Africa Climate Week (ACW) and the Africa Climate Summit (ACS), both hosted by the Government of Kenya, will run concurrently from 4-8 September in Nairobi. The first of four Regional Climate Weeks, ACW aims to build momentum ahead of COP28 and the conclusion of the first global stocktake, designed to chart the way for fulfilling the Paris Agreement's key goals. CDKN will be hosting two sessions at ACW and one session at ACS. Find out more below.

The ACW and ACS will provide a platform for policymakers, practitioners, businesses and civil society to exchange on climate solutions, barriers to overcome and opportunities realised in different regions, leading to the first global stocktake concluding at COP28 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in December of this year.

The ACW will consider four major systems-based tracks with a view to providing region-focused contributions to inform the global stocktake on:

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

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CDKN sessions at ACW

Understanding intersectionality in climate actions: An interactive game

Date: Wednesday 6 September 2023
Time: 14.45 - 15:15 (GMT +3)
Location: Main courtyard at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC)
Organising partners: CDKN/SouthSouthNorth
Track 4: Societies, health, livelihoods and economies

This session will use our ‘Climate and Society’ interactive game to showcase how people with different social, economic, cultural and physical statuses and attributes, including their gender roles and relations, interact with and contribute to their climate vulnerability and risk, and how their ability to contribute to disaster risk reduction, adaptation and climate-resilient development is affected by these attributes.

Ecosystem-based approaches for just climate action in African cities

Date: Friday 8 September 2023
Time: 09:00 - 10:00 (GMT +3)
Location: River Limpopo Room at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC)
Organising partners: CDKN/SouthSouthNorth, World Resources Institute (WRI), ICLEI Africa, PlanAdapt
Track 2: Cities, urban and rural settlements, infrastructure and transport

By promoting dialogue between thought leaders, practitioners, activists and community organisers, the session plans to highlight the importance of equitable nature-based solutions and approaches as a means to address climate challenges. The session will delve into innovative strategies that empower communities, protect vulnerable populations and ensure that the benefits of climate resilience are shared equitably. 

CDKN co-hosted session at ACS

Understanding maladaptation in Africa: Informing best practice, policy and investment

Date: Tuesday 5 September 2023
Time: 07:00 - 08:00 (GMT +3)
Location: Side event room 3: Mount Nimba
Organising partners: International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Africa Group of Negotiator Experts Support (AGNES), CDKN/SouthSouthNorth
Track 4: Societies, health, livelihoods and economies

The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) shows there is growing evidence that some adaptation interventions sometimes produce unintended negative outcomes or exacerbate existing societal and ecological challenges, adversely affecting marginalised and vulnerable groups in particular. Maladaptation has significant economic, social and environmental consequences for Africa. Therefore, it is critical to address the structural challenges which contribute to maladaptation and provide pathways to avoiding its occurrence.  

The session aims to:

• Facilitate the exchange of information and experiences between different subregions in Africa and stakeholders
• Strengthen the knowledge base on maladaptation in the region
• Create a space to foster coordination and coherence among different sectors and levels of governance to ensure that adaptation efforts are integrated into policies, plans and strategies.

Invitation-only events

Are small grant funding mechanisms effectively supporting locally-led adaptation?

This event seeks to bring together existing and upcoming small grant funding mechanisms and grantees. The session will explore the challenges and opportunities of the small-scale grant-making space through interactive exchanges between funders and grantees. Participants will critically discuss whether the current modalities of small-scale funding mechanisms are fit-for-purpose to support locally-led adaptation (LLA). Additionally, participants will explore the value of a community of practice to continue this learning around areas of good practice and challenges that need to be overcome for effective LLA.

Organising partners: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Global Ecosystem-based Adaptation Fund, CDKN/SouthSouthNorth

Adaptation Committee: Boosting region-wide coherence on adaptation

By bringing together and facilitating an exchange among regional organisations, development banks and other key stakeholders who are working together to step up adaptation in the region, this meeting aims to foster coherence and a collaborative approach towards region-wide and transboundary adaptation action and support. The meeting will provide a platform to deepen participants' understanding of the challenges and opportunities in advancing the coherent implementation of adaptation action toward a resilient future.

Organising partners: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Adaptation Committee (AC), co-moderation by CDKN/SouthSouthNorth