Rotterdam, June 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA–NEPAD) signed a landmark memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on accelerating climate change adaptation efforts across Africa. Building on the AUC–GCA–AfDB Africa–led, Africa–owned Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP), the partnership will support African member states to respond to the impact of the climate crisis.

The MoU establishes a framework for joint initiatives in such critical areas as access to climate adaptation finance, technical and institutional capacity building, climate–smart agriculture, sustainable land and water management, and disaster risk management inclusive the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative. The GCA and AUDA–NEPAD will also collaborate hand–in–hand to ensure full delivery on the $25 billion ambition of the AAAP by 2025 and to build the ground for even more ambitious follow–through beyond 2025.

Speaking at the signing ceremony at the GCA regional office in Rotterdam, GCA CEO Professor Patrick V. Verkooijen said: “We are delighted to formalize our collaboration with AUDA–NEPAD through this MoU. Together, we will work towards a climate–resilient Africa by leveraging our combined expertise and resources to support innovative climate adaptation actions on the ground. AAAP is the world’s largest climate adaptation program and the full delivery on the $25 billion ambition it by 2025 is crucial to keeping Africa safe from the escalating impacts of the climate crisis. This partnership is a significant step in our mission to accelerate climate adaptation solutions for Africa.”

Ms. Nardos Bekele–Thomas, CEO of AUDA–NEPAD said: “This MoU with the Global Center on Adaptation marks a pivotal moment in our efforts to build a resilient Africa. We are going to galvanize and double down on progress to fully deliver the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program, as well as to take it to the next stages with the full engagement of Africa. By pooling our strengths, we will enhance the capacity of African countries to adapt to climate change, ensuring sustainable development and improved livelihoods for all. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration that will drive impactful adaptation initiatives across the continent.”

Key areas of cooperation outlined in the MoU include:

1. Access to Climate Adaptation Finance: enhancing access to international climate finance for adaptation projects in Africa.
2. Climate adaptation and training: providing capacity–building initiatives to strengthen adaptation planning and implementation at the local level.
3. Institutional Support and collaboration: supporting the programmatic activities of the AUDA–NEPAD Centre on Climate Resilience and Adaptation.
4. Climate–Smart Agriculture: promoting climate–smart technologies to improve agricultural productivity and food security.
5. Sustainable Land and Water Management: scaling up nature–based practices to manage land degradation and drought.
6. Building Resilience and Addressing Fragility and Food Insecurity in Rural Settings: mainstreaming climate adaptation jobs in youth–led enterprises with innovative climate adaptation and resilience solutions; and supporting access to digital advisory services and scalable investments for improved and resilient livelihoods linked to the energy–water–food nexus in rural areas.
7. Support African Member States on Disaster Risk Management: increasing integration of disaster risk reduction in regional and national sustainable development frameworks and testing risk–informed preparedness plans.
8. Support for African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative: providing technical capacity to accelerate agroforestry investments to restore degraded landscapes and build resilient communities.
9. Infrastructure Resilience: enhancing the resilience of infrastructure projects against climate impacts through capacity building and the identification of priority adaptation projects.

The GCA and AUDA–NEPAD will also jointly organize events and advocacy initiatives to promote climate adaptation. This includes participation in such continental and global climate forums as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Africa Climate Weeks and the GCA Annual Climate Adaptation Summit.

Notes to Editors
About the Global Center on Adaptation
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization that promotes adaptation to the impacts of climate change. It works to climate–proof development by instigating policy reforms and influencing investments made by international financial institutions and the private sector. The goal is to bring climate adaptation to the forefront of the global fight against climate change and ensure that it remains prominent. Founded in 2018, GCA embodies innovation in its approach to climate adaptation as well as in its physical presence. It operates from the largest floating office in the world, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Together with the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank and partners, the GCA is spearheading the world’s largest adaptation program, the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP), which aims to shape $25 billion in climate proofed development investments by 2025. GCA has a worldwide network of regional offices in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; Dhaka, Bangladesh; and Beijing, China. The GCA will open a new Africa Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya in 2025.

About the African Union Development Agency
African Union Development Agency–NEPAD (AUDA–NEPAD) is the development agency of the African Union. It is mandated by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government to coordinate and execute priority regional and continental projects to promote regional integration towards the accelerated realization of Agenda 2063. Its other objectives are to strengthen the capacity of African Union Member States and regional bodies, advance knowledge–based advisory support, undertake the full range of resource mobilization and serve as the continent’s technical interface with all Africa’s development stakeholders and development partners.

