Ken B. Johm Manager, Natural Resources and Environment Management Division African Development Bank Seventh Session of the Committee on Food Security and Sustainable Development & The Experts Segment of the Africa Regional Preparatory Conference for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20)

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

 Objectives and approach  Key messages  New and Emerging Challenges 

Issues, Challenges, Actions taken

 Opportunities  Recommendations

OBJECTIVES AND APPROACH

   Synopsis on New and Emerging Challenges The intent is to highlight   Challenges and opportunities Avenues to address challenges and harness opportunities presented by challenges Basis: global literature; will be complemented by detailed regional reports

NEW AND EMERGING CHALLENGES

The new and emerging challenges addressed are:  Biodiversity and ecosystem loss,  Climate change,  Water scarcity,  Food crisis,  Desertification,  Energy crisis,  Youth unemployment and  Financial and economic crises

KEY MESSAGES

   Mixed progress towards achieving sustainable development goals within the context of poverty reduction.

Some progress areas:

     Biodiversity protection Combating desertification Access to improved water sources Agricultural production Education Emerging challenges - climate change, water scarcity, and the food, economic and financial crises - slowing down rate of progress

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KEY MESSAGES

Additional resources are required to meet targets Coordinated and harmonized approaches are necessary to focus efforts and avoid duplication Integrated approaches and leveraging opportunities across sectors Commitment needs to be reaffirmed Capacity is needed at various levels Effective monitoring of progress and sharing of experiences are essential

BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEMS LOSS

TARGET:

 Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss

STATUS:

  Expanding agriculture Clearing of forests for fuel and agriculture  Loss of wetland ecosystems (e.g. large systems  Lake Chad and Inner Niger Delta: loss > 80%

ACHIEVEMENTS:

   Increased protected areas  14% land area in Eastern and southern Africa protected;10% in Central and West Africa; and 7% land area in North Africa Increasing use of ESIAs More than 90% of African countries have NBSAPs

BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEMS LOSS

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CHALLENGES

Failure to achieve targets Adverse effects of Climate change on habitats Failure to integrate biodiversity with other sectors Identifying and exploiting key inter-linkages e.g. with climate change, water and agriculture

OPPORTUNITIES

 Integrated approaches  Green Economy strategy  CC adaptation and mitigation programs

WATER SCARCITY

STATUS:

   Mixed progress Access to safe water remains < 60% in over 20 countries with deterioration of access levels in 20 countries  Low level of water resources development and infrastructure limitations  Average per capita storage <100m 3 /yr compared to >1, 000m 3 /yr in developed countries. Increasing (physical and economic) water scarcity

ACHIEVEMENTS:

      >90% access in more than 13% African countries More than 15% of African countries achieved MDG1 by 2008 Promotion of integrated water resources development and river basin / watershed management plans Water and Sanitation Trust Fund established Water for African Cities Programme addressing urban water crisis Facilitation of IWRM by the GWP; by 2006, over 70% African countries implementing IWRM plans

WATER SCARCITY

   Economic water scarcity in SSA – need resources to develop infrastructure Many competing uses Agricultural is largest user (e.g. South Africa)

9.6% 18.6% 0.3% 4.5% 8.9%

Irrigation Mining & Industrial Transfers out Urban Power

0.8%

Rural Afforestation

57.2%

WATER SCARCITY

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CHALLENGES:

Water resources management Potential adverse impact of Climate change on water quantity and quality Water quality degradation due to anthropogenic effects and industrial activities such as mining Weak and fragmented institutions Poor technical and financial capacity Inadequate political and financial support.

Effective integration / harmonization with other sectors   

OPPORTUNITIES

Relevance of water interventions for other sectors (energy, agriculture, environment) Relevance for delivery of MDGs Inter-linkages with other sectors     Energy Climate change adaptation measures Agriculture Biodiversity

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FOOD CRISIS

STATUS:

    Mixed results for MDG1: some progress, but more work ahead Highest under-nourishment among all regions Nearly 240 million people in SSA undernourished Increasing proportion of undernourishment in other countries Food crisis slowing down progress for MDG1  

ACHIEVEMENTS

  Achievement of MG1 by some - the Congo, Ghana, Mali, and Nigeria Considerable progress in others – e.g. Mozambique

FOOD CRISIS: Achievements

Increased yields and agricultural growth through increased investments in agricultural R&D

16000 2000 1600 1200 800 400 0 12000 8000 4000 0 1971 1981 1991 agriculture R&D spending 2001 2008 Total FTE researchers

INCREASING AGRICULTURAL GROWTH

Several countries have passed target; others making progress

FOOD CRISIS

      

CHALLENGES

Persistent high food prices Market weaknesses Low productivity and water efficiency Adverse impact of Climate change on crop yields Increasing water scarcity Global economic and financial crises New challenges    competition for land and water resources Trade-offs between cash and food crops Emerging land dynamics   

OPPORTUNITIES

Commercial agriculture and improved farming systems Capacity building as medium to long term response Broader opportunities from investments in water infrastructure

ENERGY: Electrification rate

STATUS:

 Low rate of electrification in SSA.  High dependence on charcoal and wood for cooking, heating water, and heating homes ￫ a threat to forest resources Africa North Africa Sub-Saharan Africa 120 80 40 0 Overall Urban Rural

ENERGY: Some Actions

 Formulation of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA)  Investments in hydropower –    Inga hydropower plant in the DRC; capacity of 39,000 MW and potential for regional interconnected electricity network Bujagali power plant in Uganda Itezhi-tezhi hydropower plant in Zambia, a PPP project  Regional urban and peri-urban electrification in the EAC  Investments in solar and wind energy – South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, Cape Verde and the Sahel

ENERGY

CHALLENGES

       Energy security Access to appropriate energy services in rural communities Environmental impacts of adoption of alternatives to fossil fuels. Inadequate resources Barriers: Economic, regulatory and institutional Lack of technical capacity Slow rate of adoption of new technologies  

OPPORTUNITIES

New partnerships and new windows of investment.

