Climate Finance Innovators

Focus Group Discussion on Programme of Activities under Article 6 at Africa Climate Week
2022-08-31 10:00 - 11:15 (Europe/Paris) | Africa Climate Week 2022, Libreville, Gabon
Speakers: Stephan Hoch (PCG), Nsikan-George Emana (Climate Focus)
Perspectives Climate Group in collaboration with BMWK, Climate Focus, GFA and MéxiCO2, with support from IETA held a Programme of Activities (PoA) stakeholder meeting to discuss the potential of the PoA concept under Article 6. The side event included government officials and PoA practitioners who engaged in an interactive focus group discussion on PoAs in the context of Article 6, their potential to meaningfully contribute to the achievement of NDCs, and challenges for stakeholders.
The results of the discussion and analysis will be presented to a global audience during COP 27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

Financing Sustainable Energy Access in African NDCs Guidebook launch at Africa Climate Week
2022-08-31 15:45 - 16:45 (Europe/Paris) | Africa Climate Week 2022, Libreville, Gabon
Date: 31st August 2022
Time: 15:45 – 16:45 WAT/ 16:45 – 17:45 CET
Location: Africa Climate Week 2022, Libreville, Gabon

CFI Speakers: Stephan Hoch, Peris Waweru and Alexandre Dunod
Climate Finance Innovators launched a new comprehensive guidebook on the potential of carbon markets and climate finance to finance sustainable energy access in African NDCs at a side event at the Africa Climate Week in Libreville, Gabon.
The guidebook conveys how these financing instruments need to align with the new circumstances of the Paris Agreement Rulebook, but also cater to the priorities defined in host country NDCs. It also draws on evidence and real-world case studies from East and Western Africa (GCF best practice and carbon market initiatives).
The side event hosted a panel discussion from regional experts from frontrunner countries, such as El Hadji Mbaye Diagne from Senegal and Muluneh Hedeto from Ethiopia as well as key development partners such as GiZ represented by Rita Rukundo of GiZ Uganda, who shared key messages and reflections and discussed with the audience.
The guidebook is part of a series of projects by the CFI. The publication can be found here

Download Guidebook PDF

African Climate Summit 2023 | Side event
2023-09-05
Side event: How synergies between climate finance and carbon markets can enhance NDC ambition in Ethiopia, Uganda, and Senegal

Date: 05th September 2023
Agenda
Moderator: Sandra Greiner, Climate Finance Innovators/Climate Focus
Speakers:

Moubarak Moukaila, West African Alliance Coordinator, BOAD, UNFCC RCC Lome Regional Coordinator (Regional cooperation as a success factor for mobilizing carbon and climate finance)
Stephan Hoch, Climate Finance Innovators/Perspectives Climate Group: Synergies between climate finance and carbon markets in Africa
Ritah Rukundo, GIZ Global Carbon Markets Programme (GCM), Uganda: GCM support for Uganda and the Eastern Africa regional on carbon markets and climate finance)

Challenge
Accessing carbon markets and climate finance has been a particular challenge in many African countries. Basic infrastructures and knowledge have been created but need to adapt to the rules of the Paris Agreement & NDCs.

Project response
Supporting African carbon market pipeline (especially PoAs) and scaling up mitigation impacts through mobilized results-based climate finance (GCF), knowledge creation and capacity building.
Focus

Partner countries Ethiopia, Uganda, Senegal • Regional initiatives in East and West Africa (UNFCCC, WAA, EAA) • UNFCCC negotiations

African Climate Week 2023 | Side event 1
2023-09-05 08:00 - 09:00 (Europe/Helsinki)
Green Growth in Africa – Concrete Actions for Carbon Market Update
Introduction:
The Africa Climate Summit presented a unique opportunity to showcase and discuss the potential of carbon markets in promoting green growth in Africa. This side event highlighted the efforts made by the Eastern and West Africa Alliances on Carbon Markets and Climate Finance with their 23 members to enhance access to carbon finance through regional collaboration, presenting achievements, address the challenges, and provide recommendations for further advancement in carbon market development in Africa.

