CoM SSA Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plan (SEACAP) course
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MODULE 1: Setting the scene
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Lesson 1.1: Introduction to the CoM SSA initiative2 Topics
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Lesson 1.2: Introduction to the SEACAP3 Topics
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Lesson 1.3: Climate change and cities in Africa2 Topics
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MODULE 2: SEACAP mitigation pillar
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Lesson 2.1: Key concepts in climate change mitigation1 Topic
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Lesson 2.2: Introduction to the mitigation pillar2 Topics
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Lesson 2.3: The SEACAP development process for the mitigation pillar1 Topic
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Lesson 2.4: Emissions inventories: GHG emissions4 Topics
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Lesson 2.5: Developing a Baseline Emissions Inventory (BEI)3 Topics
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Lesson 2.6: Tools for BEI development2 Topics
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Lesson 2.7: Setting mitigation targets2 Topics
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Lesson 2.8: Planning mitigation actions1 Topic
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MODULE 3: SEACAP access to energy pillar
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Lesson 3.1: Key concepts in access to energy
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Lesson 3.2: Introduction to the access to energy pillar2 Topics
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Lesson 3.3: The SEACAP development process for the access to energy pillar1 Topic
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Lesson 3.4: Data collection3 Topics
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Lesson 3.5: Developing an Access to Energy Assessment (AEA)2 Topics
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Lesson 3.6: Setting an energy vision and targets3 Topics
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Module 3.7: Planning energy actions3 Topics
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MODULE 4: SEACAP adaptation pillar
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Lesson 4.1: Key Concepts in climate change adaptation
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Lesson 4.2: Introduction to the adaptation pillar2 Topics
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Lesson 4.3: The SEACAP development process for the adaptation pillar1 Topic
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Lesson 4.4: Developing a Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (RVA)
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Lesson 4.5: Setting an adaptation vision and sectoral targets2 Topics
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Lesson 4.6: Planning adaptation actions2 Topics
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MODULE 5: Steps to take before you implement your SEACAP
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Lesson 5.1: Next steps for prioritised actions
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Lesson 5.2: Categorising actions to access external finance2 Topics
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MODULE 6: Communicating your SEACAP
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Lesson 6.1: Designing your SEACAP3 Topics
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Lesson 6.2: Communicating your SEACAP to key stakeholders1 Topic
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MODULE 7: Reporting your SEACAP
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Lesson 7.1: Introduction to reporting your SEACAP3 Topics
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Lesson 7.2: Introduction to reporting the mitigation pillar4 Topics
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Lesson 7.3: Introduction to reporting the adaptation pillar3 Topics
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Lesson 7.4: Introduction to reporting the access to energy pillar3 Topics
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MODULE 8: Integrating your SEACAP into existing planning processes
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Lesson 8.1: Integrating your SEACAP actions into local level plans1 Topic
Participants 1632
What are the impacts of climate change on African societies?
17 September 2024
Ecological risks in Africa include:
- Increased water stress
- Reduction in fish shoals and a negative impact on fisheries
- Shrinkage in croplands by as much as 90% which affects what crops can be cultivated and leading to a reduction in crop yields
Economic risks in Africa include:
- Sharp drop in GDPs
- Strain in access to goods and services
- Job losses
- Negative impact on ability to generate income and on livelihoods
- Economic collapse
Societal risks in Africa include:
- Health risks due to increases in certain airborne and waterborne diseases (e.g. cholera, malaria)
- Increased hunger and malnutrition
- Climate migration
- Governance instability
- Increased risk to vulnerable communities, particularly women and children.
What are the impacts of climate change on gender equality?
Along with the economic costs of the climate crisis, a rise in displacement, and forced migration, poverty and insecurity will have a disproportionate impact on women and girls.
Women and girls in the world’s poorest and most marginalised communities have contributed the least to the climate emergency but are suffering the brunt of its catastrophic effects...Food and water shortages, polluted air and increasingly severe climate-related disasters such as droughts, floods or wildfires are taking a disproportionate toll on their health and rights.
Gender equality is integral for climate resilience
Women’s and girls’ systemic marginalistion can be worsened by climate change hazards and risks.
