KEPSA represented by Vice Chair Environment, Water and Natural Resources Sector Board Dr John Wandaka and Ms Faith Ngige – Climate Business Information Network – Kenya, took part in the Non-State Actors Conference on Reflections on the Africa Climate Summit and Roadmap to COP 28, which was held in Mombasa from 29^th October – 1^st November 2023. The Meeting was graced by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Ms Dorcas Wainaina and Mr Ekitela Lokale. Members at the conference were drawn from the wider non-state actors, including the youth, women private sector, academia and research, civil society and indigenous people.

The Africa Climate Summit that took place in Kenya in September set the background of the African position at COP 28. The Non-state actor’s platform was established in April this year to support the non-state actors to give voice and to facilitate active participation at the Africa Climate Summit.  Through this platform, the non-state actors including the private sector were able to engage regularly with the ACS Secretariat regarding the inclusivity agenda of the Summit preparatory processes, programming and even making input to the Nairobi Declaration.

The non-state actor’s platform unified the voice and position of African Governments and Pan African Institutions’ on the ACS outcomes, formulated processes for reforming the global funding architecture, created avenues for extra-ordinary partnerships and collaborations to assist in the sustainability of the collective influence and effort within the summit and post-summit.

Ms Dorcas and Mr Ekitela emphasized the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs' inclusivity approach towards international, regional and global engagements in climate change matters. The Ministry provided an engagement platform with the private sector, civil society and non-state actors to ensure their voice, role and contribution were recognized as critical in addressing the climate change crisis. It was important especially for civil society to objectively interrogate the merits of some of the emerging focus intervention areas such as carbon credits and seek to align avenues that benefit Africa.

On the road map to COP 28, the, members reflected on some of the key themes as informed by the global stock and COP28 Presidency Letter & Campaigning priorities. Under adaptation, it is expected that that the Global Goal on Adaptation will yield results at COP28 by defining a clear set of targets and indicators that guide but not prescribe, national efforts on adaptation including through strengthening processes such as National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and resilience approaches considered under NDCs.

 “COP28 must leverage an adequate response to the Global Stock-take and set out a pathway to fill the financing gaps and address shortcomings in the global climate finance architecture.  There is a need for greater efforts to tackle adaptation finance gaps, emphasizing that climate finance needs to be made affordable, available and to developing countries, calling for progress on the delivery of annual funding for the $100 billion fund, alongside timely operationalization of the fund.” Highlighted COP28 President-Designate, Dr Sultan, during the third Climate and Development Ministerial cohosted by UK, Malawi and Vanuatu.

Mitigation is central to the COP28 outcome and to keeping 1.5°C within reach – just energy transition is an important signal.  Outcomes of the G20 & the COP28 outcome can further progress enhanced ambition in high emitting sectors and a just energy transition that includes the tripling of renewable energy capacity, doubling of energy efficiency, and accelerated deployment of all available solutions and technologies.  Phasing down demand for and supply of all fossil fuels is inevitable and essential among other recommendations for mitigation. There is a push to collectively cut 22 gigatons of GHG emissions in the next 7 years to keep the warming to 1.5°C within reach.

On loss and damage, establish the Institutional arrangements for L&D and encourage early pledges and support in being pragmatic to get money flowing to impacted communities at the scale and speed required.  Under the means of implementation, there is a focus on climate finance, where governments have been invited to develop innovative solutions, policy incentives and instruments to unleash the potential of the private sector at COP 28.  Scaling up public and concessional finance, an investment-led approach is needed to spur the transformation required to achieve the Paris commitments. Countries are called upon to strengthen all sources of climate finance, including through domestic resource mobilization.

On food, the COP28 Presidency has put forward the leader-level Emirates Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action for collective action to achieve the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The key element is the voluntary commitment to incorporate food systems and agriculture into NDCs and NAPs by 2025, as appropriate in respective national contexts.

On health, Parties are invited to endorse the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health, which has been consulted on widely and drafted in collaboration with the World Health Organization. Countries are expected to commit to strengthening the development and implementation of climate and health policies, improve finance for climate health, and incorporate health considerations in relevant climate policies.

From the 31^st July 2023 high level CEO’s forum, communique, the private sector welcomes’ carbon trading as an opportunity for realizing net zero commitments and calls for the development of robust, transparent, equitable carbon markets frameworks within Africa. We advocate for transparency, fairness and enhanced capacities to engage in carbon markets for African countries to benefit from pre-existing decarbonizing investment measures and environmental integrity in all carbon trading activities for both domestic and international investors. To mitigate the effects of carbon taxes on the poor, deploying offsets in the form of subsidies to private sector investments especially in renewable energy, would be critical in supporting the transition to greener economies.

KEPSA will rally the private sector in Kenya and in Africa, to scale up business climate action pathways to reduce emissions and enhance resilience of especially African economies. The private sector has made substantial investments in climate change adaptation and mitigation by investing, trading and catalyzing technological innovations that underpin low-carbon growth and resilience.   There is a need to mobilize, a collective voice of the African private sector, on the transformative pathways for limiting global warming in line with the Paris Agreement.