Attachment

• GCA and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA–NEPAD) signed a landmark memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on accelerating climate change adaptation efforts across Africa

GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 9154133)

Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, Oct. 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program, a joint initiative of the African Development Bank ("the Bank") and the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) has launched a call for applications for the third edition of the YouthADAPT Challenge, with support from the Africa Climate Change Fund (ACCF) hosted by the Bank.

YouthADAPT is an annual competition that invites young entrepreneurs leading micro, small, and medium enterprises in Africa to submit innovative solutions and business ideas that can drive climate change adaptation and resilience across the continent.

This year's call is dedicated to female–owned enterprises pioneering Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies such as artificial intelligence; big data analytics; virtual reality; robotics; Internet of Things; quantum computing; additive manufacturing; blockchain and fifth generation wireless for climate adaptation.

The winners will be awarded $100,000 each and will receive training, mentorship and coaching to support their climate change adaptation solutions and business ideas in their communities and across Africa. They will also join the YouthADAPT Alumni Network to learn from dynamic community of youth entrepreneurs throughout Africa.

To be eligible, applicants must be between the ages of 18 to 35. Their ventures should be youth–led and offer tangible solutions to real–life climate challenges. They must be registered and operational in Africa, with at least two years worth of accounts.

Apply by visiting the application portal. The closing date for applications is 5th November 2023 at 5:00pm GMT
An information session is scheduled for October 23, 2023 at 11 am GMT, aimed at sharing details about the YouthADAPT Challenge 2023. This session will cover eligibility criteria, the application process, important deadlines, and the advantages of participation, such as grants, mentorship, and business development services.

Contacts

African Development Bank

• Joash Ntenga Moitui, Communications and Knowledge Management, Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program: j.moitui@afdb.org

Africa Climate Change Fund

• Rita Effah, Coordinator, Africa Climate Change Fund r.effah@afdb.org

Global Center on Adaptation

• Alex Gee, Head of Communications, Global Center on Adaptation: alex.gee@gca.org

Notes to Editors
About African Development Bank
The overarching aim of the African Development Bank Group is to spur sustainable economic development and social progress in its regional member countries, thus contributing to poverty reduction. The Bank Group achieves this goal by mobilizing and allocating resources for investment in regional member countries and providing policy advice and technical assistance to support development efforts. In 2015, all multilateral development institutions agreed on the same set of objectives, the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more: https://www.afdb.org/

About Africa Climate Change Fund
The Africa Climate Change Fund (ACCF or Fund) is a multi–donor trust fund well positioned to contribute to the achievement of the African Development Bank (AfDB)'s goal to triple its climate financing efforts and foster its drive for a climate–resilient Africa. Visit ACCF's website: https://accf.afdb.org/

About the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA)
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization that works as a solutions broker to accelerate action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sectors. For more information, please go to www.gca.org

GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8963575)

Rotterdam, Oct. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — What: Pre–COP27 Press Conference and Global Launch of State and Trends in Africa 2022

When: Thursday 3^rd November at 13.00 "" 14.00 CET

Where: Virtual. Please register your attendance here for the press conference and to receive an embargoed copy of the report.

With less than one week until COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, the Global Center on Adaptation is gathering global leaders to discuss expected outcomes from COP27 and to present the findings of its flagship report "State and Trends in Adaptation in Africa 2022" (STA22).

STA22 is the most comprehensive guide to assess progress on climate adaptation in Africa and provide guidance and recommendations on best practices in adapting to the effects of a changing climate and building resilience to climate shocks. The report highlights successful adaptation initiatives from the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP) which have the potential to be scaled up and replicated. It also presents key policies, skills and finance gaps that must be addressed if adaptation is to be effective and reach those who need it the most.

Agenda

Opening address and report launch

• Professor Patrick Verkooijen, Chief Executive Officer, Global Center on Adaptation

High–Level Speakers

• Akinwumi Adesina, President, African Development Bank Group
• Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, Minister of State to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, for Development, Francophonie and International Partnerships
• Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission.