Objectives:

To communicate the significant work undertaken by the Alliances, focusing on carbon market readiness support, capacity building, private sector engagement, carbon pricing instrument design, bilateral agreements, and other relevant initiatives.
To address the challenges faced by the Alliances and their member states, including fair pricing and benefit sharing of carbon, capacity building needs, and coordination of initiatives in Africa.
To provide recommendations for overcoming the identified challenges and difficulties, based on the expertise and experience of the Alliances, to maximize the benefits of carbon markets for achieving African NDCs as well as local beneficiaries.

Agenda:

Time
Segment
Speaker

07:00-07:05
(5 min)
Welcome and overview of event objectives
Moderator: Rachel Pekker
EAA- Isaac

07:05-07:15
(10 min)
Keynote address; Minister of Environment Rwanda
Key note input:
– Input on how Carbon Markets can help achieve NDC targets.
– Alignment of financing of Carbon Markets.
– Targets and achievements of the country.
Hon Minister TBC

07:15-07:20
(5 mins)
Welcome remarks, German Foreign Affairs/BMZ (State Secretary)
tbc

07:20 -07:25
(5 min)
Overview of the Achievements and Impact of the Eastern and West Africa Alliance on Carbon Markets and Climate Finance
Isaac Rubayiza
EAA

07:25 -07:40
(15 min)
Panel discussion: Challenges and opportunities of developing carbon markets and implementing the green growth and just transition agenda in Africa (questions to guide panel discussion
· What are the capacity building needs of countries in Africa to participate in carbon markets and how can the fair pricing and benefit sharing of carbon be ensured in carbon markets?
· What are the challenges of ensuring that the benefits of carbon markets are maximized for local beneficiaries in Africa?
· What are the recommendations to the Alliances for overcoming the challenges of fair pricing/benefit sharing, addressing the capacity building needs of countries in Africa to participate and use carbon markets to achieve their NDCs?
Panelists:

Elhadji Mbaye DIAGNE (AGN/WAA)
Moubarak MOUKAILA – BOAD (to be confirmed)
Ms. Rachel Boti-Douayoua

07:40 – 07:45
(5 min)
Interactive Session: Q&A and Discussion with Participants

Rachel Pekker

07:45-07:50
(5 min)
Closing: Key Takeaways and Way Forward

Rachel Pekker

Organizers:

Eastern Africa Alliance on Carbon Markets and Climate Finance
West Africa Alliance on Carbon Markets and Climate Finance
Climate Finance Innovators project team

Participants:

Members of the East African Alliance on Carbon Markets and Climate Finance
Members of the West African Alliance on Carbon Markets and Climate Finance
BMWK
BOAD
EADB
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat

Speakers:

Minister of Environment Rwanda
El hadji Mbaye DIAGNE AGN
Moubarak MOUKAILA
Rachel Boti-Douayoua

Conclusion:
This side event provided an important opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities of developing carbon markets in Africa, in a way that resonates with the objectives and ambition of the Paris Agreement. The event will also made recommendations for concrete actions that can be taken to accelerate the uptake of carbon markets in line with the Article 6 rulebook for advancing the green growth and just transition in Africa.
Member Countries
WAA
Benin, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Liberia, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Togo and Mauritania
EAA
Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Sudan and Uganda

African Climate Week 2023 | Side event 2
2023-09-07 15:30 - 17:30 (Europe/Helsinki)
Harnessing the Voluntary Carbon Market for NDC Implementation: Designated National Authority (DNA) special technical discussion
Context and objectives:
This special technical discussion brought together experts, policymakers, and stakeholders from diverse organizations and countries. This discussion, hosted by the DNA Forum in partnership with BMWK, GIZ, the West and East African Alliance on Carbon Markets and Climate Finance, was an important opportunity for meaningful discussions, idea exchange, and identification of practical strategies to integrate the VCM in NDC implementation. The primary objective of the session was to explore the potential of the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) in advancing country National Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Agenda and detailed run-of-show:
The general details of the session are as follows:

Date: 7th September 2023
Time: 15:30-17:30

Time
Topic
Panelists
Guiding questions

15:30 – 15.40
Introduction + table [BOG] allocation
Moderated by: Malin Ahlberg, BMWK

