UCLGA-ICLEI Africa Learning Platform on Climate Change and Sustainable Energy - African Local Governments geared towards Action on Climate Change

2009/05/22

The United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA), in partnership with ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability Africa, delivered a successful Learning Platform on Climate Change and Sustainable Energy at the Sunbird Lilongwe Hotel, in Lilongwe, Republic of Malawi, from 31st March - 1st April 2009.

Under the theme: "Climate Change & Sustainable Energy - Towards Local Government Engagement", the two-day event was attended by over 30 participants from Africa including local government practitioners - political leaders, secretaries general and programme staff of national associations of local government; mayors; councillors; etc; UCLGA partners and officials from the Malawi Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. 13 African countries were represented at the event.

The Learning Platform was officially opened by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in Malawi, Honourable Khumbo Chirwa. The Minister affirmed the commitment of the Government of the Republic of Malawi to "implement the obligations of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol to minimise the emissions of Greenhouse Gases and further adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change. He indicated that "climate variability and climate change policy responses and associated socio-economic development impact considerably on the ability of countries more especially Least Developing Countries (LDCs) like Malawi to achieve sustainable development goals." The Honourable Minister urged representatives of African local government to "review advances that have been made achieved in weather or climate prediction and management and be able to put forward practical proposals for boosting capacities for management of climate change related risks and potential benefits".

Local governments represented at the Learning Platform agreed that they do indeed have a critical role to play in fighting climate change and contributing to a more sustainable environment in their various local constituencies. Mayors and councillors from coastal municipalities and towns also felt the need to form a network as their challenges are similar and there would be a great advantage in learning from each other and exchanging ideas on challenges faced and good practices.

One of the key political outcomes of the learning platform was the formal establishment of an African Local Government sub-committee on Climate Change and Sustainable Energy, which was endorsed by the Executive Committee of the UCLGA. This sub-committee will be the voice and representative of African local governments in matters pertaining to African local government engagement in climate change, energy and the environment regionally, continentally and internationally. The sub-Committee will be constituted of mayors, councillors, officials in local governments from across the continent as well as technical representation from ICLEI Africa and other energy and environment partners.

At a local level, ICLEI Africa and UCLGA have cooperated on sustainable development matters on a project basis since the inception of UCLGA in 2005, but more recently the intent to cooperate between these two organisations was greatly enhanced through the Learning Platform event in Malawi.  ICLEI Africa and UCLGA is also in the process of adopting a joint “Energy and Climate Change Work Programme” complementing several other related initiatives.