Africa Adaptation Initiative (AAI)
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Resource type
UNCCD Library
External document
Material Type
Web resource
African Heads of State launched the Africa Adaptation Initiative (AAI) to ensure the Continent urgently adapts to the adverse effects of climate change in the immediate, short, medium and longer terms. The AAI launch event took place in Paris during the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP) in December 2015.
In the last decade, African economies have been growing at a rate of 4.7%, but the challenge of climate change threatens further economic growth and impedes progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The devastating effects of climate change, which include severe droughts, floods, reduced agricultural yields, sea level rise and other climate related disasters are on the rise. By 2050, based on the current trends in global emissions, Africa’s adaptation costs could reach USD 100 billion annually (UNEP, 2014).
In launching the AAI, African Heads of State have initiated high-level pan-African and regional dialogues, adaptation action on the ground, and cross-sector processes to strengthen collaboration on adaptation across Africa. The AAI will: (i) Raise awareness of climate adaptation; (ii) Facilitate knowledge management, capacity building and capacity strengthening; (iii) Support and facilitate resource mobilization for implementation; (iv) Promote co-operation and partnerships (at sub-regional and regional levels) for synergy, scale and maximize shared benefits; (v) Track progress through monitoring and evaluation of action.
The AAI represents a bold and innovative step by Africa to galvanize the support needed to significantly scale up adaptation on the continent. The AAI is an initiative for Africa, and it is driven and coordinated by Africa. It is rooted in a mandate provided to the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) by the 25th African Union Summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa in June 2015. At the 2015 AU Summit, AMCEN was directed to develop, with the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), a proposal for enhanced support to Africa on adaptation. The AAI was developed and launched later that year, in December 2015. Initially focussed on enhancing action in the pre-2020 period, the work plan is now focussed on achieving results for adaptation in Africa post-2020.
AIMS
The AAI aims to enhance action on adaptation, with the aim of addressing the adaptation financing gap, and implementing measures to address disaster risk reduction and resilience needs in Africa.
The AAI takes a strategic view of adaptation across Africa – identifying the gaps and connecting regional partners to find solutions.
Through partnerships with institutions undertaking relevant work on the continent, the AAI is scaling-up and replicating successful ongoing initiatives and developing proposals for new initiatives. This begins by coordinating with partners to support four AAI Flagship Programmes: 1) Climate Information Services; 2) Advancing Risk Transfer in Africa; 3) Lake Chad River Basin Early Warning System and; 4) Knowledge Management Programme for Adaptation Planning in Africa. Two additional Flagship initiatives are in the pipeline.
AAI carries out this unified approach to adaptation in Africa by coordinating action across four areas of focus, known as AAI’s ‘Pillars’
Outcomes
After successfully delivering results as intended under Phase 1 (2015-2016) and Phase 2 (2017-19), the AAI is now resourcing and implementing post-2020 activities under Phase 3 (2020-2030).
Phase 3 begins with achieving transformative results for adaptation in Africa through a 2020-2025 Roadmap. In delivering the AAI 2020-2025 Roadmap, the AAI seeks to contribute results across four high-level outcome areas:
USD 1 Billion is invested in African countries by 2025 to ensure adequate climate information services (including early-warning systems and observational infrastructure) to support robust policy and decision-making on adaptation;
All African countries have translated their National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and their NDC Adaptation into investment plans, and fundable pipeline of projects by 2025;
Doubling of adaptation finance accessed and mobilized by African countries by 2025 for their urgent priorities;
Implementation of at least one regional flagship programme in each of the 5 regions in Africa, addressing the critical sectors (and drivers) of the African economy: agriculture, water, disaster reduction, cities and local communities, coastal protection, health and biodiversity and ecosystems.
Launching AAI Phase 3 (2020-2030) with the 2020-2025 Roadmap for the Africa Adaptation Initiative
AAI launches the initiative’s Phase 3 (2020-2030) at the UNSG Climate Summit on September 23rd, 2019. Announcing the 2020-2025 Roadmap for AAI will include discussion on how AAI will contribute to:
Scaling-up the initial 4 AAI Flagships (launched UNGA 2018) with 4 partners (AfDB, ARC, Lake Chad Commission, UNDP-SEI); and launching two new collaborations (Adaptation of African Agriculture, LIFE-AR, Global Commission on Adaptation, and GCF);
Commissioning the Africa State of Adaptation Report (SoAR) at the 2020 AU Climate Summit & GCA Climate Adaptation Action Summit;
Hosting an Africa Climate Finance Network & Forum Secretariat and supporting implementation of its initial 4-year workplan;
Launching, at COP 26 Africa, the first continental and thematic climate bond.
AAI’s Phased Approach
AAI is implemented through a phased approach to achieve transformative adaptation results for Africa in sync with global processes.Read about past, present and planned activities under each Phase here.
The AAI is an African-led initiative which is strongly rooted in existing African institutions.
The delivery model is described below:
Political guidance: Political leadership to guide AAI is provided by the Conference of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) and the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN).
Steering Committee: AAI’s steering committee comprises the AMCEN Bureau and Chair of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN).
