Accelerating climate change adaptation in Africa with nature-based solutions

The urgent need to adapt and build resilience requires bold and innovative approaches and Nature-Based Solutions present a promising way forward. [iStockphoto]

Africa is facing a monumental challenge as climate change continues to wreak havoc on the continent. The negative impacts of climate change are only expected to worsen, putting both its people and unique biodiversity at risk. Africa needs to act swiftly and effectively to address these pressing issues and adapt to the changing climate. One of the most promising approaches to achieve this is through Nature-Based Solutions (NbS).

Nature-Based Solutions encompass a wide range of actions that work in harmony with nature to address climate change and its impacts. These solutions not only help Africa adapt to the current and expected changes in climate but also offer numerous co-benefits for transformative adaptation and long-term resilience. It is high time that Africa embraces and implements NbS on a larger scale to reap the tangible benefits for both people and nature.

The upcoming Africa Climate Summit (ACS) and Africa Climate Week (ACW) provide an opportune moment for policymakers, practitioners, businesses, and civil society to come together and prioritize the role of nature in the fight against climate change. These high-level policy events offer a critical platform to advocate for the integration of NbS into local, national and regional climate policy processes.

One crucial step is to value and strengthen the role of nature within the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA). African leaders, policymakers, and practitioners at the ACS and ACW must push for a comprehensive framework that incorporates NbS in delivering tangible adaptation benefits and building resilience for communities and biodiversity. This framework should have clearly defined global, mid-term, and long-term targets, metrics, and indicators to meet Africa's specific adaptation needs and associated costs.

A significant barrier to scaling up NbS is the lack of adequate financing. Currently, the funding for NbS projects remains relatively small, hindering their development and implementation. The amount of public international funding flowing to NbS is still relatively small, accounting for only US$3.8-8.7 billion, or approximately 0.6-1.4 per cent of total climate finance flows.

This is mainly due to the absence of clear definitions, guidelines, metrics, and methodologies to track, quantify, and value nature-based solutions for adaptation (NbS4A) benefits which could significantly inhibit the development and financing of a robust pipeline of NbS4A-related investments.

African nations should work together to implement clear mechanisms that channel more funding toward NbS through public, development, and private sector investments. These mechanisms should be structured to ensure targeted funding towards NbS4A projects origination, technical development, and investment viability and implementation off-take.

Additionally, consolidating fragmented NbS4A funding mechanisms implemented by different agencies can ensure a more efficient allocation of resources.

Integrating NbS4A into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) is also critical. These policy processes provide opportunities to promote NbS and enable vulnerable communities to adapt to climate change and reduce disaster risks. African countries should seize the opportunity to increase their climate ambition by incorporating NbS4A into their revised NDCs and NAPs.

Moreover, large-scale NbS4A interventions are essential to tackle the scale of climate impacts on nature and people effectively. Regional cooperation and cross-country initiatives should be promoted to support the implementation of these transformative solutions. These efforts should focus on finance, policy, knowledge, and ground implementation to maximize their impact.

A major impediment to the successful implementation of NbS4A is the lack of technical capacity among stakeholders in African countries. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize capacity-building efforts at the local, national, and regional levels. Strengthening institutional capacity will play a pivotal role in delivering transformative NbS4A and ensuring its long-term success.

Africa stands at a critical juncture in the fight against climate change. The urgent need to adapt and build resilience requires bold and innovative approaches and Nature-Based Solutions present a promising way forward.

The upcoming Africa Climate Summit and Climate Week offer a unique opportunity for African leaders and stakeholders to unite and elevate the role of nature in climate adaptation strategies.

By valuing, financing, integrating, and implementing NbS on a larger scale, Africa can lead the charge in accelerating climate adaptation and securing a resilient future for both its people and its rich biodiversity. It is time to act decisively and harness the power of nature to combat the pressing challenges of climate change.

Written by Harisoa Rakotondrazafy, African coordinator of Climate Change Adaptation and Alice Nchare, the Africa Climate Change Adaptation Technical Assistant at WWF.