ECOWAS region to launch its climate change strategy in COP 26

By Raoul K . Kouame

ECOWAS has developed a regional climate change strategy which will be presented at COP26. Developed from a very engaging and participatory process from its broad variety of stakeholders including financial institutions, CSOs, development partners and others, the strategy will guide ECOWAS in the years ahead.

To help realise it, the ECOWAS has set up a regional advisory group that to advise its members on all international climate negotiations. The advisory group is composed of climate negotiators from the region as well as members from diverse professional associations.

On Paris Agreement, the good news is that all member states of the ECOWAS have ratified the Paris Agreement which was adopted in 2015 during the COP 21. The Agreement among others calls for reduction of greenhouse gas emission and urges Parties to keep global temperature rise to below 2°C pre-industrial levels with the ambition to reach the 1.5°C.

To meet the expectations of the Paris Agreement, the ECOWAS member states have all developed, are implementing and or revising their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and have pledged to adopt climate adaptation and mitigation measures.

However, there are still serious issues pending ahead of COP 26. Issues around Article 6 on the market and non-market mechanisms as well as transparency are issues that ECOWAS might call for further discussions. To help the region get grasp of these, the African experts, through the African Group of Negotiators, will gather in October for preparatory workshop ahead of COP26 to seek common ground for the region.

An initial meeting of ECOWAS held in June identified key expectations, among others, the region thinks there is need for operationalizing of the global adaptation goal and link to the need to establishment of the climate financing for adaptation. The region might call out for a five years extension of the time to transit into low carbon emissions.

The writer is programme officer, environment Directorate, ECOWAS