UNIÃO AFRICANA

AFRICAN UNION	                  UNION AFRICAINE
Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA	P. O. Box 3243	Telephone:  517 700	Fax: 5130 36
 	website:  www.au.int

DECISION ON AFRICA’S ENGAGEMENTS IN THE GOLBAL CLIMATE NEGOTIATIONS
Doc. Assembly/AU/16(XXV)
Decision No: Assembly/AU/Dec. 580(XXV)

The Assembly,

1.	TAKES NOTE of  the Report of the Coordinator of the Committee of the African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC),
H.E. Abdel Fattah El Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt on climate change action in Africa and preparation for Global Climate events in 2015; and ENDORSES the recommendations contained therein;

2.	EXPRESSES APPRECIATION to the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) for representing the interests of Africa in the climate change negotiations and the constructive manner in which they have advanced the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change process; and URGE the African group of negotiators to maintain the unity of the group and to continue to represent African interests in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change process;

3.	REAFFIRMS that any agreement adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change at its twenty-first session, to be held in Paris in December 2015, should be in accordance with the principles and provisions of the Convention, in particular the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities and equity;

4.	ALSO REAFFIRMS that any agreement adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change at its twenty-first session should enhance the implementation of the principles and provisions of the Convention, and its annexes, be consistent with science and equity, and further enhance a multilateral rules-based system in a balanced and ambitious manner;

5.	AGREES to achieve an agreement that provides parity between mitigation, adaptation and provisions for enhancing means of implementation, noting the increased burden for adaptation in developing countries from inadequate aggregate mitigation efforts and, further, that such an agreement should ensure that mitigation ambition keeps the world on track for a global average temperature increase by the end of the twenty-first century that is well below 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels;

6.	URGES developed country parties and other parties included in Annex II to the Convention to fulfil the commitment to provide climate finance and technology as a means of enhancing action towards achieving the objectives of the Convention; and ALSO URGES that the provisions of the proposed 2015 agreement in relation to finance take into account the commitment of $100 billion dollars annually by 2020 as the basis for climate finance, ensuring additionally, predictability and sustainability of resources, and include a clear burden-sharing process for calculating the contributions to be made by developed country parties;

7.	FURTHER URGES Member States to continue putting in place systems and structures for Africa to take full advantage of the global mechanisms in terms of finance and technology, in support of climate change adaptation and mitigation measures;

8.	TAKES NOTE, of the initiatives on renewable energy in Africa, and of the progress made since the 15th session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), regarding the African Renewable Energy Initiative, suggested by the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), as a contribution to global efforts, led by developed countries, to address climate change and sustainable development; and FURTHER TAKES NOTE of the work undertaken in this regard, and of the two technical meetings which have been organized by UNEP in Addis Ababa on 17th March, and in Cairo on 23 May 2015 to further elaborate on the African renewable energy initiative;

9.	RECALLS the Summit's decision on AMCEN's flagship program on Renewable energy, and urges the importance of its implementation, and to liaise in this regard with AUC, NEPAD, AGN, AFDB, UNEP and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) , and make sure that all other initiatives and proposals are aligned with the flagship programme, and funding is accessed from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) , with AMCEN President leading the work in this regard;

10.	AGREES to this effect that a technical group chaired by AMCEN President, comprised of AUC, NEPAD Agency, AGN, AFDB, UNEP and IRENA formulate concrete proposals and projects, in order to avoid duplication and ensure unity of purpose for Africa, in line with Agenda 2063;

11.	TAKES NOTE of the call by the Leaders of the G7, during the Summit held from 7 to 8 June 2015 in Schloss Elmau, Germany, for accelerated access to renewable energy in Africa, and welcomes the expression of support towards Africa. In this regard the G7 is urged to consult and work closely with the technical group under the leadership and guidance of AMCEN to ensure Africa's ownership and leadership of these initiatives.

12.	ENCOURAGES AMCEN to develop with the AGN a proposal for enhanced support to Africa on adaptation and on loss and damage, in the context of the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Green Climate Fund;

13.	REQUESTS AGN to improve and upgrade the AGN-Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) guidelines and template, based on the deliberations and outcome of the Regional Capacity Building Workshop on INDCs for Africa, which took place in Cairo from 17 to19 May 2015, so as to reflect the linkage  between mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation;

14.	ENCOURAGES Member States to make use of the AGN-INDCs guidelines and template when preparing and developing their INDCs.