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Intra-ACP Global Climate Change Alliance Plus (Intra-ACP GCCA+)

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Partnership: West Africa

Overview

West Africa, especially the Sahel zone, has seen significant climate disturbances since the beginning of the 1970s, including periods of drought punctuated by strong rains and floods. Among the 17 countries in the region effected by climate change, 14 are Least Developed Countries, and one, Cape Verde, is a Small Island Developing State.

Poverty levels in these countries are high and made worse by unfavourable climate conditions. Key effects of climate change in the region include a decrease in surface water resources, a decrease in humid land area, a decrease in biodiversity and fishing species, decreasing production and productivity of plants and animals, and increased food insecurity. Adaptation to climate change is thus a clear priority.

CILSS, as a centre of expertise on issues related to desertification and land-use in the Sahel, coordinates multiple regional initiatives on climate change, including the GCCA Intra-ACP Programme. The CILSS collaboration with the GCCA Intra-ACP was launched in March 2012 with 4 million euro in funding from the GCCA, and the programme will continue until early 2016.

Objective

The general objective of the programme is to support CILSS and ECOWAS countries to tackle climate change while achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The specific objective is to strengthen capacities of West African countries and regional actors to create and implement policies and strategies that incorporate climate change into development plans and programmes.

Key Achievements

Climate Science and Monitoring

    • Rainfall data updated for more than 100 measuring stations from the 1950s to 2010
    • Data from 50 synoptic stations updated from 1960 to 2010
    • Hydrological data from 60 stations in West Africa’s river basins updated from the 1950s to 2010
    • 4 Scientific papers published in international journals on climate warming in West Africa and the agro-climatic risks associated with rainfall trends in the region
    • 2 atlases on climate change produced (the Sahel and Benin)
    • Rainfall and temperature scenarios created to 2025 and to 2050
    • 40 service frameworks for countries and basin organisations created on seasonal rainfall and water level forecasts for West Africa, including analysis and identification of agro-hydrological risks
    • One international climate workshop organised
    • One special bulletin on seasonal hydrology forecasts produced and distributed per year (see link)
    • Six agro-hydrological monthly bulletins created and distributed per year
    • Four special bulletins on extreme water/climatic events, such as floods and low water marks, created and distributed

Monitoring the impacts of climate change on agriculture, water, forestry, and pastoral systems including socio-economic and environmental elements

        • One simulation study produced on the impacts of climate change (increased temperature and CO2 and the effects of rainfall variations on agricultural yields in 2025 and 2050)
        • One study carried out on the impact of climate change on salinization in coastal agricultural lands, including analysis of current and future trends in sea level rise, explanation of the process of salinization, identification of the impacts of sea level rise, mapping of agricultural areas affected, catalogue of initiatives and best practices, and economic valuation of the impacts of sea level rise on coastal agricultural ecosystems.

Mainstreaming climate change and low-carbon, climate-resilient solutions into national and regional development strategies

Mainstreaming

        • Survey performed of projects, programs and initiatives related to climate change and mainstreaming climate change in 14 countries of West Africa.
        • 11 CILSS experts trained in mainstreaming climate change with support from the Climate Support Facility. CILSS has proven skills in training on mainstreaming and will organise mainstreaming trainings in other CILSS/ECOWAS countries.
        • 75 frameworks created for technical services in Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger

Low Emissions

        • One surveycarried out of 7 low-carbon technologies in Niger and work in 7 agro-ecological zones of West Africa, including: crops associated to Moringaoleifera, natural and assisted forest regeneration, Farmer Managed Agroforestry Framing systems with Acacia australiens, live fences (hedgerows) of Acacia senegal, Lawsoniainermis, and Apisylviculture, and gardening seeds for fruit trees.

Access to carbon markets

        • Installation of 3 pilot sites in Sahel, savannah, and forest zones
        • Measurement of carbon in plant and soil systems in three pilot sites in the Sahel, savannah, forest zone to guide carbon projects in the AFOLU sectors
        • One guide created on harmonized methodology to measure carbon in plant and soil systems
        • One guide created on simplified methodology for projects in MDP
        • Maps of carbon stocks (soil and plant) at the regional scale created using satellite models
        • Training and coaching for 25 projects related to carbon in the agriculture, forestry, and land-use change sectors in collaboration with the MDP Secretariat in Bonn

International Negotiations on Climate

        • Joint organization of a COP18 Side Event in Doha, 2012
        • Organisation of a preparatory workshop for COP19 in Warsaw to assist negotiators for the CILSS/ECOWAS area to develop their negotiating positions
        • Preparation of two special bulletins on COP19 and COP20 for CILSS/ECOWAS negotiators over viewing climate negotiations and expectations from the Warsaw and Lima conference
        • Support to CILSS countries to produce a submission to the UNFCCC to integrate agroforestry in their MDP
        • Participation in COP17/CMP7 in Durban, 2011 and mission report from the CILSS delegation
        • Participation in COP18 in Doha and mission reports from the CILSS delegation
        • Participation in COP19 in Warsaw and mission report from the CILSS delegation
        • Participation in COP20 in Lima

Scientific Publications