Benefits of addressing Methane emissions – Pathways to achieving Agenda 2063 and the Paris Agreement (Africa Climate Week plenary session)

This Africa Climate Week plenary session will highlight opportunities to reduce methane emissions in the region that can support national development objectives and contribute to achieving Agenda 2063 and the goals of the Paris Agreement.  

Countries will present examples of actions they are taking in the fossil fuels, agriculture, and waste sectors and their approaches to including methane in their updated NDCs and other relevant development plans.  

Partners will discuss the opportunities available to support methane mitigation actions in Africa, such as through regional collaboration, the Global Methane Pledge, and regional development partners.  

Authors of the upcoming CCAC Africa Assessment will provide a glimpse into the assessment’s findings on the region’s methane emissions and the quantified development benefits of mitigation actions.  

Why methane?

Reducing human-caused methane emissions is one of the fastest, most cost-effective strategies to reduce the rate of warming and contribute to global efforts to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C.  The 2021 Global Methane Assessment released by CCAC and UNEP shows that we have the technologies and policy frameworks to reduce emissions cost effectively and with immediate benefits to society.  

Methane reductions in the fossil fuels, agriculture and waste sectors would lead to multiple climate and social benefits across the African continent, including avoided premature deaths, reduced air pollution related hospitalizations, and avoided lost work hours due to heat.    

Recognizing the multiple benefits of methane action, countries in the region have committed to reduce methane, with almost half including methane in their updated NDCs and signing onto the Global Methane Pledge.  

Speakers

Opening remarks
Lee White CBE, Minister of Water, Forest, the Sea and Environment, Gabon  

Regional cooperation
Ambassador Josefa Sacko, Commissioner Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, African Union Commission 

Africa Assessment - the scientific case for methane action
Aderiana Mbandi, Regional Atmospheric Pollution Expert, Regional Office for Africa, UNEP 

National actions to enhance methane mitigation

• Frédéric Zakpa Galé, Deputy Director, Climate Change Department, NDC Partnership National Focal Point, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Cote D’Ivoire 
• Guilherme de Aguiar Ventura, Safety and Environment Director, National Agency for Oil, Gas and Biofuel (ANPG), Angola 
• Juliana Boateng, Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ghana  
• Bouzekri Razi, Directeur des Changements Climatiques et Chef de la délégation (Direct of Climate Change and Head of Delegation), Morocco  
• Wilfried Biao Mongazi, UFCCC Focal point, Ministère du Cadre de Vie et du Développement Durable (MCVDD), Direction Générale de l'Environnement et du Climat (DGEC), Benin 

Support for methane mitigation in Africa 

• Gareth Phillips, Division Manager, Climate and Environment Finance, Africa Development Bank Group 
• Samuel Watson, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, U.S. Embassy in Gabon    

Master of ceremonies
Richard Munang, Deputy Director, Regional Office for Africa, UNEP  

Moderator
Seraphine Hauessling, Programme Manager, CCAC/UNEP