Africa Climate Week 2023

Africa Climate Week 2023 is poised to become a significant event, with the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions taking the lead in mobilizing Non-State Actors (NSA). With unique insights and solutions, NSAs have become key players in the global climate dialogue. Their voices and contributions are set to be amplified through collaboration with the UN Climate Change Secretariat and the Marrakech Partnership.

Africa’s untapped potential positions it as a key player in the global energy transition. From Africa’s growing carbon markets and the transformation of its food systems, we invite you to join us as we explore their contributions to paving the way for a sustainable future, both on the continent and globally.

Regional Platforms for Climate Projects

E-transport on the move in Lagos with Oando Clean Energy

Oando’s Ademola Ogunbanjo discusses their plan to launch a 12,000 electric bus fleet in Lagos, Nigeria by 2030, signaling a shift in the country’s road transport sector and encouraging other corporations to decarbonize.

The Power of Waste in Nigeria with Phoenix Edison

Phoenix Edison is a project in Nigeria, aiming to provide a 24 megawatt (MW) waste-to-power plant processing 270,000 tons of solid waste annually. Spotlighting this, the Climate Champions are joined by Noble Ekajeh.

Biking by Battery in East Africa with Ampersand

Ampersand is an e-mobility venture operating in Rwanda and Kenya, providing 2-wheeled electric vehicles and EV charging infrastructure. Brady Grimes explains how Ampersand is revolutionizing the motorcycle taxi market in East Africa. Watch it here

Waste to Fertiliser: Increasing Yield Changing Lives with Safi Organics

Joyce Kamande explains how Safi Organics uses technology to decentralize fertilizer production in Kenya, serving 10,000 smallholder farmers by leveraging local resources and establishing production plants in villages.

Dr. Susan Chomba on Africa’s role in the climate crisis: Opportunities, challenges, and the path forward

Ahead of Africa Climate Week, Dr. Susan Chomba, Director of Vital Landscapes for Africa at WRI, discusses Africa’s unique position in the climate dialogue, the potential for transformative food systems, and the urgent need for regenerative practices.

Africa’s role in decarbonizing the planet

Africa can lead the world in limiting emissions, drive climate restoration and orient Africa towards its strengths which translate into major new segments of economic opportunity, writes Jack Kimani, Founding CEO of the Climate Action Platform for Africa (CAP-A).

Africa’s Moment is Upon Us

Africa Climate Week is the first of four Regional Climate Weeks coordinated by the UN Climate Change. It is taking place from 4-8 September 2023 in Nairobi, Africa, hosted by the Government of Kenya. The climate weeks, which will also take place in the Middle East and North Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and […]

Africa Carbon Markets Initiative announces 13 action programs

Africa Carbon Markets Initiative (ACMI) announces new programs to help accelerate Africa’s participation in the global carbon market.

Upcoming Events

Our events

The UNFCCC’s Regional Climate Weeks provide a timely opportunity for policymakers, practitioners, business and civil society to exchange on climate solutions, approaches for overcoming barriers, and opportunities realised in the different regions.

The High-Level Champions are providing region focused contributions across four major systems-based tracks to inform the Global Stocktake:

Energy systems and industry;
Cities, urban and rural settlements, infrastructure and transport;
Land, ocean, food and water;
Societies, health, livelihoods, and economies.

Track events convened by the High-Level Champions are highlighted in bold below, whilst all other events are plenary or side events the High-Level Champions (HLC) are participating in. All events will be held in person at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Nairobi, Kenya.

Event Schedule

* Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin (MM) and H.E. Razan Al Mubarak (RAM) are the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions from the COP27 and COP28 Presidency respectively. Bogolo Kenewendo (BK) is the Africa Director at the Climate Champions Team. Their participation at events is noted with these abbreviations and may change.

