The purpose of this MAPS Africa project was to scope the feasibility of pursuing MAPS processes in selected African countries and contribute to the conceptual development of a MAPS Academy.

This project has:

• Hosted a MAPS Facilitation Course to skill mid-career professionals to facilitate national or sub-national MAPS processes
• Conducted four country feasibility studies to assess the risks and opportunities for implementing the MAPS programme in the respective countries
• Hosted a research laboratory on the most pressing challenges for low carbon development planning as identified by stakeholders during the feasibility studies
• Developed a business plan for a three-year MAPS Africa programme in the relevant countries, informed by the feasibility studies, research laboratory and facilitation course
• Disseminated MAPS learnings via videos, blogs and papers

The research has been conducted by the Energy Research Centre (ERC) at the University of Cape Town. It complements current ERC research modeling the social costs of mitigation actions, also funded by CDKN.

Further information:

• MAPS Programme website
• FEATURE: Modelling the social costs of mitigation actions
• MAPS Facilitator Training Course - Africa: Call for participants
• Video: MAPS Facilitators Lab, Chile:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnAAOfskyeI

Funding: £ 200 000

Timeframe: 1 year, Mar 2013 – Feb 2014