At end of Y’de Youth Forum on Adaptation Finance in Africa: Participants crusade more int’l financing for climate change adaptation.

They issued a declaration at the confab which will be submitted at the 28th conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP28, next month in Dubai.

The document that sanctioned the meeting is tagged: "The Yaounde African Youth Call on More than Doubling Adaptation Finance for a Resilient Africa".

The forum held under the theme: "Empowering Africa: More than Doubling Adaptation Finance for a Resilient Future".

According to the participants, "mindful of the current gap between actual adaptation financial flows, adaptation finance commitments and real adaptation finance needs; and, given the disproportionate impacts of climate change in Africa and the risk of greater severity of these impacts on critical sectors. We, African youths call on industrialised countries and other big polluters to roll out a blueprint at COP28 to increase annual adaptation finance flows to Africa by more than double by 2025, and move from pledging to start keeping their promises”.

They urged industrialised countries to work in partnership with African leaders and other stakeholders to increase the share of adaptation finance in the overall climate finance portfolio.

The youth also said such actions must be taken to ensure funding is commensurate to the adaptation needs and costs of African countries. They underscored that even if funding hits $40 billion annually; it would still fall short of the assessed need of the African continent.   

Enhancing access and delivery of adaptation finance that is grants-based and predictable was also recommended. 

Participants also called for the simplification of and streamlining the procedures and criteria of multilateral funds and bilateral donors.

Strengthening the capacities and readiness of African institutions and stakeholders, notably frontline communities, youth and women-led initiatives was also another proposal.  

A message address to authorities was the need for effectiveness and efficiency of adaptation finance through the promotion of participatory and inclusive planning and decision-making processes.

The Yaounde confab also indicated the need for scaling up adaptation finance by supporting the development of new and emerging sources and instruments of finance, private sector investments and partnerships. 

They also called for the enhancement of regional and cross-sectoral collaboration and integration of adaptation actions.   

About YOFAFA 2023 

The Youth Forum on Adaptation Finance in Africa, YOFAFA is a youth-led movement. 

It was convened by the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance, PACJA, and the African Coalition for Sustainable Energy and Access, ACSEA, in partnership with the African Adaptation Initiative, AAI. 

It is supported by the African Development Bank, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, GIZ, GmbH, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and several other partners. YOFAFA is part of the Youth for Adaptation Finance in Africa Initiative, YAF. 

YAF Africa aims to raise awareness, advocate for increased funding, promote participation, and ensure transparency and accountability in the financing of adaptatio