Africa needs climate change adaptation assistance

The international community needs to expand its support for climate change adaptation efforts in Africa, especially in the areas of education, research and innovation.

This is one of key recommendations endorsed by the 120 participants of a workshop sponsored by the CC-DARE: Climate Change Adaptation and Development Initiative of the U.N. Environment Program and U.N. Development Program. The workshop was held in Nairobi, Kenya, and featured representatives from African countries, nongovernmental organizations and U.N. agencies.

Participants of the workshop, dubbed Sharing Lessons in Africa on Climate Change Adaptation, also agreed on the following recommendations: 

• African governments should allocate part of their national budgets to climate change adaptation efforts.

• Africa and its development partners should have wider and easier access to best practices and approaches.

• The CC-DARE model should serve as a guideline for the design of broader adaptation projects across Africa.

CC-DARE currently supports climate change adaptation activities in a number of African countries. In Malawi, for instance, it is overseeing a Norway-funded campaign to integrate such activities in agriculture and natural resources management.

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