11 October 2009: The World Forum on Sustainable Development, which convened from 9-11 October 2009, in Ouagadougou, under the theme “Climate Change: What Opportunities for Sustainable Development?” was organized by the Government of Burkina Faso in partnership with the UN, including the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the African Union (AU).

The Forum brought together Heads of State and key African leaders and experts on climate change to discuss climate change impacts and the opportunities available for sustainable development in the region. In the Forum’s final declaration on the new Green Pact for Africa, officials underscored the need for compensation for the natural disasters caused by climate change and called for relaxing the procedures and softening of conditions for African countries to access the resources under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).
The Forum emphasized the value-added of African perspectives and ideas to the success of the Copenhagen negotiations, as well as the developed countries’ commitments to reduce carbon emissions and provide financial support to developing countries to adapt and mitigate climate change. Overall, the Green Pact for Africa will be based on the need to: mainstream climate change adaptation strategies into development and poverty reduction plans; use renewable energy sources as a catalyst for development; develop low-carbon-emission technologies for stimulating economic growth and creating jobs; implement new projects that can attract investment and innovative sources of financing; and create governance mechanisms that give Africans a meaningful say in decision-making processes. [UNDP Newsroom][World Forum on Sustainable Development]