Technical presentation of the report

• STA22 Co–Directors Professor Jamal Saghir and Ede Jorge Ijjasz–Vasquez

At COP26 in Glasgow last year, the global donor community promised to double finance for adaptation from the current rate of up to a quarter of climate financial flows earmarked for the developing world. It is expected at COP27 that significant progress will be made on climate finance including the delivery of the promised $100 billion a year to assist developing countries.

This year's report found that cumulative adaptation finance to 2030 will come to less than one–quarter of the estimated needs stated by African countries in their National Determined Contributions (NDCs). In 2019 and 2020 an estimated $11.4 billion was committed to climate adaptation finance in Africa with more than 97% of the funds coming from public actors and less than 3% from the private sector. This is significantly less than the $52.7 billion annually to 2030 it is estimated African countries will need.

To increase the volume and efficacy of adaptation finance flows to Africa over the coming decade, the report makes a number of recommendations:

• Financial institutions must mainstream resilience into investments they are making.
• Policy makers and other stakeholders must build an enabling environment for adaptation investment.
• Financial innovation for adaptation must match country–level policy and market conditions.

Notes to Editors

About Global Center on Adaptation
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization which works as a solutions broker to accelerate action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector. Founded in 2018, GCA operates from its headquarters in the largest floating office in the world, located in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. GCA has a worldwide network of regional offices in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire; Dhaka, Bangladesh and Beijing, China.

Contact

Alex Gee

Alex.gee@gca.org

Chinedu Moghalu

Chinedu.moghalu@gca.org

GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8684453)

Accra, March 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — During a Ministerial Dialogue in Accra, hosted by Ghana's Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Environment (MESTI), the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) announced the findings of Ghana's first National Assessment to explore how best to enhance the resilience of its national infrastructure.

"Ghana: Roadmap for Resilient Infrastructure in a Changing Climate", was initiated by GCA and developed under the leadership of MESTI in collaboration with the University of Oxford, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

As a result of climate change, Ghana is expected to experience more acute climate hazards such as flooding, as well as more frequent and intense droughts. This has the potential to threaten the socio–economic development gains which made Ghana a middle–income country. The National Assessment focused on the energy, transport and water sectors to assess climate hazards to infrastructure assets and to prioritize adaptation investments to address those risks.

Key findings from "Ghana: Roadmap for Resilient Infrastructure in a Changing Climate" include:

• Energy ""Future energy availability for about a quarter of a million people in rural parts of Ghana is threatened by drought given their reliance on wood fuel for household energy generation. Equally, climate risks threaten major components of the electricity generation and transmission due to exposure to drought and flooding.
• Water supply infrastructure "" 54% of dams assessed are exposed to floods and 23% to droughts under a high–hazard by 2050; the Weija dam, supplying 80% of the drinkable water for Accra's metropolitan area, was found to be particularly exposed to flooding.
• Transport "" in a likely 2050 flooding scenario, analysis revealed the potential of $3.9 billion in damages to roads and highways – triple the estimated $1.3 billion Ghana invested in transport infrastructure in 2019.

GCA contributed to the National Assessment as part of its Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP), a joint initiative with the African Development Bank to mobilize USD25 billion of investments in climate adaptation and resilience in Africa.

Speaking during the Ministerial Dialogue, Professor Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of Global Center on Adaptation remarked "I don't need to remind you that Ghana will become hotter, wetter, and drier. Given how we know the climate crisis is evolving, these are very alarming statistics. But, this is not the full story. For us at the Global Center on Adaptation, the real story on climate adaptation in Africa is a story of resilience, of responsibility, of solidarity, of opportunities for a safer, greener, more prosperous continent. It is this story that is captured in the roadmap we are launching today."

His Excellency Dr Kwaku Afiyie, Ghana's Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation said:

"Extreme weather and rapid changes to Ghana's climate present a profound risk to key sectors of Ghana's socio–economic development. Infrastructure in these sectors are the bedrock of the country's economic growth and development. Ghana, through MESTI in July 2020, received support from the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA) through UN Office for Project Services (UNOPs) under the "enhancing the resilience of Ghana's National Infrastructure Systems to the impact of climate change" project ["] the implementation of the resilience road map will now require additional financial resources from both Government and Development Partner institutions."

The National Assessment proposes 35 adaptation options for funders and investors to invest in Ghana's future, offering impactful, evidence–based adaptation projects and enabling environment interventions backed by robust research and analysis.