Event	HLC	Partners	Time (EAT)	Location	Event Overview
Monday, 4 September
Opening Plenary of the Ministerial Segment of Africa Climate Week	MM	Africa Climate Week Secretariat	09:00 – 10:30	TBC	TBC
Scaling High Impact Climate Finance in Africa	MM	Africa Climate Summit Secretariat	10:30 – 12:00	TBC	TBC
Carbon Markets for Global South	MM	Africa Carbon Markets Initiative	12:00 – 13:30	TBC	The Africa Carbon Markets Initiative (ACMI) was launched at COP 27 and now will report on its crucial implementation progress.
Investing in South-led science and innovation for a just and equitable climate finance Framework	MM	Community Jameel	13:30 – 14:30	TBC	Community Jameel and the High-Level Champions will release a white paper outlining the obstacles and solutions discussed, as well as announce the creation of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Air and Water Lab in South Africa. The event will showcase the collaboration between local scientists and local impactful climate projects.
Climate Initiatives to Finance Climate Action and the SDG’s	MM	Green Climate Fund	17:30 – 19:30	The Movenpick	GCF’s event will enable climate finance and opportunities that support the acceleration of climate and SDG’s in Africa. Dr. Mahmoud will explain the need for concessional finance, as well as highlight the High-Level Champions ‘Regional Platforms for Climate Projects’.
Tuesday, 5 September
Presidential Opening of Africa Climate Summit	RAM & MM	Africa Climate Summit Secretariat	09:30 – 10:30	TBC	TBC
Unlocking Climate Finance in Africa: The Role of Innovation, Governance, and Partnerships	MM		10:00 – 11:30	**Global Trade Centre	This vent aims to explore opportunities and challenges for unlocking climate finance in Africa. The discussion will focus on innovative approaches and instruments, policy and regulatory frameworks, and partnerships needed to boost the mobilization of climate finance across the continent.
New Global Climate Finance Architecture	RAM & MM	Africa Climate Summit Secretariat	12:00 – 13:30	TBC	TBC
Advancing Africa’s Blue Economy	RAM	Africa Climate Summit Secretariat	14:30 – 15:30	TBC	Announcing the creation of an Africa Heads of State and Government Panel of the Development of a Regenerative Blue Economy and the implementation of the Great Blue Wall initiative
Critical Minerals for Green Manufacturing	MM	Climate Action Platform for Africa; Democratic Republic of Congo; Zambia, USA; European Commission; Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa; IEA; HLC;	15:30 – 16:30	TBC	Minerals critical for the energy transition support industry decarbonisation efforts at a global scale. They also offer an opportunity for resource-rich nations to derive social and economic benefits, inclusive growth and protect the environment, through improved governance and responsible practices.
Africa Climate Risk Insurance Facility for Adaptation (ACRIFA)	MM	Nairobi Declaration on Sustainable Insurance; FSD Africa	16:30 – 17:30	TBC	Formal launch of the Nairobi Declaration of Sustainable Insurance ACRIFA fund with AfDB, including Presisdent Ruto and other high level speakers.
Wednesday, 6 September
Pathway From Nairobi to COP28 and beyond	RAM	Africa Climate Summit Secretariat	10:00 – 11:00	TBC	TBC
Dialogue on the Global Stocktake	RAM & MM	COP28 & UNFCCC	14:00 – 16:00	TBC
Financing Adaptation: How can Africa’s banks, insurers and investors collaborate with the public sector to scale finance for adaptation in the region?	MM		14:00 – 15:00	Atlas Mountain Room	Emphasise the importance of private financial sector solutions for adaptation and resilience in the African region and offering to build the necessary bridges for public and private collaboration for adaptation and resilience finance.
Unlocking Sustainable and Fair Investment in Nature-based Solutions for Climate Action in Africa	RAM		14:00 – 15:30	TBC	Africa, with its vast forests and peatlands, holds a significant carbon sink, yet current commitments address only 24% of its potential. It’s crucial to prioritize peatland conservation and align efforts with the Sharm El Shiekh Adaptation Agenda, and time to set clear 2030 Breakthrough targets for Peatlands.
Unlocking Finance for city-scale transformation through Multi-level Governance	MM		17:00 – 18:30	Lenana Hall	This event will look at the access to finance for local/subnational governments, as primary implementers of the NDCs, especially for building adaptation & resilience in Africa.
TRACK (4) EVENT: Developing a Bioeconomy in Africa	RAM		17:00 – 18:30	Aberdares Room	Emphasising the importance of private financial sector solutions for adaptation and resilience in the African region and offering to build the necessary bridges for public and private collaboration for adaptation and resilience finance.
Thursday, 7 September
Mobilising Domestic Capital for Climate-Positive Growth	MM & RAM	FSD Africa, ARM Harith, Africa Climate Foundation, Blended Finance Taskforce	08:00 – 10:00	**KOFISI Square	This roundtable will bring together leading practitioners across the African financial system to discuss solutions around mobilising domestic institutional capital.
Marrakech Partnership meeting	MM		10:00 – 10:30
TRACK (1) EVENT: A Just Energy Transition Collaboration (JET-Co) Dialogue for Africa	MM		11:45 – 13:15	Aberdares Room	To ensure transitions are truly just; companies, investors, and affected communities can collaborate to deliver impactful projects that leave no one behind.
Realising Africa’s green hydrogen potential through government leadership	MM	Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance (AGHA)	15:00 – 16:00	Taifa Room	Build investor confidence in Africa’s GH2 landscape. Showcase best in class in enabling environment and political will across six AGHA members and other African countries with green hydrogen potential.
TRACK (2) EVENT: Harnessing finance, nature and inclusion to catalyze resilient urban infrastructure in Africa	RAM		15:30 – 16:45	Aberdares Room	The role finance, nature-based solutions, technology, centering of vulnerable communities and harnessing of partnerships can play in catalysing adaptive and resilient cities in Africa.
Rallying African non-state action for the implementation of the Sharm-El-Sheik Adaptation Agenda	MM	COP27 Presidency, COP28 Presidency	16:30 – 17:30	Atlas Mountain Room	Scaling-up integrated adaptation and resilience solutions is critical for frontline communities in Africa to close the adaptation gap. The event will showcase local and regional pilot project examples, and explore the emerging role of philanthropies in supporting adaptation action.
African NbS Implementation Dialogue	RAM		16:30 – 17:30	TBC	It’s time to hear from grassroots, those who are implementing solutions in different regions, it is time to provide decision makers with real solutions and valuable nature-based solutions (NbS) implementation actions.
Developing Green Shipping Corridors Opportunities in Africa	RAM		17:00 – 18:30	Aberdares Room	Aligning Green Hydrogen & Green Shipping to accelerate clean growth in the region. Objective of the event is to lay the groundwork for an inclusive and practical roadmap for green shipping across the African region to be launched at COP28.
Friday, 8 September
TRACK (3) EVENT: From Farm To Fork: pivoting African agricultural food systems towards secure, regenerative, climate resilient outcomes	TBC		10:30 – 11:30	Lenana Hall	TBC