Ministers from governments across Africa have renewed their call for a strong, new universal climate change agreement and increased flows of funds, through market and finance opportunities, sufficient to fulfill Africa’s development aspirations.

With countries set to approve a new climate change agreement under the United Nations in Paris in December, African Ministers stressed the region’s readiness and requirement for accelerated private and public financing of low-carbon development.

Africa, with its vulnerable populations and vast potential, has perhaps the most to lose from climate change and the most to gain from an effective climate change agreement.

“In these last eight months before Paris, focus must shift from restating negotiating positions to finding common ground solutions,” said UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary Richard Kinley at a day-long ministerial segment at Africa Carbon Forum 2015 hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco.

“All countries have something to gain from the Paris agreement and it is in everyone’s interests to reach a strong conclusion as soon as possible this year. If Heads of State come to Paris, it must be to adopt an agreement that is robust and ready for them.”

The African Carbon Forum 2015

The African Carbon Forum 2015, which ran from April 13-15 in Marrakech, focused on programmes to unleash private sector finance, such as through the Clean Development Mechanism, and scale up other forms of climate finance to strengthen the sustainable development of African countries.

Two clear messages emerged from participants at the African Carbon Forum. First, climate finance linked to results is essential to stimulate greater funding for both mitigation and adaptation to climate change.

Second, developing countries, including those in Africa, need tools like the Clean Development Mechanism and Paris provides the continent with a unique opportunity to anchor carbon markets in the long-term climate agenda in line with scaling up climate action and sustainable development based on their national priorities.