Organized by the US Agency for International Development (USAID)

In advance of the 2015 COP21 Paris Agreement, many developing countries, including ECOWAS Member States outlined their post-2020 climate actions to reduce GHG emissions, in their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). With the ratification of the Paris Agreement and the coming into force of the said agreement, the INDCs are now officially known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The UNFCCC COP22 held in Marrakech, Morocco (7-18 November, 2016) was dubbed conference for the modalities of implementation of the formulated NDCs and other negotiations on the way forward.

ECREEE is working in collaboration with and the support of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) through the Clean Energy Solutions Center (CESC) of the United States of America in an initiative called NDC Leadership Compact. The initiative aims to deliver Policy and Programme support to selected countries in the ECOWAS and around the globe with the Intent to Accelerate Implementation of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).

Aside of ECREEE, other countries have been chosen as Leaders in NDC implementation such as Colombia, Nigeria, Kenya and Morocco. The Launch of this initiative on 14^th November 2016 at the US Centre of the COP 22 Village was spearheaded by USAID on behalf of the government of the United States of America and was attended by ECREEE and some of the selected countries.  

The Launch of the initiative

The event moderated by Eric Postel, USAID, showcased leading actions and accomplishments by countries in implementing their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and explored successful approaches and lessons for achieving national climate change targets.

Jonathan Pershing, US Special Envoy for Climate Change, said that the NDCs are at the heart of how countries will implement the Paris Agreement going forward and that they will be tailored according to each country’s development and national circumstances.

Andrea Guerrero Garcia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Colombia, highlighted a national initiative to analyze mitigation potential from each sector to determine major emissions sources requiring attention and resources. She underscored barriers in NDC implementation including: insufficient information to design specific activities that produce greenhouse gases (GHGs), and inadequate financial tools and mechanisms.

Highlighting national legislation, Harun Warui, Ministry of Environment, Kenya, explained how public participation was essential for the adoption of the country’s Climate Change Act and its Climate Change Framework Policy, particularly in validating the opinions of marginalized groups.

John Yeboah, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), explained how the Centre promotes market penetration of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in West Africa. He highlighted the importance for coordination agencies in allowing countries to determine their own priorities in implementing their NDCs. Specifically; ECREEE is to play a coordinating role to ensure that, countries showing leadership in the implementation of their NDCs receives Technical Assistance from the US Government through the Clean Energy Solutions Centre (CESC). In view of this, a solicitation document that has been agreed between ECREEE and the CESC will be put online as soon as the ECREEE team returns to the office.

During discussions, participants addressed, inter alia: the importance of the adaptation and energy efficiency component in NDC preparation in African countries; the use of NDCs as a tool for donor and multilateral organization to better identify developing country needs; and distribution of responsibilities in implementing NDC in government departments. One participant inquired about differentiating between carbon market, mitigation and NDC activities.

Source: USAID

For information on the initiative and application details visit: http://www.ecreee.org/node/86262