the continent. This action-oriented summit saw several resolutions to combat the climate crisis, including:
– Planting a billion trees by 2023
– Paving the way for a greener future
– Promoting renewable energy, such as extensive use of solar, wind, and other eco-friendly sources of energies
– Enhancing the quality of nature and ecosystems
– Fostering global solidarity to address challenges throughout the continent
The 2023 Africa Climate Week and Summit stands as a significant milestone in the collective effort to combat climate change and protect the environment for future generations.