Opportunities linked to the adoption of renewable energy options    Review of policies Pursue ways to remove barriers Opportunities for skills development, enhancing employment opportunities

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DESERTIFICATION

STATUS:      Most countries have formulated NAPs Implementation and elaboration process of the NAPs in some countries By 2007, 42 countries had developed and adopted NAPs Some countries have set up National Desertification Funds as part of the NAP process 4 Sub-regional Action Programmes finalized

DESERTIFICATION: Actions taken

Initiative / program The NEPAD Environment Initiative (EI) Objectives   Combating desertification Finalizing sub-regional action plans for the NEPAD Environment Initiative The Green Wall for the Sahara Initiative    To slow the advance of the Sahara Desert Control land degradation, promote integrated natural resources management, Conserve biological diversity  Environmental Monitoring African Monitoring of Environment for Sustainable Development (AMESD) GEF OP15 SLM program   Supporting activities to combat desertification and mitigate drought impacts. Supporting the implementation of UNCCD and SLM

DESERTIFICATION

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CHALLENGES

Slow and ineffective process of integrating NAPs into NDPs and PRSPs Limited progress in implementing NAPs due to    Failure to integrate desertification control plans into planning and budgetary frameworks Lack of capacity Lack of resources Poverty Levels 

OPPORTUNITIES

Integrated action: leverage climate change and biodiversity initiatives

CLIMATE CHANGE

 Inter-linkages with all sectors; impacts on all areas on development  Increasing frequency of droughts and floods resulting in destruction of infrastructure, crops, land cover, settlements      Loss of runoff, reduced river flow, limited groundwater recharge Water stress; limited hydropower production Salinization of groundwater and surface water resources due to sea encroachment increasing pressure on water supply infrastructure Increased burden of diseases with changing patterns Changes in agro-ecological zones

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CLIMATE CHANGE: Some Actions

Establishment of the ClimDev Africa Program  The Green Economy Strategy  JICA, IDRC and DFID programmes on Climate Change Adaptation in Africa  Ratification and implementation of the UNFCCC by African countries  Preparation of NAPAs  Launching of the Nairobi Framework in 2006 by UNDP, UNEP, World Bank Group, AfDB, and the UNFCCC  Implementation of Programmes under the Climate Investment Funds( PPCR, FIP, CTF,SREP)  Global Environment Facility country allocations

CLIMATE CHANGE

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CHALLENGES

Resources to adequately address impacts of CC Lack of technology and know-how Low adaptive capacity to climate related stresses Unintended impacts of mitigation and adaptation measures      

OPPORTUNITIES

Climate smart and sustainable agriculture Improved crop varieties Sustainable land and water management Use of renewable energy and improved energy efficiency Fuel efficient polluting public transportation Maintaining ecosystems and biodiversity protection

GLOBAL FINANCIAL & ECONOMIC CRISES

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ISSUES:

 Growth slowdown in Africa is a result of declining trade flows       Decline in capital inflows and remittances Declining tourism receipts Economic down turn in 2009; slow recovery from 2010 The economy showed signs of recovery in 2010, with growth of 2.4%, and is expected to grow by 5% in 2011 Impacts have been varied across countries – commodities vs agricultural economies Loss of jobs across all sectors

GLOBAL FINANCIAL & ECONOMIC CRISES

    

CHALLENGES:

Rising costs of implementing public programs Rising costs of basic commodity imports Negative impacts on the countries ability to achieve MDGs. Job losses Missed commitments    

OPPORTUNITIES

New realistic assessments of resources required Benefits of integrated actions Leveraging opportunities Coordination and Harmonization

YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT

 ISSUES:    Africa’s youthful population: percentage of youth has increased to about 20%. The labour markets have not increased at similar pace Other contributors to youth unemployment:   Skills mismatches between the outputs of the education systems and the needs of business General shortage of ‘decent work’  Global financial and economic crises

YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT: Some Actions

      Investments in education Skills training programs Public sector work programmes in Ethiopia and South Africa designed to absorb the unemployed Business skills training Micro-credits to start businesses Ethiopia’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to make the educational system responsive market needs

YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT

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CHALLENGES

Improving skills of the youth Meeting the quality needs of education Job-less economic growth The right incentives Imports and impact on domestic businesses   

OPPORTUNITIES

Youth as future skilled labour Increasing targeted technical and vocational training Skill development links to job market

MEANS OF IMPLEMENTATION

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CHALLENGES:

Lack of Harmonization Inadequate resources Low and declining flows of ODA and FDI Complex institutional structures Inadequate capacity Engagement of the private sector

OPPORTUNITIES:

 New institutions  Renewed commitment  Inter-linkages  Climate change interventions

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Identify opportunities for inter-linkages and enhance leveraging to speed up responding to challenges and to improve efficiency of use of resources  Increase the effective use of available financial resources and enhance partnerships to achieve development goals  Generate new public and private sources of finance  Improve the capacity for implementing and monitoring national policies  Create opportunities for the coordination of implementation mechanisms at lower operational levels

RECOMMENDATIONS

 Promote, facilitate and finance appropriate access to and the development, transfer and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies including renewable energy  Increase use of information and communication technologies to enhance effective communication and information sharing  Expedite activities and enhance decision making at lower levels to improve land and water management  Mainstream climate change into national planning to build resilience and support transformation to greener economy  Increase investment and improve inputs to ensure increased yields and productivity in the agriculture sector

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION