NOVEMBER 2023

THE EAST AFRICAN SUSWATCH E-BULLETIN

A Monthly from the East African Sustainability Watch Network and INFORSE East Africa

Opinion: Is Any One Paying Attention To UNEP’s Adaptation Gap Report Series?

According to United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the adaptation gap can be defined generically
as the difference between the level of adaptation actually implemented and a societally set target or goal,
reflecting nationally determined needs related to climate change impacts, as well as resource limitations and
competing priorities. The Adaptation Gap Report (AGR) series produced by UNEP since 2014 provides an
annual science-based assessment of the global progress on adaptation planning, financing, and implementation,
with the aim to inform the climate negotiations among UN Member States.

The first global Adaptation Gap Report (AGR 2014) put forward a preliminary framework for assessing
adaptation gaps along with an initial assessment in three selected areas: finance, technology and knowledge.
Since then annual reports have been prepared for the attention of the international community especially ahead
of the climate negotiations. UNEP’s Adaptation Gap Report 2023: Underfinanced. Underprepared –
Inadequate investment and planning on climate adaptation leaves world exposed finds that progress on climate
adaptation is slowing on all fronts when it should be accelerating to catch up with rising climate change impacts.
The AGR 2023 warns that as a result of slow mitigation and adaptation, climate-related losses and damages are
increasing. A recent study indicates that the 55 most climate-vulnerable economies alone have already
experienced losses and damages of more than US$500 billion in the last two decades.

The 2022 edition of UNEP’s Adaptation Gap Report: Too Little, Too Slow – Climate adaptation failure puts
world at risk found that, the world must urgently increase efforts to adapt to the impacts of climate change that
are already here and to those that are to come. The report noted that global efforts in adaptation planning,
financing and implementation were not keeping pace with the growing risks. financing to turn these plans and
strategies into action still isn’t following. The AGR 2022 Report warned that International adaptation finance
flows to developing countries were 5-10 times below estimated needs and the gap continues to widen.

The Adaptation Finance Gap Update 2015 with insights from the Intended Nationally Determined
Contributions (INDCs) was published to input to discussions at the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties
(COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It brought together
key findings on adaptation costs and finance from AGR 2014 and preliminary findings from the 2016
assessment. The Report noted that most of the funds (53per cent) were in the form of low-cost project debt,
followed by market-rate project debt (26 per cent) and grants (19 per cent).

Looking at the AGR over the fourteen-year period, one wonders if adequate attention is paid to these eye
catching titles and key messages being relayed. The titles seem to be saying same thing (closing the adaptation
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finance gap) in different ways. Perhaps a turnaround in the AGR could happen if needs of the vulnerable
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populations who are underfinanced and underprepared for climate adaptation are addressed!
COP28: Why Wealthy Nations that Largely Caused Climate Change Should Pay up Now!

A Flood occurrence in Kampala

COP28, the 28th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference, will bring together state parties to the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as well as thousands of experts,
journalists, climate activists, community members, and representatives from businesses and nongovernmental
groups. It is a forum for states to discuss how to confront the climate crisis that is taking a growing toll on
human rights around the globe. It will be hosted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from November 30 to
December 12, 2023.

Ahead of this, the UN Environment Programme Adaptation Gap Report 2023 has frankly reminded the global
community of the escalating climate crises with record-breaking temperatures, storms, and floods. It reveals that
the world, especially developing nations, is underfinanced and underprepared for climate adaptation. Therefore,
COP28 is a pivotal opportunity to correct course and accelerate action to tackle the climate crisis.

Despite this growing urgency, the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference meetings have largely
failed to result in the necessary cuts in greenhouse gas emissions or to adequately support a transition to
renewable energy, protecting those hardest hit by floods, drought, hurricanes, and other climate-related
disasters.

Our hope is that COP28 is where the world will take stock of progress on the Paris Agreement – the landmark
climate treaty concluded in 2015 – and chart a course of action to dramatically reduce emissions and protect
lives and livelihoods. But as COP28 talks begin, there is pre-occupation on whether this exercise should put the
onus on all countries or just the world's wealthiest countries to do more because they released the most planet-
warming emissions historically. As this discussion goes on time is passing and the climate is surpassing crisis
levels (planetary boundaries) in more and more parts of the world. Realistically, wealthy nations, whose past
CO2 emissions largely caused climate change, should pay up now.

