CAAF24: Advocates seek financial, technological support for climate action

The 2024 Climate Action Africa Forum (CAAF) edition was held on Wednesday at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos.

Organised by Climate Action Africa (CAA), leading environmental advocates and concerned parties, CAAF24 aims to galvanise action and underscore the urgent need for climate action across industries and communities across Africa.

The annual event also brings together global leaders, visionaries, and change-makers to collaboratively design, innovate, and invest in a climate-smart future for Africa.

The organisers said the theme of this year’s forum, “Green Economies, Brighter Futures,” highlights the imperative for immediate and collective action in mitigating the effects of climate change in Africa and achieving global sustainability goals.

The event brought together the private and public sector parties in climate and green energy.

At the gathering, concerned parties, experts, and keynote speakers advocated for green innovation and public-private partnerships in their respective addresses.

They collectively emphasised the need for effective collaborations to secure financial, technical, and technological support for climate action.

Panel sessions

Rationale

Giving a welcome address, Grace Mbah, Co-Founder and Executive Director of CAA, highlighted the urgency of climate action and the role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future for Africa.

“CAAF24 serves as a critical platform for dialogue and collaboration. With the event, we aim to increase education and awareness on climate change, showcase innovations and projects driving Africa to a sustainable future, and more actively contribute to Africa’s green economy expansion,” said Ms Mbah.

“With the event, we aim to increase education and awareness on climate change, showcase innovations and projects driving Africa to a sustainable future, and more actively contribute to the expansion of Africa’s green economy.”

One of the event highlights was breakout panel sessions tagged Founder’s Forum, Climate Connect, and Energy Evolve. These sessions focused on the potential of forests and carbon credits, climate financing, Nigeria’s carbon market activation, and mobilising private capital for climate-positive investments in Africa.

Dignitaries attending the event included Ramatoulaye Ndiaye, Former Minister of Culture in Mali and Founder and CEO of the Great Green Wall of Africa (GGWoA) Foundation, and Ambassador Nicholas Ella, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

Also present were Rukaiya El Rufai, Special Advisor to the President of Nigeria on NEC and Climate Change, and Edith Jibunoh, External and Corporate Relations Manager for East and Southern Africa, representing the World Bank.

Titilayo Oshodi delivering a speech

Highlights

Speaking further at the event, the forum’s co-founder pointed out that “Africa is warming nearly faster than any other region, with 130 million people at risk from rising sea levels. Smallholder farmers, like my mother, who make up 60 per cent of our population and produce 90 per cent of our food, are on the frontlines of this existential threat.

“The urgency of climate action cannot be overstated. How we react to these challenges is up to us. At Climate Action Africa, we believe a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals can change the world,” Ms Mbah said.

She also stressed the personal impact of climate change on smallholder farmers and announced critical initiatives like the Billion Trees for Africa Initiative and the Pan-African Green Economy Program (PAGE).

In a speech, Titilayo Oshodi, the Special Adviser on Climate Change and Circular Economy to the Governor of Lagos State, stressed the need for innovation in climate action.

“As practitioners in the field of climate change, each of us has a unique opportunity to drive this transition, innovate, and inspire others to join us in this critical endeavour.”

The Keynote Speaker, Gerald Esambe, Principal Climate Change & Green Growth Officer at the African Development Bank, praised Nigeria’s energy transition plan and encouraged the alignment of innovative programs with this plan.

Markus Wauschkuhn, Cluster Coordinator for the Sustainable Economic Development Cluster of GIZ Nigeria and ECOWAS, highlighted Africa’s high potential for climate innovation, emphasising the need for bright ideas and business opportunities to contribute towards green economies.

Ramatoulaye Ndiaye, Markus Wauschkuhn

Showcase

In addition to formal sessions, CAAF24 included networking opportunities. It showcased outstanding innovations from over 800 registrations through the Deal Room.

This platform connected high-impact climate innovators in Africa with potential investors seeking to accelerate sustainable solutions.

Other highlights at CAAF24 were the audacious launch of the Billion Trees for Africa Initiative as part of CAA’s community programs and the unveiling of the Pan-African Green Economy Program (PAGE), a partnership with IDEA AFRICA and the Founder Institute that seeks to grow a new generation of 5,000 green innovators across Africa by 2035.

The selection of Omoniyi Praise (1st position), Treasure Nwosu (2nd position) and Alabi Abimbola (3rd position) as winners for the Climate Champion Quest organised by STEAM Funfest also stood out at CAAF24.

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Through engaging STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) activities, the competition fostered creativity and innovation in addressing climate change and sustainability.

Omoniyi Praise (1st position), Treasure Nwosu (2nd position), and Alabi Abimbola (3rd position) are winners of the Climate Champion Quest organised by STEAM Funfest.

First runner up for Climate champion quest

Titilayo Oshodi, Special Adviser on Climate Change & Circular Economy to the Governor of Lagos State

Ramatoulaye Ndiaye, Founder, Great Green Wall of Africa and Grace Mbah, executive director, CAAF