ECREEE Organizes Strategy Meeting for a Regional Climate Change program

The ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) is organizing a 3 day Inception and Strategy meeting from 7th to 9th  of July 2015 to develop a framework for a Regional Climate Change Program for the ECOWAS region.

The ECOWAS region is among the most vulnerable ones to the impacts of climate change. While countries in the region are experiencing economic growth they need long-term stable and scaled up support to achieve a paradigm shift towards a low carbon and climate resilient development. ECREEE intends to put in place a regional programme to support the ECOWAS member states to build their capacities and readiness to access opportunities for climate finance and advance renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in the region, which highlights the core mandate of ECREEE.

The 3-day meeting will take place at the ECREEE secretariat in Praia Cabo Verde and will feature the participation of key experts and climate change intelligentsias from the region as well as represenatives from key strategic institutions.

The meeting takes place at an important time, only a few months away from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) twenty first Conference of Parties (COP 21), scheduled to hold from 30th November to 11th December in Paris.  A universal, legally binding agreement to combat climate change effectively and boost the transition towards resilient, low-carbon societies and economies by limiting greenhouse gases, is expected to be agreed upon. Not only does the strategy meeting build momentum towards the Paris climate agreement but the outcomes are expected to align with the goals of this global agreement.

The objectives of the inception and strategy meeting is to raise the level of understanding and committment of ECREEE  to undertake Climate change activities as a core aspect of its mission in order to achieve the sustainable development goals of the region. The meeting is also expected to define a pathway for ECREEE to play an active role in climate change activities at the regional and global level. And more concretely a regional coordination and support framework that will enhance the response of ECOWAS countries to climate change will be established.

 For detailed information of the meeting please see draft agenda below for download.