Climate change is a global challenge. Climate action has become a global priority and under the Paris Agreement, 220 countries have pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the adverse effects of climate change.
In Côte d’Ivoire, extreme weather events are increasing rapidly. The country is already experiencing a sharp rise in temperatures and the number of days of drought, rising sea level, higher rainfall variability and irregularity, and increased frequency in heavy rains and floods.
Côte d'Ivoire has made the fight against climate change one of its priorities, by pledging to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30.41% by 2030 in its Nationally Determined Contribution. To tackle the increasing effects of climate change, it is vital to collectively build a low-carbon economy to support growth and set the country on a path towards low greenhouse gas emissions.
For mitigation, the Ivorian Government is focusing its efforts on four main sectors: energy, forestry, agriculture and waste. For adaptation, the main areas for action are agriculture, forestry, water resources, health and coastal areas.
The main objective of the Low-Carbon Transition project is to contribute to enhancing the climate performance of Côte d’Ivoire. More specifically, the project aims to assist the Ivorian Government with the implementation and monitoring of its climate commitments, based on a participatory and inclusive approach.
At project completion:
• The monitoring of the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) will be coordinated by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MINEDD)
• The National Climate Strategy will be incorporated into cross-sectoral and sectoral national policies
• Non-State actors will be more familiar with the issues related to climate change, including the aspects concerning gender and social inclusion
The activities planned under the Low-Carbon Transition project are based on several main lines of action:
1. Creation of a national intersectoral coordination for climate action: this coordination will provide strategic guidelines, make trade-offs, and create synergies between the various sectoral initiatives to ensure an effective and efficient implementation of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), under the supervision of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MINEDD).
2. Centralisation of measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) mechanisms: the objective is to have an overview of Côte d'Ivoire’s climate action, covering greenhouse gas emissions, the implementation of adaptation and mitigation measures, as well as the financing needs. This future national MRV system will be a decision-making tool to guide the climate action and ensure transparency, in accordance with the Paris Agreement.
3. Mainstreaming climate issues into public policies: concrete projects are developed to implement all the mitigation and adaptation measures provided for in the NDC. To this end, MINEDD’s support and advisory role for sectoral ministries has been strengthened.
4. Capacity building: awareness-raising and training on climate issues for decision-makers, including parliamentarians, regional councillors, members of ministerial cabinets, and members of the Economic, Social, Environmental and Cultural Council, to foster their active involvement in these crosscutting areas. At the same time, non-State actors, such as the media, civil society organisations and the private sector, are mobilised, trained and involved to contribute to the fight against climate change in an informed and proactive manner.
This approach will enhance the coordination and synergy between governmental and non-governmental actors for the achievement of Côte d'Ivoire’s climate objectives.
