NAIROBI, April 13 (Xinhua) -- African environmentalists on Friday launched a plan of action towards achieving United Nations goals on tackling climate change.
African climate change policy makers who ended their two-day meeting in Nairobi set out National Determined Contributions (NDCs) proposals that if implemented will see the continent achieve its target of reducing the continent's share of global emissions.
"We intend to implement our NDCs by giving priority to financing the initiative, technology transfer and capacity building to communities," the delegates said during the first Africa Telanoa dialogue.
They agreed to promote science and technology by introducing climate investments in the continent and collaborating on technology transfer to help save communities and infrastructure from adverse climatic conditions.
The experts further agreed to prioritize on green finance, carbon market, clean energy and engagement with the private sector.
Launched at the COP23, Talanoa dialogue aims at collective assessment of the progress made on climate action and increase action to reach the Paris Agreement goals.
The dialogue sets activities to be undertaken by every country ahead of the COP24 climate conference set for Poland in November.
Talanoa dialogues also help build trust and advance knowledge through empathy and understanding for the collective good in the regions.
The COP set a facilitative dialogue among Parties to begin in 2018 to take stock of the collective efforts of Parties in relation to progress towards the long-term goal.
According to Charles Mutai, Kenya's Director Climate Change in the Ministry of Environment and also the Chairperson of the meeting said that the delegates agreed to link the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate change actions.
"Collaboration across the continent is crucial given that countries face similar climatic effects," Mutai added, noting that the delegates also agreed to foster the corporation between public and private sector.
The UN Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif called for political will to help develop an integrated climate change policy in the continent.
"For climate change policies and strategies to succeed, they must be people centered and translated to the local communities and school children," Sharif noted.
She promised to help the countries in developing climate change gender responsive participatory planning in their cities.