Climate Network Africa (CNA)
From TrustAfrica wiki - African Regional Organizations
Grace Akumu, Executive Director
Wood Avenue, Kilimani
P.O Box 76479-00508, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: 254-20-3864040
Fax: 254-20-3873737
E-mail: cnaf@cnaf.or.ke
Website: http://www.cnaf.or.ke
Description
Climate Network Africa (CNA) was established in 1991 to advocate for relevant policy changes on climate change related issues in Africa. The mission of CNA is to improve the chances for environmentally sustainable and socially equitable development in Africa, in light of the serious danger of climate change, ozone depletion and desertification. Its seeks to disseminate relevant information from the scientific community and NGOs worldwide to NGOs, scientists, policy-makers and the general public in Africa through facilitating cross-sectoral exchanges and debate. This is partly accomplished by facilitating information exchange and analysis of issues that strengthen Africa's many voices at local, national and international fora. Its specific objectives are:
- Fostering effective participation of African environmental organizations in local, regional and international activities aimed at protecting and improving the environment in Africa, particularly with respect to global climate change.
- Initiating, developing, providing and maintaining channels and means of communication on matters relating to the environment.
- Lobbying policy makers to appreciate the adverse effects of climate change with a view to influencing them to put in place adaptation and mitigation measures that can reduce vulnerability of the African continent.
- Advocating for the integration of climate change policies in national development plans and national sustainable development strategies.
- Creating awareness among Civil Society and communities on climate change and its impacts, management and adaptation.
- Building the capacities of African civil society institutions in order to adequately respond to the global community’s efforts to combat climate change and its impacts.
- Researching on and developing creative self-help strategies through which communities can be stimulated, motivated and encouraged to respond to the adverse effects of climate change, as well as undertaking Environmental Impact Assessment and Audits.
Due to its regular collaboration with a number of international NGOs working on climate change related issues, CNA has grown to become the regional hub and node of the global Climate Action Network consortium of NGOs. CNA is also the Eastern and Southern Africa regional node for GEF/NGO activities.
Track Record
Being one of the very few regional organizations working on climate change, CNA has achieved some important milestone. These can be broadly classified into three areas namely: capacity building; networking and partnership development; and, information dissemination. From the realization that for it to effect change it requires to be fully knowledgeable, CNA has held several workshops and seminars to enhance its own capacity and the knowledge base of its member organizations and to some extent, the wider network of CSOs, CBOs and NGOs. For instance, the Workshop for Capacity Building on Climate Change for local NGOs and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) raised the participants’ awareness on climate change issues and how it affects their aims and objectives as well as those of their constituents.
On increasing the policy, analytical and networking capacities of NGOs in Africa on desertification, CNA has facilitated five NGOs with the necessary resources to hire full-time staff for a period of three years to work on the preparation and implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. The project aimed at increasing the policy, analytical and networking capacities of these NGOs in scientific and policy analysis at national, regional and international levels regarding the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.
Seeking to enhance understanding on greenhouse gases, they organized a study on the IPCC Greenhouse Gas Inventory methodology applied to land use change and forestry in Kenya. The study assessed the appropriateness of the IPCC GHG methodology for creating an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions from land use changes in Kenya and recommended ways in which the methodology could be improved. Also organized along a similar theme was the Anglo-African Workshop on the IPCC/OECD Methodology for Emissions Inventories of Greenhouse Gases.
The need for alternative fuel energy is now acknowledged as urgent. In an attempt to contribute to this discourse, CNA organized a workshop on ‘The Assessment of the Impact and Potential for Solar Box Cookers in Kenya’, which reviewed the experience with solar box cookers in Kenya. It aimed to determine, among other things, whether the solar box cookers are reducing or have the potential to reduce deforestation or GHG emissions. The project also sought to evaluate the status of and potential impact of solar box cookers in Kenya. The two goals of the project were to increase the use of solar energy technology among commercial businesses in areas not served by conventional sources of energy and to help develop an infrastructure for viable solar energy technologies through private sector initiatives.
Noting the importance of ethics in climate change issues, the African Working Group Meeting on Climate Change and Global Ethics was co-organized with the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) to review and critique a study document on climate change and global ethics drafted by the World Council of Churches (WCC) Task Group on Climate Change.
To expand participation in climate change issues, CNA organized a Workshop on Activities Implemented Jointly (AIJ) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Private Sector for East and Southern Africa. The workshop aimed at contributing to broader understanding of AIJ/JI; provide opportunity for the private sector to discuss and identify AIJ projects; facilitate Africa's networking and coordination of AIJ activities; and, enlist support for AIJ.