GCA, in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB), through AAAP, is already working to implement the Scaling Renewable Energy Mini grid and Net Metering Program which seeks to support Ghana in the electrification of island communities and move closer moving closer to identified development objectives such as Sustainable Energy for All by 2030. GCA is working with the AfDB conduct climate risk assessments on potential climate hazards in the districts that will benefit from the electrification program.

Through its Technical Assistance Program (TAP) to access and leverage climate finance, GCA is also providing technical support to the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) as part of its application to become a Direct Access Entity to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to enable Ghana to be able to take greater ownership of the implementation of climate finance.

Notes to Editors

About the Global Center on Adaptation

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization which works as a solutions broker to accelerate action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector, to ensure we learn from each other and work together for a climate resilient future. Founded in 2018, GCA is hosted by the Netherlands, working from its headquarters in Rotterdam with a knowledge and research hub based in Groningen. GCA has a worldwide network of regional offices in Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Dhaka, Bangladesh and Beijing, China. Through this evolving network of offices and global and regional GCA teams, the organization engages in high–level policy activities, new research contributions, communications, and technical assistance to governments and the private sector.

GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8509449)

Nairobi, Kenya, Oct. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global leaders, hosted by President Uhuru Kenyatta, spoke at the launch of the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) "State and Trends in Adaptation in Africa Report 2021 "" How Adaptation Can Make Africa Safer, Greener and More Prosperous in a Warming World" (STA21) to call for COP26 and development partners to increase resources to the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP).

STA21 presents a blueprint for climate adaptation and showcases the opportunities climate adaptation offers to solve previously intractable problems and put Africa on a more resilient pathway towards "green growth".

The report outlines the financial and macro–economic risk climate change poses to Africa and the imperative for the continent to scale up adaptation to reduce the economic costs of climate change. Without adaptation action, projections estimate that climate change will lead to an equivalent of 2 percent to 4 percent annual loss in GDP in the continent by 2040, with the poor, women, and excluded populations bearing the brunt of the impact. Yet the GCA report shows that the benefits of adaptation measures are frequently more than twice or as much as five times or greater than their costs. In addition, moving quickly to adapt is especially beneficial, with a benefit–cost ratio for early action of at least 12 to 1.

Speaking during the launch event, Ban Ki–moon, 8^th Secretary General of the United Nations, Chair of the GCA said:

"The climate emergency has Africa at the cross–roads. Business as usual is a sure–fire route to chaos. But adapt to it and Africa will thrive."

Secretary–General Ban Ki–moon also spoke in support of the African–led and African–owned Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program, as a pathway to mobilizing the balance of the promised $100 billion in annual international climate finance. He highlighted AAAP as an important opportunity to realize a resilient and prosperous future for Africa.

Patrick Verkooijen, in his inaugural annual lecture as GCA CEO, commented:

"Africa will suffer higher GDP losses than most other regions of the world. These impacts can only be reduced with adaptation. Thousands of lives and millions of livelihoods have already been sacrificed in Africa because we are far from delivering what is needed in adaptation today. For COP26 to succeed, Glasgow must deliver for Africa. To do so, it must bring more ambition and more finance to help Africa adapt to the pace of a climate emergency devastating the continent with increasingly serious consequences for the world's poorest and most vulnerable."

Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group said:

"AAAP provides a unique opportunity for wealthier nations to meet their commitments and help Africa tackle the consequences of climate change. I am optimistic that our partners will deliver the first round of financing of $6 billion to $8 billion that we need for the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program in 2021."

Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) spoke about the importance of finance for adaptation:

"Key to success in adaptation and resilience "" like so many other issues related to climate change "" is adequate finance. At COP26 we will continue to call for wider–ranging and comprehensive financial support for developing nations. The $100 billion pledge was a commitment that was made in the UNFCCC process more than 10 years ago. It's time to deliver."

Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund said:

"Effects of climate change in Africa threaten lives, jobs, and the substantial economic and development progress of the past two decades. As the GCA State and Trends in Adaptation report rightly says, adaptation is a necessity and must go hand–in–hand with reducing poverty and improving livelihoods. African countries need to do their part and have created the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program but cannot do it alone. Along with bold action to reduce emissions at COP26, the international community must deliver on its commitment to provide at least $100 billion a year in climate finance for developing countries where financial flows for adaptation must be on a par with financial flows for mitigation. This is essential for securing a sustainable global recovery."

Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya said:

"This program, in principle, aims to scale up and accelerate adaptation here in Africa by providing financial and technical support to African adaptation efforts. This initiative greatly paves the way for the continent to manage its climate related challenges. It is important to appreciate that effective climate adaptation will require a paradigm shift that harnesses the full potential of science and innovation."

Ngozi Okongo–Iweala, Director–General, World Trade Organization said:

"Ensuring that supply chains are resilient can be a key component of Africa's adaptation strategies. This will require significant efforts to climate–proof key trade–related infrastructure. Initiatives like the WTO's Aid for Trade can help mobilize investment in climate–resilient infrastructure.

Felix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chair of the African Union said:

"Climate change could wipe out 15 per cent of Africa's gross domestic product by 2030. This means an additional 100m people in extreme poverty by the end of the decade. This is a cruel fate for a continent that contributes so little to global warming. Our way out is to strengthen our ability to respond and adapt to climate change. That's why the African Union, working with the Global Center on Adaptation, the African Development Bank and other partners, is endorsing the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program."

Notes to Editors:

About the Global Center on Adaptation

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization which works as a solutions broker to accelerate action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector, to ensure we learn from each other and work together for a climate resilient future. Founded in 2018, the GCA is hosted by the Netherlands, working from its headquarters in Rotterdam with a knowledge and research hub based in Groningen. The GCA has a worldwide network of regional offices in Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Dhaka, Bangladesh and Beijing, China. Through this evolving network of offices and global and regional GCA teams, the organization engages in high–level policy activities, new research contributions, communications, and technical assistance to governments and the private sector.

For more information please go to www.gca.org

About the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program

As the global solutions broker on adaptation and resilience, the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) has joined forces with the African Development Bank to create the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP) focusing on bringing four critical areas for adaptation action to scale in partnership with African countries and partners. The four critical areas of Climate Smart Digital Technologies for Agriculture and Food Security; African Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator; Empowering Youth for Entrepreneurship and Job Creation in Climate Adaptation and Resilience and Innovative Financial Initiatives for Africa will help address the nexus of climate change, COVID–19, and the economy and will support African countries in designing and implementing transformational adaptation of their economies and post–COVID recovery development paths. AAAP aims to mobilize $25 billion to support Africa's adaptation plans over five years ($5 billion per year). The AfDB has already committed half of the total, $12.5 billion by 2025. The program has been endorsed by President Tshisekedi, Chair of the African Union and President Ali Bongo of Gabon, the African Union Champion for Adaptation.

For more information please go to www.gca.org/programs/africa–adaptation–acceleration–program/

About the State and Trends in Adaptation in Africa Report 2021

The GCA's 2021 State and Trends in Adaptation in Africa report presents the most comprehensive overview of the present and future prospects of the African continent in the light of climate change. It is also a blueprint for how individuals and institutions in the African and international policy space can design, finance, and implement adaptation plans to best protect the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of African people. Published ahead of COP26 in Glasgow, the report is an evidence–based advocacy tool to put adaptation and resilience in Africa higher on the agenda nationally and internationally using the report's actionable policy recommendations. As adaptation is scaled up in response to the challenge of climate change, the report is expected to influence the design of projects and programs, including those supported by the African Adaptation Acceleration Program.

Contact
For additional enquiries and interview requests please contact:
Alexandra Gee
Head of Communications, Global Center on Adaptation
alex.gee@gca.org

GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8380167)

Nairobi, Kenya, Oct. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global leaders, hosted by President Uhuru Kenyatta, spoke at the launch of the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) "State and Trends in Adaptation in Africa Report 2021 "" How Adaptation Can Make Africa Safer, Greener and More Prosperous in a Warming World" (STA21) to call for COP26 and development partners to increase resources to the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP).

STA21 presents a blueprint for climate adaptation and showcases the opportunities climate adaptation offers to solve previously intractable problems and put Africa on a more resilient pathway towards "green growth".

The report outlines the financial and macro–economic risk climate change poses to Africa and the imperative for the continent to scale up adaptation to reduce the economic costs of climate change. Without adaptation action, projections estimate that climate change will lead to an equivalent of 2 percent to 4 percent annual loss in GDP in the continent by 2040, with the poor, women, and excluded populations bearing the brunt of the impact. Yet the GCA report shows that the benefits of adaptation measures are frequently more than twice or as much as five times or greater than their costs. In addition, moving quickly to adapt is especially beneficial, with a benefit–cost ratio for early action of at least 12 to 1.

