1 July 2015: UNFCCC Parties from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific gathered for a Joint Policy Discussion geared toward finding a common position ahead of the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21), scheduled to take place in November-December 2015, in Paris, France. According to the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), co-host of the Discussion with the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA), participants unanimously expressed concern about the difficulty of adaptation in the current state of climate politics and finance.

The countries met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopa, on 30 June-1 July 2015. During the two-day meeting, delegates emphasized the importance of adaptation over mitigation for their countries, highlighting that adaptation is local, and that courses on climate challenges should be tailored to community needs.

UNECA reported that the meeting also served as a platform for the exchange of information and practices on: data availability and use; climate change education; use of local knowledge; climate smart agriculture; and partnerships. For example, delegates noted that local knowledge on weather observation and analysis is not being incorporated into climate change research, despite the potential that acquiring and applying rural communities’ knowledge and methods could have for adaptation efforts.

The outcomes of the meeting will inform the Programme Steering Committee meeting and a ministerial meeting to be held in Brussels, Belgium, in October 2015. [ECA Press Release, 25 June] [ECA Press Release, 30 June]