CNA also held a workshop on the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol for East and Southern Africa to create awareness and introduce and develop capacity on the CDM as an alternative mechanism towards the effective implementation of the Kyoto Protocol. It also aimed at achieve objectives of the UNFCCC and contribute to the harmonization of an African position on the CDM issues before the fourth Conference of the Parties (COP 4).
can has also published a book on climate change titled, "Potential Impacts of Climate Change in Kenya" targeted at secondary and college students. The book presented the science of climate change and provided an overview on the implications of climate change in the following areas: agriculture, water resources, forestry, energy, wildlife and tourism, biodiversity, marine resources and coastal areas, drought and desertification. It also included a section on ethics. Part III, which is yet to be published, will look at response strategies.
CNA, using modern communication technology, also held a project on Computer Conferencing for Information Exchange among country teams participating in the GHG emissions inventories in Africa. This created and monitored a computer conference on greenhouse gases inventories in Africa and provided technical support for electronic communications to UNEP/GEF country inventory teams in Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, Morocco, Senegal and Gambia. It facilitated regular communication among all the country teams in Africa working on GHG inventories under the UNEP/GEF program. Activities included setting up and training country teams on the use of electronic-mail and electronic conferencing and setting up and monitoring electronic conferences.
Further, CNA embarked on a campaign to build public awareness in Africa on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Increasingly, there are emerging issues which Africa ought to keep abreast of and address.
CNA’s past and present dedicated partners include: Free University, Amsterdam, the Institute for Environmental Studies (Instuut voor Milieuvraagstukken), World Council of Churches (WCC), Institute of Environmental Studies, Netherlands, Total Kenya Limited, IDRC-Ottawa, Canada, IUCC, Geneva, Switzerland, Interchurch Organization for Development Cooperation (ICCO) - Netherlands, World Bank, Governments of Germany, Sweden, Norway, IDRC, DFID, Finland, Action Aid, Trocaire Eastern Africa, Practical Action, Climate Chaos UK, Norwegian Church Aid, HIVOS, GEF, and UNEP.
Challenges
Since its formation CNA has supported climate-related policy research by providing a review process for research proposals and seeking funding for approved proposals; identifying research gaps and stimulating work in those areas; disseminating results of research through publications, workshops, seminars and other means; and, maintaining a resource centre of useful and relevant information on climate change related issues. All these areas present different challenges which if overcome will ensure CNA attains its objectives.
In seeking to support climate-related policies CNA faces the problem of funding for research in climate change and awareness campaigns on climate change. For instance the publication of the quarterly magazine Impact requires much input in terms of articles and circulation to a wider readership than is currently the case. Besides, the production of Part III of the Colleges and Schools book on response strategies needs further investment in research and production.
Information flow is arguably made to flow faster with the use of information technology facilities. This is critical especially with regard to dissemination of research findings, articles, and papers among others. At the moment, CNA lacks the capacity to attain all these in spite of its dedication to climate change.
Since the Joburg WSSD conference, many local CSOs, NGOs and CBOs have increasingly run into challenges of poor funding due to declining donor support. Given that CNA draws its membership from these quarters, it has become challenging for them to interact effectively on climate change related issues. This has resulted in loss of important ground and momentum gained from previous CNA’s work. This matter is further complicated by changing donor priorities affecting resource allocation and inadequacy of funds, especially for institutional support. Because of this, the organization has been unable to attract/retain personnel to undertake her broad mandate and institutional memory has been affected. CNA has not developed sufficient capacity to quickly adjust to changing donor requirements, which has sometimes affected long-term programming.
Implementation of outcomes from research, awareness campaigns, workshops and training has been hampered by the lack of capacity to implement important measures that could curb climate change.
Opportunities
The unique and excellent work of CNA in Eastern Africa regarding climate change issues offers not only a chance for emulation but opportunities for involvement. CNA has excellent institutional knowledge in climate change, energy and NEPAD issues, as they relate to poverty eradication. Since inception, CNA has developed a base of well trained and highly experienced staff on climate change, energy and NEPAD issues able to ensure that CNA has the capacity to provide advice and develop collaborative programs and projects in this area. Further, in order to expand its team of collaborators, CNA can benefit from its existing good relationship with other civil society organizations at national, regional and international levels. Opportunities also exist for other organizations to network with CNA.
Noting that climate change issues involve complex science, there is need for significant input to help CNA synthesize the information to levels that can be widely understood by lay people to build their capacity to contribute towards mitigating the challenges of climate change.
