March 2011: The International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG) presented at the AfricaAdapt Climate Change Symposium 2011, held from 9-11 March 2011, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the topic “Reconciling participation and benefit-sharing: implications for how Africa adapts to climate change.”

Over 120 representatives from governments, donors, researchers, civil society and NGOs attended the event, which aimed to promote dialogue and knowledge sharing on climate compatible development. The issues addressed during the Symposium included: national and international climate policy practice; links between adaptation, mitigation and low-carbon growth; new thinking on community-led responses; the roles of media and intermediaries in translating, sharing, and advocating roles of local and indigenous knowledge in addressing climate change; gender and youth; agriculture; and Ethiopia and food security.

Leisa Perch, UNDP’s Researcher and Coordinator of the Rural and Sustainable Development team, discussed how participation and benefit-sharing can be included in climate change policy frameworks, including the need to further develop a role for South-South Cooperation and South-South Learning in response to climate change beyond technology transfers. Perch also stressed the need to shift the climate dialogue from burden sharing to benefit sharing, the potential of social technologies, and the implications for participation and benefit sharing for African countries. The meeting was sponsored by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network.

The IPC-IG is a partnership between the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Brazil.[UNDP Press Release] [UNDP’s Presentation] [AfricaAdapt Climate Change Symposium 2011 Website] [Climate and Development Knowledge Network]