In advance of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26), the government of the Central African Republic is making important strides in the fight against climate change—and we mean literally.
The “Great March for Climate” of October 13, 2021, was a milestone event organized by the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development of the Central African Republic to raise awareness of the challenges that climate change poses to their ecosystems and communities, as well as the efforts being made to build resilience to its impacts. The key objective of this event was to promote the country’s revised National Determined Contribution (NDC) document—completed with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This march was also an opportunity to show support for the climate efforts of the President of the Republic, Head of State Faustin-Archange Touadéra, as the revised NDC document was given to him after this event.
The Central African Republic will be submitting the revised NDC to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and presenting it at COP26 to demonstrate the country’s commitment to adaptation, draw attention to its participation at COP 26, and generate support from international and national actors.
The success of this event demonstrated the support for climate adaptation from across all layers of the community and involved actors, from national institutions to civil society. The First Lady of the Central African Republic, Brigitte Touadéra, also participated in the march’s activities to increase its visibility and influence.
For the first time in the Central African Republic’s climate history, the government is actively involved in the fight against climate change and environmental protection through the National Climate Coordination Unit, with the support of international institutions such as the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Global Network and the UNDP.
Along with the revised NDC, the government has also made significant progress with its NAP. The NAP process provides the opportunity to identify areas of vulnerability to climate change, prioritize adaptation solutions and capacity building, and mainstream adaptation in different areas of policy decision-making. The NAP Global Network supported the development of communication materials for the NAP, which were officially handed over to the National Climate Coordination Unit on October 12, 2021. The government expects to submit its NAP document to the UNFCCC in the near future.
The NAP Global Network’s Country Support Hub provides members from developing countries with free expert advice and short-term targeted technical support to advance the development and implementation of their NAP processes.
More about the “Great March for Climate” in the French article.