Speaking during the launch event, Ban Ki–moon, 8^th Secretary General of the United Nations, Chair of the GCA said:

"The climate emergency has Africa at the cross–roads. Business as usual is a sure–fire route to chaos. But adapt to it and Africa will thrive."

Secretary–General Ban Ki–moon also spoke in support of the African–led and African–owned Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program, as a pathway to mobilizing the balance of the promised $100 billion in annual international climate finance. He highlighted AAAP as an important opportunity to realize a resilient and prosperous future for Africa.

Patrick Verkooijen, in his inaugural annual lecture as GCA CEO, commented:

"Africa will suffer higher GDP losses than most other regions of the world. These impacts can only be reduced with adaptation. Thousands of lives and millions of livelihoods have already been sacrificed in Africa because we are far from delivering what is needed in adaptation today. For COP26 to succeed, Glasgow must deliver for Africa. To do so, it must bring more ambition and more finance to help Africa adapt to the pace of a climate emergency devastating the continent with increasingly serious consequences for the world's poorest and most vulnerable."

Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group said:

"AAAP provides a unique opportunity for wealthier nations to meet their commitments and help Africa tackle the consequences of climate change. I am optimistic that our partners will deliver the first round of financing of $6 billion to $8 billion that we need for the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program in 2021."

Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) spoke about the importance of finance for adaptation:

"Key to success in adaptation and resilience "" like so many other issues related to climate change "" is adequate finance. At COP26 we will continue to call for wider–ranging and comprehensive financial support for developing nations. The $100 billion pledge was a commitment that was made in the UNFCCC process more than 10 years ago. It's time to deliver."

Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund said:

"Effects of climate change in Africa threaten lives, jobs, and the substantial economic and development progress of the past two decades. As the GCA State and Trends in Adaptation report rightly says, adaptation is a necessity and must go hand–in–hand with reducing poverty and improving livelihoods. African countries need to do their part and have created the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program but cannot do it alone. Along with bold action to reduce emissions at COP26, the international community must deliver on its commitment to provide at least $100 billion a year in climate finance for developing countries where financial flows for adaptation must be on a par with financial flows for mitigation. This is essential for securing a sustainable global recovery."

Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya said:

"This program, in principle, aims to scale up and accelerate adaptation here in Africa by providing financial and technical support to African adaptation efforts. This initiative greatly paves the way for the continent to manage its climate related challenges. It is important to appreciate that effective climate adaptation will require a paradigm shift that harnesses the full potential of science and innovation."

Ngozi Okongo–Iweala, Director–General, World Trade Organization said:

"Ensuring that supply chains are resilient can be a key component of Africa's adaptation strategies. This will require significant efforts to climate–proof key trade–related infrastructure. Initiatives like the WTO's Aid for Trade can help mobilize investment in climate–resilient infrastructure.

Felix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chair of the African Union said:

"Climate change could wipe out 15 per cent of Africa's gross domestic product by 2030. This means an additional 100m people in extreme poverty by the end of the decade. This is a cruel fate for a continent that contributes so little to global warming. Our way out is to strengthen our ability to respond and adapt to climate change. That's why the African Union, working with the Global Center on Adaptation, the African Development Bank and other partners, is endorsing the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program."

Notes to Editors:

About the Global Center on Adaptation

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization which works as a solutions broker to accelerate action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector, to ensure we learn from each other and work together for a climate resilient future. Founded in 2018, the GCA is hosted by the Netherlands, working from its headquarters in Rotterdam with a knowledge and research hub based in Groningen. The GCA has a worldwide network of regional offices in Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Dhaka, Bangladesh and Beijing, China. Through this evolving network of offices and global and regional GCA teams, the organization engages in high–level policy activities, new research contributions, communications, and technical assistance to governments and the private sector.

For more information please go to www.gca.org

About the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program

As the global solutions broker on adaptation and resilience, the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) has joined forces with the African Development Bank to create the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP) focusing on bringing four critical areas for adaptation action to scale in partnership with African countries and partners. The four critical areas of Climate Smart Digital Technologies for Agriculture and Food Security; African Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator; Empowering Youth for Entrepreneurship and Job Creation in Climate Adaptation and Resilience and Innovative Financial Initiatives for Africa will help address the nexus of climate change, COVID–19, and the economy and will support African countries in designing and implementing transformational adaptation of their economies and post–COVID recovery development paths. AAAP aims to mobilize $25 billion to support Africa's adaptation plans over five years ($5 billion per year). The AfDB has already committed half of the total, $12.5 billion by 2025. The program has been endorsed by President Tshisekedi, Chair of the African Union and President Ali Bongo of Gabon, the African Union Champion for Adaptation.

