LOCS 2013 concludes with Dar es Salaam Communiqué

The ICLEI Local Climate Solutions for Africa 2013 Congress (LOCS2013), held in Dar es Salaam from 30 October to 1 November 2013, concluded with delegates adopting the Dar es Salaam Communiqué prepared by African Mayors and subnational leaders.

With over 440 delegates, the Congress provided the platform for various development actors, stakeholders and local governments to interact and participate in a rich exchange of ideas on cross-cutting issues related to urban climate resilience in Africa. The Report includes an overview and highlights of the three-day Congress, as well as a review of the key themes that emerged from these deliberations. Pre-congress and post-congress activities such as the site visits, alongside special training sessions and workshops, are featured as well.

Finally it presents the ‘African local leaders Dar es Salaam Communiqué in support of the Local Government Climate Roadmap 2013-2015′ which was fed into the 19th Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC:

We are:

Gravely concerned:

• by the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report, in particular that the 400 ppm (parts per million, C02) threshold has been breached and greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise significantly;
• that development gains, and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in Africa are being severely undermined by extreme weather events which affect the poorest and most vulnerable communities hardest;
• that loss of biodiversity, and increasing water, food and energy insecurity threatens human well-being;
• and that the African continent is simultaneously and rapidly urbanising, especially in growing informal settlements.

Emphasising:

• that warming of the climate is unequivocally caused by anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions;
• that a global climate deal is overdue;
• that stalled negotiations are placing the lives of billions of humans at risk, particularly in the global South, and especially in Africa;
• that a just and equitable global climate deal must be achieved by 2015.

Recognising:

• that 21st Century Africa is the century of cities and urban regions - they are the fastest growing in the world
• and by 2030 will host more than 50% of the population;
• that this presents an opportunity to boldly re-think current urban development trajectories, while also addressing vulnerabilities and risks to which African populations are increasingly exposed.

We, the locally elected leaders of Africa assembled at the LOCS Congress 2013, add our voice to the global agenda through this communiqué, through our partnership in the Local Government Climate Roadmap 2013-2015 and in coordination with the Global Taskforce for Local and Regional Governments for Post 215 and Habitat III.

We commit:

• to engage with national governments, regional and pan-African organisations such as the African Union, private sector, financial institutions and civil society to build a collaborative, partnership based approach to effectively address vulnerabilities and risks;
• and to adopt strategies, policies and actions which catalyse the transition to inclusive green growth.

We urge:

• that all national governments commit to work collaboratively with sub-national authorities to ensure they are able to access human and financial resources in order to fast-track the implementation of locally appropriate, pro-poor low carbon and resilient actions.

We commit

• to take action by signing and promoting the Durban Adaptation Charter, the Global cities Covenant on Climate – the Mexico City Pact, and joining the “Making My Cities Resilient” Campaign;
• by developing comprehensive local strategies and plans, forming local coalitions for change, seeking innovative financing models, and preparing for large-scale implementation unlocked through climate finance.

We request that the Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) Constituency continues to provide leadership through convincing and effective negotiating positions on behalf of African subnational authorities.

We invite the Government of Tanzania, in collaboration with the “Friends of Cities” group at the UNFCCC, to undertake necessary actions to assist locally elected leaders in the implementation of the Local Government Climate Road Map 2013-2015.

The Dar es Salaam Communiqué was adopted on the occasion of the Local Climate Solutions for Africa (LOCS) 2013 event in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 1 November 2013 and facilitated by the Host City of Dar es Salaam, ICLEI Africa, the Association of Local Authorities of Tanzania (ALAT) and the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA) in support of the Local Government Climate Roadmap.

Photo:

ICLEI Africa Director meets the LOCS 2013 Guest of Honour, Vice President Bilal.

• For more info on the LOCS 2013 click here.