ICLEI facilitates the Energy & Climate Commission at UCLG 1st Africa Congress

September 22, 2008

United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA) hosted their 1st Ordinary Congress from 9 – 11 July 2008 in Accra, Ghana. 937 delegates from 27 countries across Africa attended. The theme was ‘Leadership for Local Governance and Development in the delivery of MDGs in Africa’. ICLEI Africa was honoured to facilitate the Sustainable Energy and Climate Protection Commission (1 of the 7 Commissions). Presentations by Kobie Brand (Regional Director for ICLEI Africa), Sarah Ward and Leila Mahomed (both city energy specialists), provided good context on energy and climate issues in the African context. This was followed by a lively debate chaired by the Mayor of Johannesburg, Councillor Amos Masondo.

Outcome: sustainable energy and climate resolution

A political outcome was that Climate Change was noted as posing a long term risk to development for local communities in Africa. To effect this political outcome and through the engagement during the commissions a total of 8 sustainable energy and climate resolutions were made.

These resolutions include, amongst others, to:

Build a coalition with ICLEI and the World Mayors Council on Climate Change to push a climate change management agenda
Build lobbying capacity for sustainable energy development and the pro-active management of climate change
Help capacitate local governments to be informed and bold enough to develop by-laws and regulations to address issues pertaining to sustainable energy and climate change
Develop a think-tank to drive carbon mitigation, management of climate change and sustainable energy development
Identify and promote energy conservation, relevant technologies and alternative energy supply sources.

Partnership agreement in development with UCLG Africa

ICLEI will be signing a partnership agreement with UCLGA to take forward and implement the resolutions agreed upon by numerous African cities and local governments.