As such, tackling climate change and its consequences will require a staggering amount of investment that is
greater than what is being put forward. For example, developing countries alone will need at least $200 billion
every year by 2030 to adapt to worsening climate impacts like coastal sea rise or storms, according to the U.N.
Additionally, they will need funding to help replace polluting energy with clean sources. How much of this
comes from the public and private coffers, remains a matter of contention. In the meantime, many of the
affected developing countries especially in Africa are also at a risk of debt distress — meaning they might
default on their loans. The COP28 Presidency seeks to ensure a more equitable access to climate finance as one
of the priorities. We hope that mobilization of adaptation finance will be given the attention it deserves.

COP28 comes at a time when there are increasing cases of climate disasters, which go beyond what people can
adapt to, or when options exist but a community doesn’t have the resources to access or utilize them. These
costs related to loss and damage is already being felt in Africa, Asia and elsewhere in the developing world. At
COP28, we look forward to setting up a "loss and damage" fund to help with this, which developing nations say
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should unlock at least $100 billion by 2030. Fortunately, advancing the operationalization of the loss and
damage fund created at COP 27 is one of the priorities of the Presidency for COP 28.
Non State Actors highlight issues for Uganda’s Energy Transition Discussion at the
Annual Renewable Energy Conference in Kampala
Uganda Non State Actors took advantage of the spaces provided by the Ministry
of Energy and Mineral Development to contribute to the Renewable Energy
Conference and Expo 2023. This was mainly through the numerous sessions
where they featured as panelists based on the overall theme of the event: ‘Energy
and Minerals for Sustainable Growth’ The major issues that preoccupied these
discussions include the energy transition discourse, the charcoal trade, the huge
Ms. J. Kyokutamba biomass dependency, electric cooking and mobility, need for standards and
(Shungura Foundation) regulations on energy efficient technologies and practices; and coordination
speaks at the session on the between the energy and other sectors of the economy towards sustainability.
charcoal ban

In a session on clean cooking industry trends in Africa: past, present and the future outlook and perspectives,
Ruth Kiwanuka from Joint Energy and Environment Projects called for realistic interventions that match with
the energy needs of the majority of Ugandan citizens. ‘What is needed it to disseminate local solutions that are
relevant, affordable, accessible and environmentally sound to manage Uganda’s current and future energy
demand’

In a session on affirmative action for local content: advocacy for inclusivity in the energy markets in Africa’
Ms. Jane Nalunga from SEATINI Uganda called for a local narrative in the energy transition discussions. Jane
noted that ‘The debate about the energy transition is a defining moment in the history of Uganda and Africa
because it will change how we are going to produce and industrialize’. ‘Uganda is fully commodity dependent
because we export more of raw materials than adding value. We therefore need to be very careful when it comes
to the energy transition we are talking about", Jane cautioned.

In a session on charcoal ban: bottlenecks and prospects for transitioning to clean energy, Ms. Joan
Kyokutamba from Shungura Foundation noted that charcoal is so highly commercialized that those who want to
regulate it still find it hard. She suggested that efforts should also be put on efficient use of the available
charcoal by promoting efficient cook stoves and practices from household to commercial level. She added that
Uganda still has a huge potential to develop the non-carbonized briquette industry (use of saw dust, tree bark
and other tree biomass parts). ‘Let us make briquette making a little more attractive for investment than it is at
the moment’, she concluded. Ms. Teddy Nabakooza Galiwango from Buganda Kingdom informed the session
on People: championing community-led Energy transition that the people in Buganda are aware of the available
renewable energy resources, however being asked to transition from what they have been used to without prior
knowledge on the alternative is hard. ‘People need to learn how these alternatives work’, she emphasized.

The session on: Civil society and shaping the energy transition discourse: legacy and prospects with panelists
from SEATINI Uganda, Environmental Shield and Advocates for Natural Resources Governance and
Development, put up a rich discussion on what CSOs have done to contribute to shaping the energy transition
discourse in Uganda, and how CSOs have contributed to influence the current global energy agenda.
Environmental and climate activist - Robert Turyakira from Environmental Shield called for a system change as
opposed to incremental change in the energy transition discussions, that safeguards rights, biodiversity and food
sovereignty. ‘This should address and redress system failures to ensure equity and justice’, he concluded.

The Renewable Energy conference and Expo 2023 is an annual event by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral
Development that features an exhibition, speaker sessions, and panel discussions, side events, project launches
among others.
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