Concentration of women’s employment in climate-exposed jobs (e.g. agriculture employs 39% of employed women) puts them at a higher risk of the impacts of climate change.
Climate risks can be addressed by measures that empower women
Climate and environmental conservation projects that specifically include women have been shown to have better overall outcomes. Additionally, new technologies, jobs and service delivery can specifically target women.
How can climate change affect African cities?
Rainfall:
- Projected to experience a shift of the rainy season to later in the year and overall less rain during the season
- Projected to experience an increase of rainfall intensity when it does rain
Temperature:
- Average maximum temperatures are currently 32°C
- Average maximum temperatures are expected to rise to 37.2°C by 2025 and 37.8°C by 2050
Multiple climate hazards are currently affecting Bobo Dioulasso. These are expected to worsen with time:
- Extreme heat
- Heavy precipitation, lightning and rainstorms
- River floods
- Droughts and water scarcity
- Extreme wind and sandstorms
- Forest fires, land fires
- Erosion
Current and future impacts of climate hazards on the population of Bobo Dioulasso include:
- Water stress
- Decreasing agricultural and livestock productivity
- Increasing water-borne diseases
- Infrastructure destruction (e.g. roads and buildings)
Sectors most at risk to the impacts of climate change:
- Land use management
- Agriculture and forestry
- Energy
- Food
- Housing and urbanism
- Health sectors
How are cities critical to addressing climate change?
*Click on the red dots on the image below for more information
As a result of rural–urban migration and population growth, more than 50% of the African population will live in African cities by 2030.
Cities account for the highest proportion of emissions within a country.
Cities concentrate demography-linked challenges, which will be increasingly more difficult to handle in the face of climate change. As the population is growing and the resource needs are increasing, the resources themselves are diminishing. Urban planning is critical to manage cross-sectoral resource allocation.
Residents of informal settlements are particularly vulnerable
- Residents of informal settlements are disproportionately affected by climate hazards due to a lack of infrastructure and their location (typically they live in unplanned houses which are sub-optimally located, e.g. in a floodplain).
- Informal settlements are challenging contexts for local governments. The environmental risks faced by informal-settlement dwellers intersect with social drivers of vulnerability, such as low income and gender discrimination. Informal-settlement residents usually have difficulties engaging with the local governments whose support they need.
Urban factors leading to enhanced climate vulnerability
Exposure:
- Example: settlements located near wetlands/bodies of water; mudslide-prone hills; eroding coastal areas
Sensitivity:
- Example: Lack of access to adequate water or sanitation
Capacity:
- Example: Lack of access to adequate financial resources, employment, human capital, information and healthcare
Cities provide an opportunity to address climate change challenges and capitalise on potential co-benefits
- Cities are home to significant proportions of the population compared to rural areas.
- Cities are hubs of innovation where new solutions to climate challenges can be created.
- Revenue to address climate challenges can more easily be generated in cities.
- Making decisions for increased climate resilience in cities can have a significant impact locally as well as nationally.
- Climate action at the city level offers opportunities to address inequality, poverty, housing and sanitation challenges and gender inequality.
- It has been shown that by actively engaging women in disaster risk management, it can be beneficial in climate project implementation (e.g. more effective community mobilisation).
Cities provide an opportunity to address climate change challenges and capitalise on potential co-benefits
- Cities are home to significant proportions of the population compared to rural areas.
- Cities are hubs of innovation where new solutions to climate challenges can be created.
- Revenue to address climate challenges can more easily be generated in cities.
- Making decisions for increased climate resilience in cities can have a significant impact locally as well as nationally.
- Climate action at the city level offers opportunities to address inequality, poverty, housing and sanitation challenges and gender inequality.
- It has been shown that by actively engaging women in disaster risk management, it can be beneficial in climate project implementation (e.g. more effective community mobilisation).
“...It is in metropolitan areas that the battle for human rights, and for many of the principles enshrined in the Global Charter-Agenda for Human Rights in the City, is being fought. These principles include combatting inequalities and marginalization, universal access to decent housing, basic services and culture, and the protection of human rights, gender equality and equal opportunities for all.”