15:40 – 16:10
10` min per topic
Panel discussion topics
• Supply and demand-side – what do we need for an integer and trusting market? {SEN and WAA}
• How should host-countries guide VCM-investors to enhance NDC-implementation?
• How can host-countries attract private sector to engage in the VCM?
Panelists
• EAA
• WAA
• Ghana/Kenya
• VCMi
• Ind. crediting mechanism, e.g., GS Moderated
Guiding questions can be same as in the BOGs below…

16:10 – 17:00
Discussion break out groups

BOG 1

07:15-07:20
(5 mins)
Supply and demand side – what do we need for a trusting market?
Objectives
Discussions explore the supply and demand-side dynamics of the VCM and the essential components necessary to foster integrity and trustworthiness of the VCM.
Moderated by: Stephan Hoch, Perspectives
Co-hosted by: GIZ
1. How can we ensure transparency and credibility in the VCM to build trust among buyers and sellers of carbon credits?
2. How can we establish effective and credible Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) mechanisms in the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) to ensure the reliability and authenticity of carbon credits?

BOG 2

How should host-countries guide VCM-investors to enhance NDC-implementation?
Objectives
This topic explores strategies and best practices for host countries to attract and engage VCM-investors in projects that align with their NDC goals and priorities. Participants examine the role of policy frameworks, regulatory incentives, and supportive measures that can be implemented to create an enabling environment for VCM investments.
Moderated by: [
Co-hosted by: BMWK (Rachel Pekker)
1. What policy frameworks and regulatory incentives can hostcountries implement to attract and engage VCM-investors in projects that align with their National Determined Contributions (NDCs) and climate goals?
2. How can capacity building and knowledge sharing between host-countries and VCMinvestors be fostered to create an enabling environment for VCM investments and enhance NDC implementation?

BOG 3

07:25 -07:40
(15 min)
How can host-countries attract private sector to engage in the VCM?
Objectives
This topic speaks on how host-countries can attract and engage the private sector in VCM projects, emphasizing the significance of an enabling investment climate, transparent guidelines, financial incentives, and public-private partnerships.
Moderated by: Climate Focus

Co-hosted by: GIZ (Ritah)
1. What strategies and financial incentives can host-countries offer to attract private businesses and industries to actively engage in VCM projects and support climate actions aligned with National Determined Contributions (NDCs)?
2. How can public-private partnerships, capacity building, and knowledge sharing be leveraged to foster collaboration and trust between host-countries and private sector stakeholders, encouraging greater participation in the VCM and the implementation of climate actions?

17:00 – 17:20
Report back from each BOG
Moderated by: BMWK

17:20 – 17:30
Reflections and closing remarks
Moderated by:

The participants worked in 3-6 groups/tables for the BOGs (1-2 BOGs groups per topic).

Workshop: West African Carbon Market Hub, Abidjan
2023-09-26 - 2023-09-28
The West African Carbon Market Hub, took place in Abidjan from September 26th-28th and showcased the commitment of West African countries to the objectives of the Paris Agreement, emphasizing innovative public-private partnerships to mobilize financing for GHG mitigation projects with high adaptation and sustainability impacts. Representatives from West African governments and the private sector delved into the operationalization of Article 6, with a keen focus on the expectations for the upcoming COP in Dubai. The workshop participants investigated the country preparation for Article 6 implementation, showcasing the collaborative efforts of West African nations in building capacity and sharing best practices. They also explored role of voluntary carbon market in operationalizing Article 6.2 s. The workshop identified key recommendations, emphasizing the importance of policy and regulatory frameworks, collaboration with the private sector, technical advancements, capacity building, and an inclusive approach for equitable redistribution of carbon market revenues.
As part of the conference, Climate Finance Innovators organized a workshop that tackled the urgent need for action in transitioning over 100 registered projects and Programmatic of Activities (PoA) activities in West Africa from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to the Article 6.4 Mechanism. As the transition procedure becomes operational in 2024, the workshop, moderated by Axel Michaelowa from Perspectives Climate Group, brought together government representatives from East and West Africa and project developers to explore the opportunities of the transition of activities. The panelists delved into the perspective of project developers on Article 6.4 Mechanism, the handling of transition requests by host countries, and the considerations for governments in authorizing Article 6.4 Emission Reductions (A6.4ERs) from transitioned CDM projects. Overall, the workshop facilitated collaboration and addressed challenges in the transition process, fostering a deeper understanding of the needs and expectations of all stakeholders involved.
