Event

Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change for Sustainable Development in Africa

This African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) side event is cohosted by the African Union Commission, UNEP Regional Office for Africa and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to present findings from the Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change for Sustainable Development in Africa to inform and enable discussions by African senior policymakers on the options for implementation of the recommendations of the assessment at the national, regional and continental levels.

14 September 2022 at 13:15 WAT

ending at 14:25 WAT

Dakar, Senegal and Online

King Fahd Palace Hotel

Event contacts

Philip Osano / philip.osano@sei.orgLawrence Nzuve

AMCEN banner — Graphic: Lawrence Nzuve/SEI.

This side event is critical as the mandate of the Africa Integrated Assessment is drawn from the Resolution of the 17th Session of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) in 2019, during which environment ministers from African countries resolved to support the mitigation of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) and the Africa Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change as follows.

“To emphasize the benefits of improving air quality, including through managing, and as nationally appropriate, reducing short-lived climate pollutants in the environment, agriculture, health and forest conservation, while responding to the aspirations of Agenda 2063 of the African Union and the Sustainable Development Goals, noting the need for an assessment of the linkage between policies to address air pollution and policies to address climate change.”

Libreville at night — Night in a Libreville, Gabon suburb. Photo: Lawrence Nzuve / SEI.

Expected outcomes

The expected outcomes of the side event include:

the presentation of the process and findings from the Africa Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change
the presentation by a REC (Regional Economic Community) on the status of the Regional Framework Agreement on Air Pollution as a framework for coordinating the implementation of the Africa Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change
panel discussions to highlight country and stakeholder examples of integrated action on air pollution and climate across the key sectors, including agriculture, energy, transport and waste.

The side event is expected to inform and enable discussions by African High level and senior policymakers on the options for implementation of the recommendations of the assessment at the national, regional, and continental levels, and to identify and prioritize scientifically based measures for addressing air pollution and climate resilience to inform Africa’s position for COP27 in Egypt.

Agenda

Moderator: Dr Philip Osano, SEI Africa Centre Director

Opening Session (10 min)

Opening statement, Richard Munang, Deputy Director Africa Office, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Opening statement, Harsen Nyambe, Director of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy, African Union Commission (AUC)

Presentation Session (20 min)

Presentation on the Africa Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change – Dr. Alice Kaudia, Coordinating Co-Chair of the Africa Integrated Assessment

Panel and Interactive Dialogue Session (25 minutes)

Panelists

Ladislaus K. Leonidas, Principal Environment and Natural Resources Officer, Directorate of Productive Sectors, East Africa Community (EAC)
Aminata Mbow Diokhané, Centre de Gestion de la Qualité de l’Air (CGQA), Direction de l’Environnement et des Etablissements Classés (DEEC), Senegal
Valentin Lavaill, Global 50 by 2050 Waste Initiative
William Tanui, 800m Olympic Gold Medalist (1992) and Air Quality and Climate Change Ambassador, Athletics Kenya

Closing Session (5 min)

Closing Statement, Dr Andriannah Mbandi, Deputy Lead of the UNHLC Initiative on Open Burning of Waste in Africa, former SEI Africa Research Fellow

Photo session