Second Annual Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa - Outcome Statement

The Second Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-II) was held from 19-20 October 2012 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The conference was jointly organized by the three Climate for Development in Africa (ClimDev-Africa) partners, the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), supported by the United Nations family and development partners.
The meeting brought together over 300 participants from African member states, regional economic communities, river basin organizations, nongovernmental organizations, private sector, academia and development partners.
The overall objective of the conference was to build on CCDA-I in establishing a forum for dialogue that raises awareness of important climate change and development issues and options, and mobilizes further actions. The CCDA-II did this by engaging policy makers, researchers, practitioners, civil society and other stakeholders with the aim of ensuring policies, strategies, programmes and practices in Africa take into account the reality of climate variability and change. CCDA-II also aimed at strengthening the basis of Africa’s participation and position in the 18th UN Climate Change Conference (COP 18/CMP 8), planned for Doha, Qatar, and to ensure the continent’s concerns and priorities are reflected in a post-2012 climate change regime.
The theme of CCDA-II was Advancing Knowledge, Policy and Practice on Climate Change and development, reflecting the need for Africa to address equitable and sustainable development in the context of climate variability and change, and emphasizes the importance of African ownership of its own policy formulation and decision making process. In addressing the theme, the conference considered the following three sub-themes:
• Sub-theme 1: Climate Services Delivery for Development
• Sub-theme 2: Sustainable Energy Access for All Africans by 2030
• Sub-theme 3: Outstanding Issues in Climate Negotiations: Relevance for Africa
Gender was considered as a cross cutting issue. Prior to the conference, a Pre-event on key gender issues across the above themes was held to contribute to and shape the deliberations and outcomes of the CCDA II.