Special Report – COP28: Expertise France committed to the climate transition

With its recognised experience in the implementation of projects that contribute to biodiversity conservation, Expertise France is on the front lines for the priorities in this field and will, in this respect, be involved in the promotion and implementation of key initiatives. For example, Expertise France is the most active French operator in Papua New Guinea (PNG) through the Forestry, Climate Change and Biodiversity project (FCCB), financed by the EU with €33.5 million and signed in July 2023 during the visit by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Following on from the announcements made during the President’s visit to Oceania, at COP28, the first country package was signed for Papua New Guinea. Expertise France was actively involved in its technical definition. In close cooperation with the European Union (EU) in its Team Europe format, and with the support of the international community (including the United Nations and the Bezos Earth Fund), this economic and financial partnership focuses on the preservation of forests, nature and the climate. It will assist Papua New Guinea with the conservation of its natural heritage, a global issue in view of the climate challenges.

The Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework – EU Support, Green Overseas and Great Forests projects financed by the EU were also showcased during several events at this conference, highlighting the multidimensional approach adopted by Expertise France to support its partners and its commitments to biodiversity.

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In addition to the projects that will be presented at COP28, Expertise France is involved in the implementation of many other climate projects that fit in with European positions and French priorities. For example, in connection with the first Global Stocktake, the “Low-Carbon Transition” project, financed by the European Union, aims to assist the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire with the renewal and monitoring of its climate commitments made under the Paris Agreement. The project was launched by the Minister of Environment of Côte d’Ivoire in November 2023. In Latin America, the agency is contributing to strengthening the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the EUROCLIMA+ project.

Expertise France also stands out for its sustained commitment in the energy sector, via projects which, through various aspects, contribute to improving the energy performance of its partner countries. It thereby promotes more sustainable and greener trajectories. These  initiatives include the Energy Reform Technical Assistance project in Albania, the ECLER IVOIRE project for solar electrification in rural areas and energy efficiency in buildings, and the MAX project on strengthening energy performance in rural areas in the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire.  

In Costa Rica, Expertise France has assisted the implementation of the country’s National Decarbonisation Plan by supporting several sectors, such as sustainable construction, waste management and the just transition, while mainstreaming gender issues. This support has led to the production of reference guides that will serve both to promote sustainable construction in Costa Rica and launch projects for eco-neighbourhoods based on the French approach.

For climate change adaptation, Expertise France takes a crosscutting approach across several sectors, such as agriculture, urban development and the blue economy, while focusing on the nexus approach to climate/biodiversity. This involves building the capacities of public authorities, governance, and activities to support communities through civil society. For example, this crosscutting operating method has been used for the GCCA+ West Africa project, which ended this year.

Furthermore, Expertise France seeks to promote an integrated approach between adaptation and disaster risk reduction. This approach will be developed in the Philippines under an AFD project to strengthen disaster risk reduction among local authorities, with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) as the contracting authority.  

Its multidisciplinary expertise already covers forecasting systems, disaster risk management, emergency response, adaptation planning, the development of insurance products, and social protection. In this respect, the agency is involved in the implementation of the Global Shield against Climate Risks alongside AFD.

Expertise France is already actively involved in the digital field, with operational projects to help actors in the space sector develop solutions for the fight against climate change.

At COP28, Expertise France signed the Charter on the creation of the Space Climate Observatory with the Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), which provides the secretariat. This will strengthen the synergies and cooperation between the two agencies. This agreement will also facilitate the mobilisation of expertise for this key sector.

At the intersection of the two main priorities of the European Commission, “digital and climate”, a joint “Digital and Green Innovation” programme is currently being defined with European funds. It aims to address the issues of the “twin transition” (digital for the climate and digital ecology). Building on its well-established expertise in supporting entrepreneurship and climate change, Expertise France will focus on a component to support the development of innovative climate solutions led by the private sector using geospatial data in Latin America.