Technical Support Unit: The day-to-day operations of the AAI is coordinated by the AAI’s Technical Support Unit (TSU).
In the last decade, African economies have been growing at a rate of 4.7%, but the challenge of climate change threatens further economic growth and impedes progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The devastating effects of climate change, which include severe droughts, floods, reduced agricultural yields, sea level rise and other climate related disasters are on the rise. By 2050, based on the current trends in global emissions, Africa’s adaptation costs could reach USD 100 billion annually (UNEP, 2014).
In launching the AAI, African Heads of State have initiated high-level pan-African and regional dialogues, adaptation action on the ground, and cross-sector processes to strengthen collaboration on adaptation across Africa. The AAI will: (i) Raise awareness of climate adaptation; (ii) Facilitate knowledge management, capacity building and capacity strengthening; (iii) Support and facilitate resource mobilization for implementation; (iv) Promote co-operation and partnerships (at sub-regional and regional levels) for synergy, scale and maximize shared benefits; (v) Track progress through monitoring and evaluation of action.
The AAI represents a bold and innovative step by Africa to galvanize the support needed to significantly scale up adaptation on the continent. The AAI is an initiative for Africa, and it is driven and coordinated by Africa. It is rooted in a mandate provided to the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) by the 25th African Union Summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa in June 2015. At the 2015 AU Summit, AMCEN was directed to develop, with the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), a proposal for enhanced support to Africa on adaptation. The AAI was developed and launched later that year, in December 2015. Initially focussed on enhancing action in the pre-2020 period, the work plan is now focussed on achieving results for adaptation in Africa post-2020.
AIMS
The AAI aims to enhance action on adaptation, with the aim of addressing the adaptation financing gap, and implementing measures to address disaster risk reduction and resilience needs in Africa.
The AAI takes a strategic view of adaptation across Africa – identifying the gaps and connecting regional partners to find solutions.
Through partnerships with institutions undertaking relevant work on the continent, the AAI is scaling-up and replicating successful ongoing initiatives and developing proposals for new initiatives. This begins by coordinating with partners to support four AAI Flagship Programmes: 1) Climate Information Services; 2) Advancing Risk Transfer in Africa; 3) Lake Chad River Basin Early Warning System and; 4) Knowledge Management Programme for Adaptation Planning in Africa. Two additional Flagship initiatives are in the pipeline.
AAI carries out this unified approach to adaptation in Africa by coordinating action across four areas of focus, known as AAI’s ‘Pillars’
Outcomes
After successfully delivering results as intended under Phase 1 (2015-2016) and Phase 2 (2017-19), the AAI is now resourcing and implementing post-2020 activities under Phase 3 (2020-2030).
Phase 3 begins with achieving transformative results for adaptation in Africa through a 2020-2025 Roadmap. In delivering the AAI 2020-2025 Roadmap, the AAI seeks to contribute results across four high-level outcome areas:
USD 1 Billion is invested in African countries by 2025 to ensure adequate climate information services (including early-warning systems and observational infrastructure) to support robust policy and decision-making on adaptation;
All African countries have translated their National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and their NDC Adaptation into investment plans, and fundable pipeline of projects by 2025;
Doubling of adaptation finance accessed and mobilized by African countries by 2025 for their urgent priorities;
Implementation of at least one regional flagship programme in each of the 5 regions in Africa, addressing the critical sectors (and drivers) of the African economy: agriculture, water, disaster reduction, cities and local communities, coastal protection, health and biodiversity and ecosystems.
Launching AAI Phase 3 (2020-2030) with the 2020-2025 Roadmap for the Africa Adaptation Initiative
AAI launches the initiative’s Phase 3 (2020-2030) at the UNSG Climate Summit on September 23rd, 2019. Announcing the 2020-2025 Roadmap for AAI will include discussion on how AAI will contribute to:
Scaling-up the initial 4 AAI Flagships (launched UNGA 2018) with 4 partners (AfDB, ARC, Lake Chad Commission, UNDP-SEI); and launching two new collaborations (Adaptation of African Agriculture, LIFE-AR, Global Commission on Adaptation, and GCF);
Commissioning the Africa State of Adaptation Report (SoAR) at the 2020 AU Climate Summit & GCA Climate Adaptation Action Summit;
Hosting an Africa Climate Finance Network & Forum Secretariat and supporting implementation of its initial 4-year workplan;
Launching, at COP 26 Africa, the first continental and thematic climate bond.
AAI’s Phased Approach
AAI is implemented through a phased approach to achieve transformative adaptation results for Africa in sync with global processes.Read about past, present and planned activities under each Phase here.
The AAI is an African-led initiative which is strongly rooted in existing African institutions.
The delivery model is described below:
Political guidance: Political leadership to guide AAI is provided by the Conference of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) and the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN).
Steering Committee: AAI’s steering committee comprises the AMCEN Bureau and Chair of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN).
Technical Support Unit: The day-to-day operations of the AAI is coordinated by the AAI’s Technical Support Unit (TSU).
Keywords
climate change adaptation
adaptation finance
economic growth
Africa
national adaptation plans
capacity building
environmental degradation
policy instruments