For more information please go to www.gca.org/programs/africa–adaptation–acceleration–program/

About the State and Trends in Adaptation in Africa Report 2021

The GCA's 2021 State and Trends in Adaptation in Africa report presents the most comprehensive overview of the present and future prospects of the African continent in the light of climate change. It is also a blueprint for how individuals and institutions in the African and international policy space can design, finance, and implement adaptation plans to best protect the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of African people. Published ahead of COP26 in Glasgow, the report is an evidence–based advocacy tool to put adaptation and resilience in Africa higher on the agenda nationally and internationally using the report's actionable policy recommendations. As adaptation is scaled up in response to the challenge of climate change, the report is expected to influence the design of projects and programs, including those supported by the African Adaptation Acceleration Program.

Contact
For additional enquiries and interview requests please contact:
Alexandra Gee
Head of Communications, Global Center on Adaptation
alex.gee@gca.org

GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 8380167)

Nairobi, Kenya, Oct. 26, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) today released the findings of its "State and Trends in Adaptation in Africa Report 2021 "" How Adaptation Can Make Africa Safer, Greener and More Prosperous in a Warming World" (STA21) during a virtual event at the University of Nairobi hosted by the Government of Kenya under the leadership of Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya.

The report presents a comprehensive overview of the present and projected climate risks for Africa together with a blueprint for climate adaptation which will be addressed through the four pillars of GCA's Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP). It showcases the opportunity climate adaptation offers to solve previously intractable problems and put Africa on a more resilient pathway towards "green growth".

The report states that even if the Paris Climate Agreement goals are achieved, the economic costs of climate change in Africa are projected to be large. It is likely that Africa will experience higher relative impacts (as a percentage of GDP) than most other world regions, even though it is less responsible (whether historically or in the present day) for global greenhouse gas emissions than other major regions of the world. If the Paris Climate Agreement goals are missed, the economic costs will be very significant in Africa, and potentially catastrophic in some sub–regions.

GCA's analysis of the data demonstrates that only adaptation can reduce the economic costs of climate change in Africa over the next 20 years and that Africa needs to scale up adaptation now. The level of climate change in the next 20 years for Africa is already locked in, and these impacts can only be reduced by adaptation. Climate change will affect public finances: it is now considered a financial and a macro–economic risk.

Without adaptation action, projections estimate that climate change will lead to an equivalent of 2 percent to 4 percent annual loss in GDP in the continent by 2040, with the poor, women, and excluded populations bearing the brunt of the impact. Yet studies show that the benefits of adaptation measures are almost always more than twice the costs, and often are more than five times higher. In addition, moving quickly to adapt is especially beneficial, with a benefit–cost ratio for early action of at least 12 to 1.

STA21 revealed that the cost of taking effective adaptation action in the agricultural sector (particularly in priority areas like research and extension, water management, infrastructure, land restoration, and climate information services) is estimated at US $15 billion per year, less than a tenth of the estimated US $201 billion annual cost of inaction, which includes paying for disaster relief and recovery after floods. With agriculture dominating economic life in many African countries, accounting for between 30 to 40 percent of GDP, and a leading source of jobs for over two–thirds of Africa's population, the impact of climate change on agriculture has far reaching consequences for African economies as a whole without accelerated adaptation action. AAAP aims to address the climate challenges in this key sector through its Climate Smart Digital Technologies for Agriculture and Food Security which aims to scale up access to climate–smart digital technologies and associated data–driven agricultural and financial services for at least 30 million farmers in Africa by 2025.

