Dar es Salaam is one of nine African megacities that have demonstrated their commitment to bold climate action and have pledged to give their part of the Paris Agreement. The promises were made last week in Lagos, Nigeria when the C40 Climate Action Planning Africa Programme was launched.
In addition to Dar es Salaam, other African cities involved in the agreement are Accra (Ghana), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Cape Town (South Africa), Dakar (Senegal), Durban (South Africa), Johannesburg (South Africa), Lagos (Nigeria) and Tshwane/Pretoria (South Africa).
According to a statement from C40 Climate Action Planning Africa Programme, the governor of Lagos, AkinwunmiAmbode, the mayor of Accra Mohammed AdjeïSowah, Mark Watts, executive director of C40 Cities and representatives of the participating cities attended the launch.
The C40 Climate Action Planning Africa Programme will provide direct support to the nine cities in the development of unprecedented, solid and evidence-based long-term climate action plans that align with the ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement.
The support will include a specific city councilor for the city, a series of workshops and access to expert technical advice as needed. Nairobi and Abidjan have also joined the program and will soon have to present their climate action commitments.
The C40 Climate Action Planning Africa program is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). TThe Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) supports this initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag.
Mr. Adjei Sowah said that everyone understands the reality of climate change and its effects on the collective survival and people’s ability to thrive. “Our citizens are increasingly aware of these impacts, and we can not ignore the implications of what will happen to us if we do not act now,” he said.
He further added that a business-as-usual approach to the quest for socio-economic development will not help in the fight against the threat of climate change.