At the same time, Africa has the highest rates of urbanization in the world. About half of Africans now live in cities, and the urban population is expected to nearly triple by 2050, driven by high population growth rates and increasing migration from rural areas to cities. STA21 outlines how, as cities expand, they can undertake a range of adaptation actions that require little in the way of financial resources but generate immediate and significant benefits or lay the groundwork for enhanced adaptation measures as part of post–COVID recovery plans. Such actions include: strengthening early warning systems, providing affordable safe housing, creating urban parks and better drainage systems to soak up stormwater and reduce urban heat, promoting innovative urban agriculture (such as vertical farms on the walls of homes), strengthening and decarbonizing power grids, and generating energy from wastes. The AAAP Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator will ensure by 2025 that climate risks and resilience are integrated into at least 50% (by value) of new infrastructure investments in Africa across key infrastructure sectors, including water, transport, energy, ICT, and waste management to help close the infrastructure gap and achieve sustainable development in the face of climate change.

With the youngest population globally located in Africa, STA21 also outlines the importance of engaging young people on the importance of adaptation action to ensure the development gains of recent years and their future welfare are not threatened by the impacts of climate change. STA21 outlines how Africa's massive endowment of nature can be harnessed as both an engine for jobs and a pathway for cost–effective adaptation, allowing the continent to embark on a more sustainable development pathway. Africa also has the potential to provide greater employment opportunities for youth by taking a growth path focused on labor–intensive modern industries in eco–tourism services, climate–smart agriculture, the ocean economy and green building and infrastructure. The AAAP pillar Empowering Youth through Jobs and Entrepreneurship is promoting sustainable job creation through entrepreneurship in climate adaptation and resilience in Africa by unlocking $3 billion in credit for adaptation action.

Nevertheless the amount of money available for adaptation action is $265 billion less than the investment need of $331 billion for the continent by 2030. STA21 outlines the urgent need, therefore, to increase support from developed nations, sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, development banks, philanthropies, foundations, non–profits, and other sources, as well as integrating adaptation into national budgets. STA21 also outlines the opportunities for deploying innovative financing models, mainstreaming resilience into investment decision–making and building the enabling environment for adaptation investment. AAAP pillar Innovative Financial Initiatives for Africa aims to increase financial flows for Adaptation and Resilience (A&R) to the continent with a total increase of adaptation finance on the continent to over $5 billion per annum by 2025.

Notes to Editors:

About the Global Center on Adaptation

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization which works as a solutions broker to accelerate action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector, to ensure we learn from each other and work together for a climate resilient future. Founded in 2018, the GCA is hosted by the Netherlands, working from its headquarters in Rotterdam with a knowledge and research hub based in Groningen. The GCA has a worldwide network of regional offices in Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Dhaka, Bangladesh and Beijing, China. Through this evolving network of offices and global and regional GCA teams, the organization engages in high–level policy activities, new research contributions, communications, and technical assistance to governments and the private sector.

For more information please go to www.gca.org

About the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program

As the global solutions broker on adaptation and resilience, the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) has joined forces with the African Development Bank to create the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP) focusing on bringing four critical areas for adaptation action to scale in partnership with African countries and partners. The four critical areas of Climate Smart Digital Technologies for Agriculture and Food Security; African Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator; Empowering Youth for Entrepreneurship and Job Creation in Climate Adaptation and Resilience and Innovative Financial Initiatives for Africa will help address the nexus of climate change, COVID–19, and the economy and will support African countries in designing and implementing transformational adaptation of their economies and post–COVID recovery development paths. AAAP aims to mobilize $25 billion to support Africa's adaptation plans over five years ($5 billion per year). The AfDB has already committed half of the total, $12.5 billion by 2025. The program has been endorsed by President Tshisekedi, Chair of the African Union and President Ali Bongo of Gabon, the African Union Champion for Adaptation.

For more information please go to www.gca.org/programs/africa–adaptation–acceleration–program/

About State and Trends in Adaptation in Africa Report 2021

The GCA's 2021 State and Trends in Adaptation in Africa report presents the most comprehensive overview of the present and future prospects of the African continent in the light of climate change. It is also a blueprint for how individuals and institutions in the African and international policy space can design, finance, and implement adaptation plans to best protect the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of African people. Published ahead of COP26 in Glasgow, the report is an evidence–based advocacy tool to put adaptation and resilience in Africa higher on the agenda nationally and internationally using the report's actionable policy recommendations. As adaptation is scaled up in response to the challenge of climate change, the report is expected to influence the design of projects and programs, including those supported by the African Adaptation Acceleration Program.

Contact
For additional enquiries and interview requests please contact:
Alexandra Gee
Head of Communications, Global Center on Adaptation
alex.gee@gca.org

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